The Rotorua Hospitality Awards committee has announced this year’s finalists, with Sharon Wallace, Rotorua Branch President of the Restaurant Association of NZ saying, “the awards are about honouring the region’s hospitality industry for their outstanding commitment to this exciting and vibrant business. They were created to further enhance the local and visitor experience in the Rotorua hospitality industry and it is great to see not only the industry but Rotorua locals getting in behind them.”
Each year the awards have grown in strength and popularity, with positive feedback from the industry and a massive turnout at the 2014 Awards. Thus year’s theme is Winter Wonderland and sponsors include Distinction Hotel as venue sponsor, Volcanic Hills Winery as media launch sponsor, Jasco Distributing, The Coffee Club , More FM, Gilmours, Skyline Rotorua, Menu Mate, Bidvest, Inghams, One Music, Service IQ, Tohu Wines, Rotorua Lakes Council and Spark Rotorua.
As well as live judging, mystery shoppers will play a big part helping with the judging process. There is a wide array of finalists ranging from up and coming hospitality superstars, well-loved and treasured hot spots and the new vibrant hangouts that are helping to grow the quality of the Rotorua hospitality sector. Creating a new dimension to this year’s awards, finalists were awarded with certificates celebrating and acknowledging their individual success at the finalist announcement last week.
Voting is now open to the hospitality industry with individual award categories being judged by an expert team of hospitality representatives.
The winners will be announced at the awards evening held at Distinction Rotorua on Sunday, 21 June. Details on the event, voting and a link to tickets can be found at www.rotoruaawards.co.nz
The Rotorua Hospitality Awards 2015 Finalists are –
Jasco Distributing Outstanding Bar:
Brew I Craft Beer Pub
Ponsonby Rd
The Lava Bar
The Coffee Club Outstanding Barista:
Akiko Yakamoto – Abracadabra Cafe
Christina Aldworth – Fat Dog Café & Bar
Rachel Atkinson – Library Café
More FM Outstanding Bartender:
Cody Jarvie – Abracadabra Cafe
Joseph Cox – Ponsonby Rd
Kunal Sharma – Stratosfare Restaurant
Gilmours Outstanding Café:
Capers Epicurean
Lime Caffeteria
Picnic Café
Skyline Rotorua Outstanding Caterer:
Eurest
The Blue Baths
The Catering Company
Bidvest Emerging Chef:
Eden Phillips – Rydges Rotorua
Lily Carnaby – Stratosfare Restaurant
Rohit Chandla – Abracadabra Cafe
Menumate Outstanding Chef:
Craig Martin – Peppers on the Point
Fred Kreutmayer – Stratosfare Restaurant
Todd Tregoweth – Rydges Rotorua
Inghams Outstanding Hotel Restaurant:
Atlas Restaurant – Novotel Rotorua Lakeside
Atrium Restaurant – Rydges Rotorua
Regent Room – Regent of Rotorua
Service IQ Outstanding Maori Cultural Dining Experience:
Mitai Maori Village
Tamaki Maori Village
Te Puia Te Po
One Music Outstanding Restaurant:
Indian Star Tandoori Restaurant
Stratosfare Restaurant
Urbano Bistro
Tohu Wines Outstanding Supplier:
Bidvest
Fenton Quality Produce
Gilmours Rotorua
Rotorua Daily Post Outstanding Takeaway:
Devon Seafoods
Indian Star Tandoori Restaurant
Oppies Fish & Chips
Restaurant Association of New Zealand Outstanding Waiter:
Charissa Rehu – Nuvolari
Danny Stoneham – CBK
Te Aroha Dehar – Stratosfare Restaurant
