The Australian Hotels Association WA celebrated the state’s leading hospitality venues and personnel at the 2020 AHA-Aon Hospitality Awards for Excellence on Monday night.
The White Claw Gala Ball at Crown Perth saw 900 guests celebrate this year’s winners and finalists at what AHA WA CEO Bradley Woods described as the largest gathering of hospitality professionals in Australia in 2020.
Woods also said this year’s awards saw a record number of nominations demonstrating the strength of WA’s hospitality industry, despite navigating the most challenging year on record.
“We saw an unprecedented level of interest in the Awards for Excellence this year and the quality of the nominations was outstanding,” Woods said.
“WA’s hotels, pubs, bars, restaurants and taverns have shown incredible resolve, despite dealing with the turbulence created by COVID-19, including a mandatory shutdown, border closures and a range of trading restrictions.
“[Monday] night was a symbolic night for WA’s hospitality industry – to have nearly 1000 people celebrating the best venues and staff across the state is a reflection of what we have accomplished in WA.”
Monday’s award categories included WA’s Best Regional Hospitality Venue won by Boston Brewing Co. Denmark, Perth’s Best Hospitality Venue won by joint winners The Old Synagogue and The Royal Hotel, Group Venue Operator Award, awarded to Kailis Hospitality Group and Sneakers & Jeans and Bar Team Award, won by Lot20.
The Hospitality Industry Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to longstanding industry figure, Mr Bruce Strickland.
The complete list of winners can be found below:
GENERAL AWARDS
Community Service Award
- Settlers Tavern, Margaret River
Training Initiative Award (Joint winners)
- Pan Pacific, Perth
- Varsity Group
Retail Bottleshop Award
- The Gate Bar & Bistro
Aon Responsible Service of Alcohol Award
- Crown Perth
Draught Beer Quality Award
- The Shoe Bar & Café, Perth
The Lion Beer Australia Bar Presentation and Service Award
- Whitfords Brewing Co (Hall of Fame)
Small Bar Award
- Varnish On King, Perth
Cocktail Bar Award
- Tiki As FK, Northbridge
Late Night Venue Award
- Nevermind Smallclub, Northbridge
Tourism Initiative Award
- Blanche Bar, Karratha
Conference and Functions Award
- The Ritz-Carlton, Perth
Outdoor Area Award (Joint winners)
- Swings & Roundabouts, Yallingup
- The Marina Mindarie
Boutique Brewery Award
- Beerfarm
Redeveloped Venue Award
- The Kingsley Tavern
New Venue Award
- The Old Synagogue, Fremantle
Social Media Activity Award
- Sneakers & Jeans Group
DINING AWARDS
Contemporary Bar Menu Award
- The Beach House, Eden Beach
Casual Pub Dining Award – Metropolitan
- C.Y.O’Connor Village Pub, Piara Waters
Casual Pub Dining Award – Regional
- The Peninsula Bar & Restaurant, Mandurah
- Highly Commended: Black Brewing Co, Wilyabrup
Family Dining Award
- Kailis Fish Market Café, Fremantle
- Boston Brewing Co, Denmark
Restaurant Award (Joint winners)
- Fleur – The Royal Hotel, Perth
- Il Lido Italian Canteen, Cottesloe (Hall of Fame)
Wine List Award
- Il Lido Italian Canteen, Cottesloe
- Highly Commended: The Heritage Wine Bar, Perth
ENTERTAINMENT AWARDS
TAB Hotel/PubTAB Venue Award
- Rambla Bar & Bistro, Wickham
Sporting Entertainment Venue Award (Joint winners)
- Sports Bar – Crown Perth, Burswood (Hall of Fame)
- Varsity Bar Joondalup (Hall of Fame)
Live Entertainment Venue Award
- Badlands Bar, Perth
- Highly Commended: Whalebone Brewing Company, Exmouth
Themed Venue Award
- Palace Arcade
EMPLOYEE AWARDS
Rising Star Award
- Elysha Ayers, The Marina Mindarie
- Highly Commended: Ciaran D’Monte –Doyle, The Westin Perth
Cookery Services Employee Award
- Jade Jones, The Flour Factory
- Highly Commended: Deborah Coslett, Crown Perth – Merrywell
Head Chef Award (Joint winners)
- Matthew Sartori, Wild Flower – State Buildings
- Matthew Carulei, The Heritage Wine Bar
- Highly Commended: Xerxes Bodhanwala, Pan Pacific, Perth
- Highly Commended: Arron Coates, The Kwinana Local
Food and Beverage Services Employee Award
- Rebecca Licastro, Rambla Bar & Bistro
Front Office and Administration Employee Award (Joint winners)
- Hong Thu Phan-Nguyen, Crown Perth Offices
- Sharon Schaafsma, Settlers Tavern
PubTAB Operator Award
- Tracey Tylor, Beeches Tavern
Cocktail Bartender Award
- Bjorn Karason, Tiki As FK
- Highly Commended: Craig Slater, Fiorita Wine Bar & Restaurant
Excellence in Service Award (Joint winners)
- Nick Trolio, The Gate Bar & Bistro
- Philomena Ellis, Duxton Hotel, Perth
- Highly Commended: Wayne Hammond, Fiorita Wine Bar & Restuarant Karratha
Venue Manager Award (Joint winners)
- Troy Landers, Balmoral Hotel
- Stephen Hollow, The Ritz-Carlton, Perth
- Highly Commended: Tony Favazzo, Perth Racing, Ascot
- Highly Commended: Jason Juraszek, Universal Bar, Perth
Bar Team Award
- Lot20
- Highly Commended: Caballitos, Perth
OVERALL AWARDS
Group Venue Operator Award (Joint winners)
- Kailis Hospitality Group
- Sneakers & Jeans
WA’s Best Regional Hospitality Venue
- Boston Brewing co. Denmark
Perth’s Best Hospitality Venue (Joint winners)
- The Old Synagogue
- The Royal Hotel
Hospitality Industry Lifetime Achievement Award
- Bruce Strickland