Sydney’s Quay restaurant has capped off an extraordinary year by being named the Restaurant of the Year at the prestigious Savour Australia National Awards for Excellence.

The awards run by Restaurant and Catering Australia were announced last night at a gala awards event held at the Brisbane Convention and attended by 700 of Australia’s top chefs, restaurateurs and caterers.

Also sharing the top winners’ podium was the Australian Jockey Club Convention Centre at Randwick which was announced Caterer of the year.

Quay’s award is just the latest in a series of big accolades for Quay, executive chef Peter Gilmore (pictured) and the owners, The Fink Group. In August the three hat restaurant was named Restaurant of the Year at the Australian Gourmet Traveller 2009 awards and then also picked up the Restaurant of the Year title at the Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide awards. Shortly after it was named NSW Restaurant of the Year at the NSW Restaurant & Catering Awards.

The chair of judges for the national awards Matt Preston said Quay was a “superb example” of the fine dining experiences available in every state and territory throughout Australia.

“You know when you visit a Savour Australia national award winning restaurant like Quay that you are enjoying the best our industry has to offer.” Preston said.

Peter Gilmore, who accepted the award for Quay, said 2008 had been an amazing year. “The calibre of competition this year means Quay is very honoured to have taken out such an accolade.”

 

Full list of winners:

Restaurant of the Year/Fine Dining Restaurant—Quay Restaurant, Circular Quay West (NSW)

Caterer of the Year/Function/Convention Centre Catering—AJC Convention Centre, Randwick (NSW)

Entertainment Restaurant—Lowenbrau Keller, The Rocks (NSW)

European Restaurant—Zest, Nelson Bay (NSW)

Family Establishment—The Gardens Restaurant, Mt Annan (NSW)

Informal Dining—Oscillate Wildly, Newtown (NSW)

Italian—Pilu at Freshwater, Freshwater (NSW)

New Restaurant—Pendolino, Sydney (NSW)

Pizza—Hugo’s Bar Pizza, Kings Cross (NSW)

Pub/Tavern/Club Restaurant—Terrace on Pittwater Restaurant, Newport (NSW)

Restaurant in a Winery—Rock Restaurant, Pokolbin (2007 new restaurant winner) (NSW)

Seafood—Rockpool, The Rocks (NSW)

Site Caterer—Trippas White Catering, Art Gallery Sydney (2007 winner also) (NSW)

Thai—Longrain, Surry Hills (NSW)

Wedding Caterer—Memories Function Centre, Wallsend (NSW)

Corporate Caterer—Spotless at Deloitte, Melbourne (2007 Caterer of the year) (VIC)

Specialty Cuisine—Verge, Melbourne (VIC

Tourism—Lake House, Daylesford (2007 winnner also) (VIC

Steak Restaurant—The Point, Albert Park (VIC

Breakfast—Chianti Classico, Adelaide (2007 winner also) (SA)

Hotel/Motel Restaurant—Shiki at the Hyatt Regency, Adelaide (SA)

Event Catering—Blanco Catering, Trinity Gardens (SA)

Indian—Jasmin Indian Restaurant, Adelaide (SA)

Venue Caterer—AEG Ogden, Perth (WA)

BYO Restaurant—Clarke’s of North Beach, North Beach (WA)

Coffee Shop/Tea Room—milkd, North Perth (WA)

Industrial Caterer—Riviera Marine , Coomera (QLD)

Themed Restaurant—Spirit House, Yandina (QLD)

Asian—Wasabi, Sunshine Beach (QLD)

Contemporary Australian—E’cco Bistro, Brisbane (QLD)

Café Restaurant—Angasi, Binalong Bay (TAS)

Chinese—Me Wah Restaurant, Hobart, Sandy Bay (TAS)