Shine Kim from Dry Dock Cake is one of three finalists for Tauranga's best barista at this year's inaugural Restaurant Association's Bay Hospitality Awards held on Sunday night. Photo/file
Shine Kim from Dry Dock Cake is one of three finalists for Tauranga's best barista at this year's inaugural Restaurant Association's Bay Hospitality Awards held on Sunday night. Photo/file
Tauranga's best bars and restaurants will officially be crowned this weekend.
The Restaurant Association's inaugural Bay Hospitality Awards have filtered through more than 1200 nominations over 13 categories for the Bay area including Mount Maunganui, Papamoa, Waihi Beach, Waihi, Whakatane, Omokoroa, Te Puke and Katikati.
An additional special category, the Mills Reef People's Choice Award, attracted 1500 votes, with Fish Face Seafood & Bar, the Flying Burrito Brothers and Neighbourhood Beer Kitchen emerging as the three finalists.
Winners from the other finalists, listed below, will be announced at an awards evening on Sunday.
Restaurant Association chief executive Marisa Bidois said the event was an opportunity to reward hard working individuals and teams that contribute to the excellence of the Bay's vibrant and diverse dining and entertainment scene whether it is a chef, barista, restaurant owner, café owner or front of house team.
"To be selected by your peers as a leader in your category is a great honour in itself. I would say there would be few more credible then your own industry to decide who the best of the best is,'' she said.
Chefs prepare pizza at the Brooklyn Patio & Eatery, which is one of the finalists at this year's Tauranga hospitality awards. Photo/file
''We are looking forward to a celebratory night when the winners are revealed.''
Restaurant Association Bay of Plenty Branch president Andrew Targett said the awards were all about recognition from within the industry.
"We want to raise the profile of the regions local hospitality sector and highlight those that are doing well.''
The awards evening will host a Gatsby theme and be hosted by Master Chef New Zealand winners Karena and Kasey Bird at Mills Reef Winery & Restaurant.
Bay Hospitality Awards 2016 Finalists:
Pernod Ricard Outstanding Bar • Brooklyn Patio & Eatery • Vaudeville • Mount Brewing Bar Co.
Meadow Fresh Outstanding Barista • Hans - Folk Café • Kim Shine - The Dry Dock Cafe • Dan - Luca Café
Lion Co Outstanding Bartender • Romain Saenger - Vaudeville • Hamish Doyle - Astrolabe Brew Bar • Katie Short - The Barrio Brothers
Calnar Business Systems Outstanding Café • Columbus Café (Gate Pa) • Flat White Cafe • Love Rosies
Bidvest Tauranga Outstanding Chef • Martin Allan - Mount Brewing Co. • Mark (Zef) Peterson - Macau Bar & Kitchen Lounge • Ian Harrison - Rye American Kitchen & Spirits
Menumate Point of Sale Outstanding Caterer • Good Things Kitchen • Devour Catering • Handcrafted Food
Moana New Zealand Emerging Talent • Madison Boyd - Fish Face Seafood & Wine Bar • Yasmin Wilton - The Long Table Café • Jessica Payne - The Pizza Library Co.
