Mornington Peninsula food businesses rewarded for effort
Announcing the Mornington Peninsula Regional Awards for Excellence winners July 2010
Sara Schwarz
Modern French cuisine using local produce at La Petanque on the Mornington Peninsula in Victoria [©La Petanque]
The 2010 Mornington Peninsula Regional Awards for Excellence held again in the Peninsula Community Theatre, were, as always a spectacular event, with over 220 people attending from regional food, wine and restaurant establishments and organisations.
The awards were this year dominated by Salix Restaurant, located at Willow Creek Vineyard in Merricks. This year, their sixth in operation, Salix owners Bernard and Rachel McCarthy and their team collected four of the 12 awards available in the following categories:
- Restaurant in a Winery
- Excellence in Local Produce (for the second year in a row)
- Excellence in Local Wine or Beverage (joint winners with Montalto Vineyard & Olive Grove)
- Excellence in Coffee
Recent newcomer to the Mornington Peninsula, D.O.C. Mornington took away the prize for this years' Gourmet Retail Outlet, amidst strong competition from Red Hill Cellars and Somers General Store.
Other deserved winners included La Petanque Restaurant and Montalto Vineyard and Olive Grove for Excellence in Front of House, while Tulsi Indian Restaurant again won the Gourmet Asian Restaurant award.
The full list of winners below:
- MP Gourmet Asian Restaurant: Tulsi Indian Restaurant
- Denor Hospitality Café Restaurant: Two Buoys
- MP Gourmet European Restaurant: La Petanque Restaurant
- MP Gourmet Retail Outlet: D.O.C. Mornington
- Nepean Waste Informal Dining: Rye Pier Restaurant and Bar
- MP Shire Modern Australian: Loquat
- Galaxy Print & Design Pizza Restaurant: Ciao Bella Pizza
- Clamms Seafood Restaurant in a Winery: Salix Restaurant
- Tully’s Excellence in Local Produce: Salix Restaurant
- MPVA Excellence in Local Wine or Beverage: Salix Restaurant and Montalto Vineyard and Olive Grove
- Bendigo Bank Excellence in Coffee: Salix Restaurant
- Chisholm Institute Excellence in Front of House: La Petanque Restaurant and Montalto Vineyard and Olive Grove
Congratulations to all winners and runners-up, and to mp Gourmet.
Regions
- Melbourne Surrounds (VIC)
- Mornington Peninsula (VIC)
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Salix chef Bernard McCarthy has found the seasons and the cool climate wines produced by sister vineyard Willow Creek have defined the winery restaurant's style of food.
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