Image: Hophaus Bier Bar Grill was crowned Overall Hotel of the Year (Metropolitan)
AHA VIC’s Awards for Excellence 2018 winners revealed
Over 1,100 guests and hotel industry professionals packed The Palladium at Crown in Melbourne to see Hophaus Bier Bar Grill crowned Overall Hotel of the Year (Metropolitan) on 20 November.
Meanwhile Oscars Hotel and Café Bar in Ballarat was awarded Overall Hotel of the Year (Regional).
Best Pub Restaurant (Metropolitan) was won by Zagame’s Berwick while Yea Peppercorn Hotel was awarded Best Pub Restaurant (Regional).
The individual award category of Chef of the Year was awarded to Chris Bonello from MPD Steak Kitchen, Zagame’s Berwick, while Francis Deegan from Cardinia Park Hotel was acknowledged as the Emerging Leader of the Year.
This year, both Jasmin Fleming from Watergarden’s Hotel and Daniel Foley from Red Lion Hotel were recognised for their Excellence in Service.
The Grand Hotel Warrandyte took home the 2018 AHA (Vic) People’s Choice Award.
The evening’s Nikakis Award, which was established in 1997 in memory of Nick Nikakis, “recognising an individual or organisation who by their sustained performance and commitment serve as an inspiration to all in the industry”, was awarded to Steve and Viv Phelan from the Flowerdale Hotel.
Among the awards announced on the night:
- Best Casual Dining – Regional: Oscars Hotel (Ballarat)
- Best Casual Dining – Metropolitan: Cardinia Park Hotel (Beaconsfield)
- Best Family Dining: Zagame’s Boronia Club Hotel
- Best Pub Restaurant – Metropolitan: MPD Steak Kitchen, Zagame’s Berwick
- Best Pub Bar – Regional: Apollo Bay Hotel Great Ocean Road
- Best Pub Bar – Metropolitan: Woolshed (Docklands)