Queensland’s Agnes has taken out the top honour at this year’s Gourmet Traveller Annual Restaurant Awards, with chef and co-owner Ben Williamson and co-owner Tyron Simon in attendance to accept the award at our glittering gala event at Brasserie 1930 in Sydney. It’s the second Queensland venue in the award’s history to receive the illustrious accolade, with E’cco named as the state’s first-ever Restaurant of the Year back in 1997.
The country’s leading chefs and restaurant personalities came together to celebrate the annual awards, which are Australia’s longest-running restaurant awards and a highlight of the hospitality calendar.
“The Gourmet Traveller Restaurant Awards recognise the incredible depth and diversity of Australia’s dining landscape and are always a highlight of the hospitality calendar,” says editor Joanna Hunkin.
Peter Gilmore, Rosheen Kaul, Josh Niland and Kylie Kwong were among the top chefs to attend the event, which marked the awards’ 43rd year.
It was a huge night of celebration for Victoria, with Melbourne’s Filipino laneway diner Serai taking home Best New Restaurant, while Etta was named state winner. Plus Vue de Monde chef Hugh Allen was voted Chef of the Year in the night’s only peer-voted category, and regional paddock-to-plate fine-diner Brae was crowned the winner in Gourmet Traveller‘s inaugural Readers’ Choice Icon Award, as voted by our readers.
From New South Wales, Ollie Wong-Hee — the head chef behind popular Byron Bay restaurant Bar Heather — was announced as this year’s Best New Talent. And we looked back to 1993, when Sean Moran opened Sydney’s beloved beachside institution Sean’s, honouring him with our prestigious Outstanding Contribution to Hospitality accolade. We also celebrated the charismatic personalities who make dining out memorable, with Louise Radman of Hobart’s Institut Polaire taking home Restaurant Personality of the Year.
In South Australia, last year’s Restaurant of the Year, Restaurant Botanic, was awarded the state winner and Adelaide’s good-times wine bar Good Gilbert received Wine Bar of the Year. Over in Western Australia, Glenarty Road claimed Best Destination Dining and Jarrahdale’s Millbrook took home state winner for WA. Rounding out the state winners, Aalia was named NSW’s best restaurant, Onzieme was the ACT winner, and Massimo Mele’s Peppina took out the honour for Tasmania.
Congratulations to all winners in this year’s Gourmet Traveller Annual Restaurant Awards.
RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR | Agnes, Brisbane QLD
Agnes, Restaurant of the Year.
(Photo: David Chatfield)STATE WINNERS
ACT: Onzieme, Canberra
NSW: Aalia, Sydney
VIC: Etta, Melbourne
QLD: Agnes, Brisbane
SA: Restaurant Botanic, Adelaide
TAS: Peppina, Hobart
WA: Millbrook, Jarrahdale
BEST NEW RESTAURANT | Serai, Melbourne VIC
Serai, Best New Restaurant.
(Photo: Jana Langhorst)CHEF OF THE YEAR | Hugh Allen, Vue de Monde
Hugh Allen, Chef of the Year.
(Photo: Jon Webb/ Jarrod Barnes)BEST NEW TALENT | Ollie Wong-Hee, Bar Heather
Ollie Wong-Hee, Best New Talent.
(Photo: Jess Kearney)BEST DESTINATION DINING | Glenarty Road, Karridale WA
Glenarty Road, Best Destination Dining.
WINE BAR OF THE YEAR | Good Gilbert, Adelaide SA
Good Gilbert, Wine Bar of the Year.
RESTAURANT PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR | Louise Radman, Institut Polaire
Louise Radman, Restaurant Personality of the Year.
(Photo: Anthony Geernaert)OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION TO HOSPITALITY | Sean Moran, Sean’s
Sean Moran, Outstanding Contribition to Hospitality.
(Photo: Anthony Geernaert)READERS’ CHOICE ICON AWARD | Brae, Birregurra VIC
Brae, Readers’ Choice Icon Award.
(Photo: Colin Page)To see the full list of finalists in this year’s Gourmet Traveller Annual Restaurant Awards, head over here.
