Applications have opened for the Beef and Lamb Excellence Awards – the country’s longest-running culinary awards – showcasing the very best New Zealand restaurants have to offer in beef and lamb dishes. The Excellence Awards are open to restaurants nationwide.
The Excellence Awards – which are entering their 23rd year – are an institution in New Zealand’s food scene, bringing deserved recognition to restaurants who are delivering quality as well as driving innovation and creativity with New Zealand beef and lamb.
In addition to the Excellence Award itself, each year five chefs who excel during the assessment period are selected as Ambassador Chefs by Beef + Lamb New Zealand. Freddie Ponder, Head Chef at Tables Restaurant in New Plymouth, is a 2018 Ambassador Chef.
Kate Fay, Head Chef at Cibo Restaurant in Auckland, has been involved with the Excellence Awards since their conception. This year Kate was recognised as a Platinum Ambassador Chef – a lifetime recognition after being selected as an Ambassador Chef for her fourth time – an achievement only equalled by eight other chefs and was the first woman to do so.
“The Awards drive ingenuity, innovation and even collaboration,” she said. “There is now a network of like-minded chefs who want to learn from each other and share ideas to push the boundaries and drive excellence.”
Following the closing date of the applications on 24 August, there will be a rigorous assessment process carried out by trained assessors who will scour the country and assess on all elements of the beef and lamb dishes. Recipients of the 2019 Excellence Award will then be announced in early December along with the 2019 Ambassador Chefs.
