NZ’S Best Come From All Corners Of The Country

Press ReleaseWednesday 24 June 2009

NZ’S Best Come From All Corners Of The Country

Cuisine NZ Restaurant of the Year Awards 2009 Finalists Announced

Restaurants from Whangarei to Queenstown have been named as finalists in the Cuisine NZ Restaurant of the Year Awards 2009, proudly supported by Mercedes-Benz.

The 39 finalists are a combination of acclaimed previous winners such as Auckland’s The French Café and newcomers like Botswana Butchery in Queenstown, The Woodbox at Mystery Creek and Hotel d’Urville in Blenheim.

Now in their fifth year, the Cuisine NZ Restaurant of the Year Awards are the only national restaurant awards in this country, celebrating the very best dining experiences whether they are found in the big cities, in the countryside or up the road at the local restaurant.

“In a year of challenging economic times restaurants are working harder than ever to attract diners and give them an unforgettable food experience,” says head judge Lauraine Jacobs. “Those that continue to do everything well are still busy every night.”

She says she and her team of 22 expert judges have had their eye on the whole country, with finalists coming from far and wide.

“As well as seven new finalists from Auckland, one from Wellington and three from Canterbury, there are new finalists from Waikato, Hawke’s Bay, Nelson/Marlborough and Central Otago,” she says. “More than ever, this shows that some of New Zealand’s finest and most sophisticated food can be experienced away from the big cities.

“We are lucky enough to live in a country where everyone lives close to our food sources, whether it be near the coast or by a farm,” she says. “The food on our plate is an expression of the land. Our chefs don’t need to go to great lengths to complicate the food – the emphasis is on local and fresh.”

A revival in diners choosing to eat at their “local” has meant a new category, Best Neighbourhood Restaurant, has been added to this year’s awards. “Perhaps it is a sign of the times that diners are choosing to stick closer to home, to dine in a more casual setting,” she says. “This category allows the smaller local restaurants to stand up and be noticed beside the big guns.”

Editor of Cuisine, Eric Matthews, who has a wealth of international experience on acclaimed magazines such as Vogue and Australian Gourmet Traveller, says there are some extremely talented New Zealand chefs coming through. “Many of them are flexing their muscles and producing a style of cuisine that they can now call their own, as top chefs overseas do. It’s unpretentious, uncomplicated but at the same time they are creating a top-class culinary experience.”

The restaurants are visited anonymously by a panel of expert food and wine professionals from around New Zealand, each with in-depth experience in the hospitality industry and/or restaurant reviewing.

There are nine new judges to the panel this year, including Cuisine editor Eric Matthews and food writer and caterer Ruth Pretty. Guest international judge Ralph Kyte-Powell will visit New Zealand for the final stage of judging.

Judges are now scrutinising the top 39 restaurants to select five category winners: best smart dining, best casual dining (metropolitan and regional), best winery restaurant and best neighbourhood restaurant.

Cuisine readers too will have the opportunity to dine out as part of a nationwide promotion “Dining with the Stars”. During July, 34 of the finalist restaurants have created fixed menus of one or more courses, matched with a range of wines from New Zealand’s most-awarded winery Villa Maria Estate, a promotional partner of the Cuisine NZ Restaurant of the Year Awards.

Roger Zagorski, executive general manager of Mercedes-Benz New Zealand, the associate awards sponsor, applauds the commitment to outstanding class and quality that this year’s competitors show.

“Like Cuisine we share a commitment to outstanding quality. It’s wonderful to see the competition as exciting as ever. We have a phenomenal line-up of restaurants reinforcing the world-class calibre of this competition.”

A full list of finalists is available in the July issue of Cuisine, on sale on 29 June and at www.cuisine.co.nz

The winners of the Cuisine NZ Restaurant of the Year 2009 Awards will be announced in August at an exclusive event for the restaurant industry in Auckland. The awards will be profiled in the September issue of Cuisine, on sale from 24 August.

Cuisine NZ Restaurant of the Year Finalists 2009

NORTHLAND
À Deco
Kamo Rd, Whangarei
A finalist in 2008

AUCKLAND
Cibo
St Georges Bay Rd, Parnell

Clooney
Sale St, Freemans Bay
A finalist in 2008

Delicious
Richmond Rd, Grey Lynn

Dine by Peter Gordon
SkyCity Grand Hotel, City
A finalist in 2008

Merediths Restaurant
Dominion Rd, Mt Eden
A finalist in 2008

Molten
Mt Eden Rd, Mt Eden
A finalist in 2008

O'Connell Street Bistro
O’Connell St, City
Winner, Best Wine Experience, 2008

Prego
Ponsonby Rd, Ponsonby

Pure
Jervois Rd, Herne Bay

Rocco
Ponsonby Rd, Ponsonby

Soul Bar & Bistro
Viaduct Harbour, City

SPQR
Ponsonby Rd, Ponsonby

The French Café
Symonds St, City
Winner, Best Smart Dining, 2008

The Grove
St Patrick’s Square, City
A finalist in 2008

Vinnies
Jervois Rd, Herne Bay

WAIKATO
Palate
Victoria St, Hamilton
A finalist in 2008

The Woodbox
Mystery Creek Winery, Ohaupo

HAWKE’S BAY
Pacifica
Marine Parade, Napier
A finalist in 2008

Terrôir at Craggy Range
Waimarama Rd, Havelock North
Runner-up, Best Winery Restaurant, 2008

Vidal Winery Restaurant
St Aubyn St East, Hastings

WAIRARAPA

Wendy Campbell's French Bistro
Martinborough
Winner, Best Casual Dining – Regional, 2008

WELLINGTON
Ambeli
Majoribanks St, Mount Victoria
A finalist in 2008

Café Bastille
Majoribanks St, Mount Victoria

Le Canard
Murphy St, Thorndon
A finalist in 2008

Logan Brown
Cnr Cuba & Vivian Sts, City
A finalist in 2008

Martin Bosley's
Oriental Parade, City
Runner-up, Best Smart Dining, 2008

NELSON & MARLBOROUGH

Bouterey's at 251
Richmond, Nelson
A finalist in 2008

Hopgood's Restaurant & Bar
Trafalgar St, Nelson
A finalist in 2008

Hotel d’Urville Brasserie
Queen St, Blenheim

CANTERBURY

Chinwag Eathai
High St, Christchurch

Nor’Wester Café
Main North Rd, Amberley, Waipara

Pegasus Bay Winery Restaurant
Stockgrove Rd, Amberley, Waipara
Winner, Best Winery Restaurant, 2008

Restaurant Schwass
Phillipstown, Christchurch
A finalist in 2008

Saggio di Vino
Victoria St, Christchurch

CENTRAL OTAGO

Amisfield Winery Restaurant
Lake Hayes Rd, Lake Hayes

Botswana Butchery
Marine Parade, Queenstown

Saffron
Buckingham St, Arrowtown
A finalist in 2008

DUNEDIN

Plato
Birch St, Dunedin
Runner-up, Best Casual Dining – Metropolitan, 2008

Released on behalf of Fairfax Magazines by Goode PR, Auckland, For more information or to arrange an interview, please contact: Belinda Abernethy of Goode PR, Auckland on +64 9 480 9948 or 021 509 062 or email belinda@goodepr.co.nz

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