The Australian Hotels Association Victoria (AHA Vic) hosted its 2019 State Awards for Excellence earlier this week, to celebrate the state’s best venues.

The finalists and winners were honoured at the ceremony which saw 1250 guests and professionals from across the hotel industry gather at The Palladium at Crown.

Hotel Esplanade, St Kilda were big winners on the night claiming Overall Hotel of the Year (Metropolitan) while The Ian Larkin Overall Hotel of the Year (Regional) was won by the Grovedale Hotel.

Lorne Hotel – Movida claimed the Best Pub Restaurant (Regional), and the Best Pub Restaurant (Metropolitan) went to Malvern Hotel. The Grovedale also won Best Casual Dining (Regional), with Mr McCracken (Essendon Fields) winning Best Casual Dining (Metropolitan).

The Chef of the Year was awarded to Dylan Kemp from Australian Venue Co, while David Gearing from Zagame’s was recognised for his Excellence in Service.

Other awards saw Oska Jarvis-White from Hotel Esplanade, St Kilda acknowledged as the Emerging Leader of the

Year and San Remo Hotel Motel claimed the popular People’s Choice Award.

As the winner of the Emerging Leader award, Jarvis-White was also awarded the Peter Burnett AM Scholarship for Hospitality Excellence – a joint Victorian Government and AHA Vic initiative which provides $10,000 for industry training and experience.

The People’s Choice Award, is in its fourth year and was open to all nominees. AHA Vic said it received a record amount of votes via its text line, for the award.

Established in 1997 in memory of Nick Nikakis, The Nikakis Award “recognises an individual or organisation who by their sustained performance and commitment serve as an inspiration to all in the industry” and the 2019 recipient is Bob O’Kane from the All Nations Hotel, Richmond.

Andy Young

Andy joined Intermedia as Editor of The Shout in 2015, writing news on a daily basis and also writing features for National Liquor News. Now Managing Editor of both The Shout and Bars and Clubs.

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