Six restaurants scored the highest, 'three hats', among more than 300 in the Cuisine Good Food Guide - from Auckland Ahi, Cocoro, Paris Butter and Tala; Hawke’s Bay's Craggy Range Restaurant and Amisfield from Queenstown.
Casey McDonald from Craggy Range Restaurant was named chef of the year at the ceremony in Auckland on Monday night. The establishment also won winery restaurant of the year, in just their first year at the awards.
“In a world where culinary artistry can often feel disconnected from its roots, Casey is a chef who brings everything full circle,” head judge Kerry Tyack said.
Tala, led by trailblazing Samoan chef Henry Onesemo, was also a new entrant this year. Onesemo told RNZ despite the tough environment in hospitality, there’s a collective effort by restaurants to back each other up.
“We have restaurants like Amisfield in Queenstown, who are shining New Zealand out to the world. So we have customers who come from overseas that are trying to make it to Amisfield but then they stop at Tala because they’ve heard of us.”
His wife, Debby Onesemo, was the backbone of the restaurant, he says.
“I think without her, we wouldn’t be able to do what we are able to do at the restaurant.
“Most of the time, the chefs and front of house get the praise, but nobody sees the work that goes [on] behind the scenes. Tala would be shut in a couple of weeks if my wife wasn’t around.”
The pastry chef of the year went to Kenji Yoshitsuka at Advieh in Auckland and newly opened Supra in Wellington took home the new restaurant of the year award.
Josh Phillips from Aosta in Arrowtown was bestowed with the rising talent title. Aosta was also named the regional restaurant of the year.
In total, 95 restaurants received a ‘hat’ rating of either one, two or three.
The winners
Restaurant of the year: Amisfield – Lake Hayes, Queenstown
Metropolitan restaurant of the year: Farina – Auckland
Regional restaurant of the year: Aosta – Arrowtown
Specialist restaurant of the year: Tempero – Auckland
Casual restaurant of the year: Londo – Christchurch
Hotel restaurant of the year: Metita – The Grand by SkyCity – Auckland
New restaurant of the year: Supra – Wellington
Chef of the year: Casey McDonald – Craggy Range Restaurant – Havelock North, Hawke’s Bay
Pastry chef of the year: Kenji Yoshitsuka – Advieh – Auckland
Luxury lodge chefs of the year: Executive Chef Dan Fraser & Head Chef Guillaume Laurent – The Lindis – Ahuriri Valley
Rising talent: Josh Phillips – Aosta – Arrowtown
Restaurant personality of the year: Kate Hutchison – Capitol Restaurant – Wellington
Innovation award: Plabita Florence – Forest – Auckland
Winery restaurant of the year: Craggy Range Restaurant – Havelock North, Hawke’s Bay
Wine experience of the year: Katie Woodhead & Victoria Birsen – Cellar 495 – Hastings, Hawke’s Bay
Drinks list of the year: Charley Noble – Wellington
Long-term player: Capitol Restaurant – Wellington
Champion for change: Lucas Parkinson – Aryeh – Piha, Auckland
NZ global champion: Nick Honeyman – Le Petit Léon, France & Paris Butter, New Zealand
Legend award: Mark Gregory
