A brand new dining and awards program was launched on Tuesday.
The Australian Financial Review Australia’s Top Restaurants, presented by Qantas (the flag carrier of Australia) & Vittoria Coffee, is the only national awards program that is decided solely by a peer voting process – restaurateurs and chefs themselves are responsible for voting for the top restaurants in the country.
Never before has there been a dining program like this in Australia – an industry-voted system that shines the spotlight on the very best dining in 2015.
These are not just the restaurants with the finest accoutrements, the most imaginative food, the best local produce, the biggest design budget, the highest-profile chef or the most awesome wine list, but places with real character and personality that are helping to build our restaurant culture.
Joining the Financial Review to present the program and awards are two iconic Australian brands and long-term supporters of excellence in Australian dining – Qantas and Vittoria Coffee.
“We have a long history of contributing to Australia’s strong reputation in culinary excellence through our five star menus designed by Qantas Chef Neil Perry, multi-award winning wine cellar and exceptional service.
We are proud to support Australia’s Top Restaurants and continue our commitment to showcasing the very best of Australian Chefs and restaurateurs on the global stage,” said Qantas Group Executive Brand, Marketing and Corporate Affairs, Olivia Wirth.
“We have been supplying Australia’s best restaurants for over 65 years and today supply more hatted restaurants than any other coffee brand.
We are now proud to announce that we have further extended our commitment to the industry by taking on the principal sponsorship of the Top 100 alongside our good friends at Qantas.
We are excited to support this new, industry-judged, awards program, which is designed to bring further recognition to our most talented chefs and restaurateurs” said Managing Director of Vittoria Coffee, Rolando Schirato.
Renowned food and restaurant writers Jill Dupleix and Terry Durack are the inaugural directors of the awards and program.
“With an increasing number of international chefs talking up the Australian food scene, a prestigious national restaurant awards program such as this is very timely” Durack said.
“This isn’t about celebrity chefs and media darlings, it’s about who is really raising standards and dishing up great food every single day. The results are based on the votes of 500 different chefs and restaurateurs throughout the country, which will cover a lot of ground and a lot of experience.”
Compiled by a distinguished Australia-wide panel of Good Food Guide editors, reviewers and industry experts, a list of 500 was released today inside the Financial Review.
Chefs and restaurants that appear are invited to vote for their top 10. There are a few key rules: chefs must have dined at the restaurant and they cannot choose their own restaurant.
The Top 100 Restaurants list will then be announced and released in the Financial Review, in conjunction with the inaugural awards ceremony taking place on Monday, May 18 at Crown, Melbourne.
Director, Jill Dupleix highlights that the awards and dining program are unlike any in Australia and the outcome could be surprising.
“Because Australia’s Top 100 Restaurants are chosen by the chefs and restaurateurs themselves, we’re expecting an intriguingly different result to the normal awards system judged by food critics and reviewers” Dupleix said.
The Australian public will also have their say when voting commences for the The People’s Award on Friday, May 1. Australians can choose their favourite restaurant and vote on the website www.australiastoprestaurants.com from the list of 500 and the winner will be announced with the Top 100 list.
