Restaurateur salutes new ranking system

Restaurateur salutes new ranking system

Leading New Zealand restaurateur Sean Connolly is backing the inclusion of Australia’s hat ranking system in the 2013 Cuisine NZ Restaurant of the Year Awards announced on Monday night (June 17).

Connolly, from Auckland’s The Grill restaurant in the Federal Street dining precinct, says in Australia chefs hats are highly coveted by restaurants.

“The Cuisine award is to be congratulated for bringing in the hat system for the event. It is a recognised ranking system that diners can rely on because it is decided by some of the nation’s leading food judges,” Connolly says.

“It also provides for a standard across Australasia which is important with the amount of tourist and business traffic between the two countries.”

In the judging process, restaurants are ranked up to a maximum of 20 points for food, service, wine and ambience. Hats are awarded only to those establishments that score 15 points and more.

“Going by experience in Australia where the system has been used now for some years, three-hat restaurants are rare indeed,” Connolly says. “We were extremely pleased to receive two hats for The Grill.”

The system is used in Australia by The Sydney Morning Herald, Brisbane Times and The Age Good Food Guides. A three-hat restaurant is at the top of its game in terms of the dining experience and only a few ever achieve the grade Connolly says.

The Cuisine awards are the country’s only national restaurant honour. Chief Judge in 2013 was evergreen food writer and critic Kerry Tyack.

Ends

© Scoop Media