Figtree Gourmet Kitchen has been recognised as the best pizza restaurant in regional NSW for the second year running and City Beach Function Centre the best wedding caterer at the NSW/ACT Restaurant & Catering Awards.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
City Beach operations manager Therese Ly said it was great recognition after such a challenging year.
"Restrictions completely changed the landscape for wedding events and this award is a reflection of the resilience, professionalism and grit demonstrated," she said.
Ms Ly said judging took place during the pandemic.
"As a venue, we adapted and created new ways of facilitating successful wedding receptions," she said.
Executive chef Paul Hamilton said one of the positives from 2020 was having time to be really thoughtful about all the dishes on the menu.
The latest recognition comes only a week after Steamers Bar and Grill received a Glass Seal at The Australian Wine List of the Year Awards.
Andrew and Elisa Ferri have owned Figtree Gourmet Kitchen for 19 years and have won the Best Pizza Restaurant Award for regional NSW multiple times.
"But this is the first time we have won it back to back which is really cool," Mr Ferri said.
He said Figtree Gourmet Kitchen's recipe for success was consistently delivering the same quality food and service which has resulted in many loyal customers who keep coming back to dine in or get takeaway.
Mr Ferri said the thing he loved about the Restaurant and Catering Awards was they were judged by secret diners who considered everything from how you answered the phone through to the presentation, ambiance, value for money, product and service.
He said he always enjoyed getting the report.
"It gives you an idea of things you can improve on and we use that as a guide to work on making improvements the following year," he said.
Mr Ferri said the business employed 17 people including chefs Andy Vannavong and Timothy Rodley.
He said he had been able to retain staff through COVID-19 but the first few weeks of the lockdown were particularly hard.
"We have always had a strong takeaway presence and the lady who set up the Facebook page Illawarra Menus gave a lot of people exposure across the whole hospitality industry.
"I don't think Toria Kotamanidis can be thanked enough for what she has done during the coronavirus pandemic."
Mr Ferri said the awards coincided with things almost returning to normal which was also a good cause for celebration.
"We are probably at about 75 per cent capacity now which is really good," he said.
The Southern Highlands also fared well at the awards with The Shaggy Cow at Mittagong recognised for providing the best cafe dining and best casual dining in regional NSW. Other winners were Southern Highlands Brewing Taphouse at Moss Vale and Mittagong's Paste Australia.
Read more:
We depend on subscription revenue to support our journalism. If you are able, please subscribe here. If you are already a subscriber, thank you for your support.
Sign up for breaking news emails below ...
Greg Ellis
Almost four decades in electronic, print and digital media. A writer, presenter, emcee, photographer and videographer with degrees in business management, marketing and human resources and tertiary qualifications in photography.
Almost four decades in electronic, print and digital media. A writer, presenter, emcee, photographer and videographer with degrees in business management, marketing and human resources and tertiary qualifications in photography.
