Presenting the finalists for Restaurant Personality of the Year.
Next month, we will reveal our winners and the full guide to Australia’s best restaurants at a glamorous gala evening at Brasserie 1930 in Sydney and in our September issue.
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And the nominees are…
Alma Pasalic, Restaurant Botanic.
(Photo: Johnathan VDK)Alma Pasalic, Restaurant Botanic | SA
Alma Pasalic’s family moved from Bosnia to Australia as refugees in the mid ’90s. In her role as restaurant manager at Restaurant Botanic, resilience, storytelling and connection seem to come easy. Her descriptions of dishes verge on transcendental. Pasalic lives for delivering what she calls “eyebrow raising” moments; whether that’s presenting a knockout cocktail, helping to build the Temperance drink menu, or remembering the finer details a guest shared on their last visit.
In short: An unwavering pursuit of excellence.
Dash Rumble, Pilot and Such and Such.
(Photo: Cassie Abraham)Dash Rumble, Pilot and Such and Such | ACT
Dash Rumble has a clear vision of what good service looks and feels like. You can see it in her disarming smile when she opens the door at Pilot. Or in the easy-going way she talks you through one of the sharp non-alcoholic drinks at Such and Such. Mostly, though, you’ll spot it in her teams – an assemblage of invested, energetic young professionals setting a high standard for hospitality in the bush capital that’s full of wit and sparkle. Lucky Canberra.
In short: Leading by example.
Jemima Phillips, Exhibition.
Jemima Phillips, Exhibition | QLD
There’s plenty to rave about at Exhibition, from the welcome attack of snacks that hits your table at once, to the precise cooking of proteins and vegetables over coals. But it’s perhaps the interaction with the team you’ll remember long after visiting. Leading the way is restaurant manager Jemima Phillips, who exudes passion and warmth. She lights up the restaurant’s dark space with her glowing hospitality, making the Exhibition experience even more memorable.
In short: A shining star.
Louise Radman, Institut Polaire.
Louise Radman, Institut Polaire | TAS
Detailing Louise Radman’s CV takes some time. The list, for starters, includes sommelier, writer, co-director of a wine company and a gin distillery and wine judge. You’ll also find her on the floor at Institut Polaire, a calming, charming presence with psychic-level skills in directing to you onto the correct drink path. But there’s more. Radman’s also taken the reins with the food menu, steering it to a place better than it’s ever been. What can’t she do?
In short: Hospitality polymath.
Philip Koch, Wines of While.
Philip Koch, Wines of While | WA
Wines of While‘s charismatic manager Philip Koch can greet and welcome guests in at least eight languages, but he’s more of a show-don’t-tell kind of person. Since joining this trailblazing natural wine bar last year, Koch has dramatically sharpened the service style and reinforced Wines of While’s credentials as somewhere you’d go to dine as much as drink. Even more impressively, he’s managed to change the culture while still preserving the bar’s free-spirited sense of fun.
In short: A master of his craft.
Robin Wilson, Lake House.
(Photo: Kristoffer Paulsen)Robin Wilson, Lake House | VIC
Lake House has become a multi-hyphenate over the decades but the Rosetta stone that explains its origins, heart and biases is the restaurant. Robin Wilson, the charming, besuited presence in the dining room is not just the guy responsible for Lake House’s incredible wine list but for anchoring its culture and the energy. The ability for that room to make you feel both known and loved? That you don’t need to worry about a thing? That hospitality lives here? Wilson.
In short: Hospitality masterclass.
Toshihiko Oe, Sushi Oe.
Toshihiko Oe, Sushi Oe | NSW
Presiding over an omakase counter is a tall order, for chefs are not only tasked with preparing and serving the food, but also entertaining the crowd. Toshihiko Oe, one of Sydney’s most revered sushi masters, excels at both. To bear witness to his knife skills is a rare privilege and so, too, is watching him show off glimmering swatches of tuna like a Las Vegas illusionist. At his eponymous sushi-ya, you’re on the edge of your stool the whole time.
In short: The greatest showman.
