Cuisine Restaurant of the Year Awards - finalists

EMBARGOED TILL FRIDAY 8 JUNE

Media Release Wednesday 6 June

Finalists for 2007 Cuisine Restaurant of the Year Awards Announced

Champagne corks will be popping across the country with the announcement of 33 national finalists in the Cuisine Restaurant of the Year Awards, proudly supported by Mercedes-Benz.

The annual Cuisine Restaurant of the Year Awards, now in their third year, have seen an impressive 44 per cent increase in the number of entries. The Awards are the most authoritative national recognition for restaurant and dining excellence. Within the hospitality industry, they are regarded as the ultimate accolade, celebrating the very best restaurant and dining experiences throughout New Zealand.

Mike Egan of the Restaurant Association of New Zealand says “the Cuisine Restaurant of the Year Awards play a vital role in assisting the restaurant industry by focusing on excellence, consistency and innovation. Whilst there are many regional based accolades organised by various groups only the Cuisine Awards are national. This combined with the depth of experience of the judges gives them relevance and integrity.”

This year, the scope of the Awards has been broadened to reflect current dining trends. In addition to fine dining, the Awards also celebrate casual dining in metropolitan and regional areas, restaurants that are ethnic or themed, the best winery restaurant and the best wine experience.

The Supreme Winner - The Cuisine Restaurant of the Year 2007 - will be chosen from one of six categories. The 33 finalists now competing for the right to be known as ‘the best restaurant’ in New Zealand can be justifiably proud of reaching finalist status.

Head judge of Cuisine Restaurant of the Year Awards, Lauraine Jacobs explains the qualities required to become a finalist; “Top quality ingredients, prepared with care and attention, the calibre of wines offered and how they are served are key. Above all, we are looking for a restaurant that knows what its customers want and delivers what it sets out to do, regardless of the style of restaurant.”

TheCuisine Restaurant of the Year Awards is judged by a panel of 12 experts from the food, wine and hospitality industries. The panel is made up of some of New Zealand’s most esteemed food critics, writers, chefs and restaurateurs, and respected international wine and food writer from the Melbourne Age, Ralph Kyte-Powell.

The strength of this year’s entries has resulted in more finalists than ever, up from 25 in 2006 to 33 finalists for this year’s Awards. Finalists up and down the country will now be subjected to a rigorous judging process. Each finalist will be visited by two members of the judging panel, who will then select a short-list of top establishments. The short-listed establishments will be revisited for final judging by international guest judge, Ralph Kyte-Powell and Lauraine Jacobs later this month.

The finalists of the Cuisine Restaurant of the Year will be announced in the July issue of Cuisine (on sale 11 June). The Supreme Winner and category winners will be announced on 10 August and will be profiled in the September issue of Cuisine (on sale 13 August).

The New Zealand public can voice their opinion of the best restaurants through newly created the Cuisine Readers Choice competition. From June 8 they can vote for theirfavouritefinalist on theCuisine website. The winner of the promotion will receive dinner for two at one of the winning restaurants to the value of $250.

CUISINE RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR 2007: THE FINALISTS

NORTH AUCKLAND
À Deco
Kensington, Whangarei

The Beach House Restaurant
Waipu Cove

AUCKLAND
Antoine’s Restaurant
Parnell, Auckland

Cibo
Parnell, Auckland
A finalist last year

Dine by Peter Gordon
Grand Hotel, Auckland
A finalist last year

Molten Restaurant
Mt Eden, Auckland
A finalist last year

O’Connell St Bistro
City, Auckland

Prego
Ponsonby, Auckland

Soto
St Mary’s Bay, Auckland

SPQR
Ponsonby, Auckland

The French Café
City, Auckland
Supreme Winner last year

The Grove
City, Auckland
Runner-up best metropolitan restaurant last year

Toto
City, Auckland

Vinnies
Herne Bay, Auckland

Wine Chambers
City, Auckland

WAIKATO
Palate
Victoria St, Hamilton

HAWKES BAY
Te Awa Winery Restaurant
Hastings
Runner-up best winery restaurant last year

Terrôir
Havelock North
A finalist last year

WAIRARAPA
The Martinborough at Peppers Martinborough Hotel
The Square, Martinborough

Saluté
Main Street, Greytown

Wendy Campbell’s The French Bistro
Kitchener St, Martinborough

WELLINGTON
Bistro Breton
Kelburn, Wellington

Copita
Featherton St, Wellington

Logan Brown
Cuba St, Wellington
Runner-up best metropolitan restaurant last year

Martin Bosley’s
Oriental Parade, Wellington
A finalist last year

Pravda Café
Customhouse Quay, Wellington

Shed 5 Restaurant & Bar
Queens Wharf, Wellington
A finalist last year

NELSON
Hopgood’s Restaurant & Bar
Trafalgar St, Nelson

CANTERBURY
Indochine
Cambridge Terrace, Christchurch

Dunsandel Store
Main South Road, Dunsandel

OTAGO
Plato
Birch St, Otago

CENTRAL OTAGO
Amisfield Winery Bistro
Lake Hayes Road, Queenstown
Winner best winery restaurant last year

Saffron
Buckingham St, Arrowtown
A finalist last year

ends

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