A global pandemic made it impossible to continue with our annual Gourmet Traveller Restaurant Awards. Instead, we’ve created another way to champion our remarkable hospitality industry.
For the first time, we announce the Gourmet Traveller Hospitality Honours List, presented by PorkStar and Abercrombie & Kent. This list celebrates the individuals and businesses who have turned adversity into opportunity during one of the worst crises to hit our vibrant dining scene.
From charity initiatives to feed the most vulnerable members of our community, restaurants-turned-production-kitchens that supplied meals for frontline staff, to new delivery models to bring dinners, groceries and cooking classes to house-bound customers, these are just some of the stories we’re celebrating in the Year of the Pivot.
This year has shown how adversity can drive innovation, so it’s little surprise that the states and cities most severely affected by COVID-19 and subsequent restrictions saw businesses pivot the hardest. States such as Tasmania, WA and Qld have enjoyed greater freedom than others, and thus, are not equally represented in this list. We acknowledge every hospitality business across Australia has done it tough this year and we salute them all.
The GT Hospitality Honours List by category
We salute those who reached out to the wider community, spearheaded charitable efforts and offered practical support for the industry at large.
Outstanding examples of high-end, standard-setting food delivered with integrity, quality and heart.
From take-home ramen packs to a drive-through pasta shop, these quick and clever pivots set high standards and paved the way for others.
Leaders in transformation, these restaurants and stores supplied baked goods and gourmet groceries at a time when supermarket shelves were empty.
A toast to the clever booze offerings that helped us see our glasses as half full instead of half empty.
Outside of restaurants and bars, we saw friends of the industry rally to offer all manner of support.
