Hats off to the Arbour team

A Marlborough restaurant has come away from one of the biggest nights in the hospitality industry with not one award, but two.

Arbour scored big at the Cuisine Good Food Awards in Auckland on Monday night, receiving Restaurant Personality of the Year and a ‘‘hat’’ in the awards’ ratings.

Co-owner Liz Buttimore compared the ‘‘hat’’ to a Michelin Star for the South Pacific and said it was a big moment for the two-yearold restaurant.

‘‘It is a big deal for Marlborough. This puts us somewhere in the top 40 restaurants in the country,’’ she said.

‘‘To get one hat is a phenomenal stepping stone.

‘‘You never assume that you’re going to win, so I’m just relieved and thrilled.’’

About 400 people from the nation’s top restaurants attended the Cuisine Good Food Awards in Auckland on Monday night.

The award guide mentioned Arbour’s use of local ingredients, unique flavours and service as its strongest points.

Buttimore took home the Kenwood Restaurant Personality Of The Year, and said it was a surprise to receive the honour.

‘‘I was just blown away. There were so many amazing people I look up to who I thought would get it,’’ she said.

‘‘I was really nervous going into it. But I thought, ‘I’m up here for Personality of the Year, I better be excited’.’’

Buttimore believed it was her excitable personality, along with the restaurant’s charity work, which helped her to nab the title.

The restaurant, on Godfrey Rd in Fairhall, celebrated its second birthday last week and Buttimore said they would take the award in their stride.

‘‘We plan to get better and to get stronger, but the prices will stay the same,’’ she said.

Other South Island winners at the awards included Black Estate in Canterbury, Gatherings in Christchurch and Amisfield in Central Otago.

Roots in Lyttelton also confirmed its reputation as one of New Zealand’s finest, securing the maximum three ‘‘hats’’ in the awards’ ratings – one of only eight three-hat restaurants nationally and the only one outside Auckland.