Gong served up to restaurateur

TASMANIAN restaurateur Karen Burbury has received the state’s highest hospitality honour at the annual industry awards.

Ms Burbury, managing director of Cataract on Paterson, which she opened in Launceston in 2013, received the Premier’s Award for Contribution to the Community at last night’s Tasmanian Hospitality Association and Drysdale Awards for Excellence.

More than 700 of the state’s biggest names in hospitality gathered at Wrest Point last night to see Ms Burbury collect her award.

Robert Dutton took home the Hospitality Minister’s Award for Contribution to the Industry and Willie Smiths Apple Shed’s Cara McEwen won the Ambassador of the Year. Lauderdale eatery Driftwood was named the regional restaurant of the year, while Hobart’s The Lounge by Frogmore Creek received the metro prize.

Frogmore Creek also won best Specialty Restaurant and Best Stand Alone Restaurant.

And the Port Arthur Historic Site was celebrated with the Great Customer Experience Award.

Premier and Tourism, Hospitality and Events Minister Will Hodgman congratulated all winners and acknowledged the state’s “wonderful” hospitality operators for providing highquality experiences to visitors from all over the world.

“It’s the people in the industry who showcase these experiences and make our guests feel welcome that have made Tasmania one of the hottest destinations in the world,” he said.

“Tasmania is now a better place to live than ever before,” he said.

“No industry has contributed more to this turnaround than the tourism and hospitality industry.”

Mr Hodgman paid tribute to the Tasmanian Hospitality Association for ensuring the state’s hospitality sector was viable and profitable now and in the future.