The Bellarine Peninsula’s Jack Rabbit Vineyard has won the Best Restaurant in a Winery category at the 2022 VIC and TAS Australia Restaurant and Catering Hostplus Awards for Excellence.
General manager Lyndsay Sharp said that having navigated the tumultuous hospitality landscape over the last couple of years, winning the award meant more than any other year to all at Jack Rabbit.
“Everyone is very excited – it means so much to the entire team on so many levels – the calibre of the other businesses in the running was high so it’s both humbling and gratifying to have received the award,” Ms Sharp said.
“There is so much pride and passion that goes into all things Jack Rabbit. “Recognition such as this is very much positive reinforcement for our incredible team and array of wonderful local producers. Particular shout out to executive chef Dwayne Bourke and head chef Elijah Grubb – their culinary talent is energising and their ongoing commitment to showcasing local, sustainable food is nothing short of inspiring.”
More than 130 local restaurants, cafes and catering businesses gathered to celebrate the achievements of their peers who were judged in over 45 categories, with the winners announced at the Awards for Excellence ceremony held at Zinc at Federation Square, Melbourne.
The Awards for Excellence is a nationally recognised, independently judged awards program that celebrates exceptional service and culinary talent across the state. The Awards for Excellence is the only program in Australia where the judging criteria is determined by consumers who rank what is important to them in the dining experience.
The awards are judged by an independent team of trained judges who anonymously visit the venues to determine the restaurant/cafe winners. The scores are based on the entire dining experience from food to the customer service experienced when the judges anonymously dine across Australia.
