Hospitality awards return
The Manawatu¯ Hospitality Awards are back, with a new chairwoman looking to boost nominations and bring some fresh faces and businesses into the competition.
The biennial awards return for 2018 to recognise the region’s best in the hospitality industry – whether it’s the best bartender or waiter, the top chef or the finest restaurant.
Organising committee chairwoman Andrea Leighton said the awards were run by the industry for the industry, and she was making a push to get out to every hospitality business in the region to encourage them to nominate themselves or their staff.
‘‘To bring everybody in, that’s the ideal, including all the people and businesses who’ve felt it wasn’t for them in the past.’’
Leighton hoped to continue the tradition of making each awards better than the one before. One of the first changes under Leighton was allowing online purchasing of tickets to the awards ceremony.
‘‘We’re coming out of the dark ages with that one, and we’ve got a few new ideas that we’ll be rolling out next year.’’
But, this year, Leighton was concentrating on learning the ropes from organiser Julie Poole, who has been helping put the awards together for more than a decade.
The awards include the chef of the year, determined by a cook-off, and the Sharon Mann Memorial Trophy, an award that acknowledges longstanding dedication to the industry. The trophy last went to Sean Kereama in recognition of 25 years of continuing service.
The executive chef at Wharerata, Kereama’s other roles have included teaching, operations management and being the Manawatu¯ branch president of the Restaurant Association of New Zealand.
Nominations for the Sharon Mann Trophy close on September 30, and other award nominations need to be in by Sunday.