On The Grill Wins International Award

Media release On The Grill - 1
March 7, 2013

On The Grill Wins International Award

A TV series showcasing one of New Zealand’s best restaurants has won a global television award.

On The Grill has been judged Best International Production at the World Food & Wine TV Festival in Paris.

The six-episode series followed The Grill restaurant owner and executive chef Sean Connolly around New Zealand in his search for the nation’s best quality produce.

He says the award is huge honour.

“We are thrilled the series has been acknowledged with such a prestigious award. On The Grill is a showcase for New Zealand produce and all that’s good about living and cooking and eating here in Godzone.

“We had a fantastic time shooting the series and to have it recognised at such an influential international food event is really special,” Connolly says.

The World Food & Wine TV Festival is an annual event which takes place in different locations in the world each year. A judging panel selects and evaluates international food and wine TV shows and awards are made in a range of categories.

On The Grill producer Paul Sullivan and director Giovanni Pacialeo from Benchmark Films in Australia are ecstatic with the win and say they loved shooting in New Zealand.

“We’ve shot productions all over the world but we’ve had some of our very best times on location in New Zealand. People in New Zealand are so hospitable which made shooting On The Grill such an enjoyable experience,” they say.

“Everywhere we went to shoot was absolutely beautiful - stand outs include the episodes we shot in Lake Hawea and the Coromandel”.

This is the second international award from only the second collaboration between Sean Connolly and Benchmark Films, with series My Family Feast also being awarded Best International Production at the same event in 2011.
On The Grill aired on TV3 in November 2012 and is still airing on TV3 On Demand. The Grill by Sean Connolly is located in SKYCITY’s Federal Street premium dining district.
• Notable chefs nominated in other categories at the event included Jamie Oliver and New Zealand’s own Annabel Langbein.

www.thegrillnz.co.nz

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About The Grill
Indulge in some of the best produce New Zealand has to offer at The Grill by Sean Connolly. This exciting addition to the Auckland dining scene offers innovative dishes using the very best meat, wild venison and sustainable seafood with a spectacular wine list to match.

Award-winning chef Sean Connolly is one of Australasia’s most loved chefs. The Grill has been hailed as New Zealand's Best Restaurant and Best New Restaurant by the prestigious Cuisine magazine at the Restaurant of the Year Awards 2012. At The Grill, Sean and his team take pride in offering a relaxed, easy atmosphere that complements delicious fresh fare. Dishes are beautifully balanced, technically brilliant and the emphasis is on letting the produce shine. Sean’s signature style of traditional dishes with a modern twist means you can expect to be led astray.

The Grill by Sean Connolly has a distinctly Kiwi accent with ingredients and cookware sourced locally.

About On the Grill
Chef Sean Connolly’s newest food show aired in 2012 on TV3. The six episode series took place from 3 November to 9 December 2012. In the TV series, Sean travelled around New Zealand to explore the best produce (think grass fed beef and freshwater salmon). He then took his pick from land and sea, bought it back to his restaurant kitchen to work his magic, cooking up a storm for a group of local food producers and his celebrity friends (Colin Mathura Jeffree, Carly Flynn and more).

ENDS

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