Australia’s best place to eat was revealed at the Oscars of the Australian food world, the Gourmet Traveller Restaurant Awards. Taking out the top spot, Sydney’s Quay has been named Australia’s Restaurant of the Year in the country’s longest-standing national restaurant awards.
Following an epic multimillion-dollar renovation that saw the harbour side restaurant close its doors for three months, Quay, led by internationally acclaimed chef Peter Gilmore, is back, and better than ever. Quay 2.0 redefines luxury dining in Australia with a stunning package of rare and wild ingredients, inspired cooking, genteel service, and a sublime setting.
Australia’s leading chefs and restaurateurs gathered at Restaurant Hubert in Sydney to attend the awards and launch the country’s national restaurant guide at a gala dinner.
Josh Niland of Saint Peter in Sydney took out the peer-voted Chef of the Year, a remarkable turnaround hot on the heels of winning the Best New Talent award only 12 months before.
The incredibly well-dressed team at Dinner by Heston Blumenthal took out a collective win for Maître d’ of the Year, and Emma Farrelly, who oversees not one but four lists at Perth’s
State Buildings complex, won Sommelier of the Year.
GOURMET TRAVELLER RESTAURANT AWARDS WINNERS
RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR
Quay, Sydney
CHEF OF THE YEAR
Josh Niland – Saint Peter, Sydney
NEW RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR
Laura, Merricks, Vic
BEST NEW TALENT
Ali Currey-Voumard – The Agrarian Kitchen Eatery, New Norfolk, Tas
REGIONAL RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR
Brae, Birregurra, Vic
BAR OF THE YEAR
Liberté, Albany, WA
MAÎTRE D’ OF THE YEAR
The team from Dinner by Heston Blumenthal, Melbourne
WINE LIST OF THE YEAR
Franklin, Hobart
OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION TO HOSPITALITY
Rootstock wine festival: Linda Wiss, Matt Young, Giorgio De Maria, James Hird and Mike Bennie
SOMMELIER OF THE YEAR
Emma Farrelly – State Buildings, Perth
