South Australia’s Restaurant Botanic has taken out the top honour at this year’s Gourmet Traveller Restaurant Awards, with chef Justin James accepting the award at a glittering gala event at Shell House in Sydney.
“There’s no question that Restaurant Botanic is a bravura performance,” says Gourmet Traveller editor Joanna Hunkin. “It combines fun and adventure with polish and poise. Chef Justin James doesn’t attempt perfection but rather embraces the beauty of irregularity and nature, making the most of the restaurant’s iconic location and using the garden’s bounty to create something uniquely of its place.”
The country’s leading chefs and restaurant personalities came together to celebrate the annual awards, which are Australia’s longest-running restaurant awards and a highlight of the hospitality calendar.
Neil Perry, Shannon Martinez, Ben Shewry, Brigitte Haffner, and Andrew McConnell were amongst the top chefs to attend the event, which marked the first time the awards have been announced in person, following more than two years of Covid restrictions and disruptions.
It was a night of double celebration for Perry, whose Double Bay diner Margaret was named both Best New Restaurant and the NSW state winner of Restaurant of the Year.
Tasmania claimed Best Destination Dining for Van Bone in Marion Bay, while Hobart’s Fico was named the state winner.
In South Australia, Restaurant Botanic claimed both the state prize and was named Restaurant of the Year, while the creative duo behind Willunga wine bar Muni – Mug Chen and Chia Wu – were named Best New Talent.
From Victoria, Thi Le was voted Chef of the Year in the night’s only peer-voted category, while Shannon Martinez was named Restaurant Personality of Year.
Food writer and industry advocate Dani Valent was honoured for her Outstanding Contribution to Hospitality, and Tedesca Osteria was named the state winner for the second year in a row.
Gold Coast wine bar Paloma was singled out as the Wine Bar of the Year, while Essa was awarded the state prize for Queensland.
Rounding out the state winners, Pilot was named ACT’s best restaurant for a second year running, while Perth’s Lulu La Delizia took out the honour for Western Australia.
Full profiles of all the winners, along with the full 2023 Restaurant Guide, feature in the October issue of Gourmet Traveller, on sale now.
RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR
RESTAURANT BOTANIC, Adelaide, SA
STATE WINNERS
ACT: PILOT, Canberra
NSW: MARGARET, Sydney
Qld: ESSA, Brisbane
SA: RESTAURANT BOTANIC, Adelaide
Tas: FICO, Hobart
Vic: TEDESCA OSTERIA, Red Hill
CHEF OF THE YEAR
THI LE
Ca Com & Jeow, Melbourne, Vic
Presented by PorkStar
BEST NEW RESTAURANT
Presented by PorkStar
BEST NEW TALENT
MUG CHEN & CHIA WU
Muni, Willunga, SA
Presented by Furi
BEST DESTINATION DINING
Presented by Oceania Cruises
WINE BAR OF THE YEAR
RESTAURANT PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR
SHANNON MARTINEZ
Smith & Daughters, Melbourne, Vic
OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION TO HOSPITALITY
DANI VALENT
Presented by Winning Appliances
Read about the year in dining here and view our full 2023 Restaurant Guide here.
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