Whangarei restaurant Killer Prawn and Waikokopu Cafe in the Waitangi Treaty Grounds were named top 2012 Northland restaurant and cafe respectively in the recent annual Matariki Hospitality Industry Awards.
Three of the category award-winners had previously won the same award: Whangarei based company Penguin Wholesalers (the Cheers Party Hire Northland Food & Beverage Supplier of the Year Award); caterers A'Fare (the Nestle Professional Northland Caterer of the Year Award); and Parua Bay Tavern (the LK Whangarei Northland Gastro Pub of the Year).
Emma Owles of Parua Bay Tavern also won the Penguin Wholesalers Northland Restaurant Manager/Maitre'd of the Year Award.
Kerikeri's Food at Wharepuke, which had finalists in four categories, won the Harvest Wholesale Northland Innovative Chef of the Year for Head Chef Colin Ashton, and Penguin Wholesalers Northland Service Person of the Year for its front-of-house person Jessica Te Iri.
Food At Wharepuke was runner-up in The Radio Network People's Choice Award. The Pear Tree, of Kerikeri, won the award, for the second year running. The 2012 NZ Chambers of Commerce Northland Hospitality Ambassador of the Year went to Noel McRae of The Culinary Institute of NZ. The CINZ won the Northern Advocate Northland Recognition of Training Award.
Leading Northland chefs collaborated on the tapas-style menu; likewise Mike Plant of Classic Hits and chef Hughie Blues, as MCs.
The event is sponsored by Karikari Estate and hosted by Northland chefs.
Finalists and winners: Nestle Professional Northland Caterer of the Year: A'Fare; finalists, Absolute Caterers, The Pear Tree.
Cheers Party Hire Northland Food & Beverage Supplier of the Year: Penguin Wholesalersf; finalists, Bidvest, Harvest Wholesale.
Penguin Wholesalers Northland Service Person of the Year: Jessica Te Iri; finalists, Des Wallace of Bacio Bar & Cafe, Dwight Shepherd of Absolute Caterers.
Penguin Wholesalers Northland Restaurant Manager/Maitre'd of the Year: Emma Owles; finalists, Gareth Foster of Absolute Caterers, Rachael Goldfinch of Food at Wharepuke.
Northern Advocate Northland Recognition of Training Award: CINZ; finalists, NorthTec, Whangarei Girls' High School.
Harvest Wholesale Northland Innovative Chef of the Year: Colin Ashton; finalists, Shannon Hauraki of Absolute Caterers, Owen Sinclair of Killer Prawn.
NZ Chambers of Commerce Northland Hospitality Ambassador of the Year: Noel McRae; Hughie Blues of Waikokopu Cafe/NorthTec, David Walters of Penguin Wholesalers.
LK Whangarei Northland Gastro Pub of the Year: Parua Bay Tavern; finalists, Poroti Tavern, McMorrissey's Irish Pub & Eatery. Bidvest Northland Cafe of the Year: Waikokopu Cafe; finalists, Food at Wharepuke, Caffeine Café, Serenity Cafe, The Cabbage Tree.
Karikari Estate Northland Restaurant of the Year: Killer Prawn; finalists, a'Deco, Split Bar& Restaurant, TopSail.
The Radio Network People's Choice Award: The Pear Tree; runner-up, Food at Wharepuke.