With hospitality starting to rebound strongly, the Restaurant Association’s annual Hawke’s Bay Hospitality Awards has drawn an enthusiastic response from restaurateurs, bars, cafés, coffee shops and other tourist attractions across New Zealand’s favourite beach and winery region.
Among the finalists named in this year’s Awards, is Andrea Marseglia, a multiple finalist for Outstanding Bartender who this year is nominated in the category for the first time as an owner – of new establishment, Teresa Cocktail Bar,
The Hawke’s Bay Hospitality Awards celebrate and promote the region’s food and beverage offerings, recognising the champions who deliver the flavours, experiences and gastronomic wonders bringing visitors from near and far to the region. Brought to you by the Restaurant Association of New Zealand with the support of lead sponsor American Express, the Awards provide a platform to encourage and support new and established industry leaders in the Hawke’s Bay area.
Awards are given in 17 categories, providing recognition for individuals – both old hands as well as emerging talent – and establishments of all kinds.
Hailing from a small town in Italy between Rome and Naples, Andrea has earned multiple previous accolades for his bartending skills and captivating cocktails created during his big city days at Madame George on Auckland’s K’Road. Bursting onto the local scene with riffs on the classic Peruvian Reversed Manhattan and an aromatic twist on the Vesper, Andrea followed up with a sensational Neighbourhood Foraging series incorporating local herbs, plants and fruits.
These intriguing flavours are now available from his own Napier cocktail and aperitivo hotspot. Named for his grandmother, the Teresa Cocktail Bar quickly proved a hit, scoring a perfect five from a slew of Google reviews.
Andrea is up against tough competition in the Outstanding Bartender category (sponsored by Simply Squeezed), with finalists including Dave Morris from Funbuns, Nils Kuehlsen of Matisse Wine Bar, and Sam Cunningham from behind the bar at Rosie O’Grady’s Irish Pub. Teresa Cocktail Bar has also won through as a finalist in four additional categories, including Toitoi Venues Outstanding Bar, The National Distillery Outstanding Cocktail Experience, the OneMusic Outstanding Ambience & Design and the Trinity Hill Outstanding Wine & Beverage List.
Another nominee vying for multiple awards is Havelock North icon Craggy Range. The family-owned winery in the shadow of spectacular Te Mata Peak is no stranger to the Hospitality Awards, with many previous accolades adorning dining rooms and the imposing entryway of the restaurant and tasting rooms.
This year, Craggy Range is a finalist in the prestigious Napier City Outstanding Restaurant category (with Central Fire Station, Hunger Monger, and Pacifica); the Wine Education Co. Outstanding Winery Restaurant category (with Black Barn Bistro, Clearview Estate, and Mission Estate) and the Antipodes Water Outstanding Front of House Team (joining Central Fire Station, Mister D Dining and Pacifica among the finalists).
The team at Craggy Range are also up for recognition, with individual nominations including Casey McDonald for the Service Foods Outstanding Chef award, and Jeevan Devkota in the Lumina Lamb Emerging Chef category.
Restaurant Association CEO Marisa Bidois says that as hospitality starts its recovery from several challenging years, it is encouraging to see long-established attractions joined by new and emerging venues. “Hawke’s Bay is a major drawcard for people from across New Zealand and the world. That’s thanks to the combination of natural beauty and the outstanding experiences created by all the entrants in this year’s Awards. We’ve seen a strong response to the call for entries this year, with an exceptionally high standard of finalists announced – congratulations to them all.”
In addition to the judged entries in 17 categories, Marisa says the Hawke’s Bay community is invited to vote for their favourite establishment in The Hit’s People’s Choice Award category.
Twenty awards will be presented to the best of the Hawke’s Bay hospitality industry. From crew members, to suppliers, to establishments – the best of the best will be celebrated for their contribution to creating a world-class hospitality scene in the region.
Voting is open until Sunday, June 19, and the winners will be revealed at the awards evening on June 27, at Toitoi: Hawke's Bay Arts & Event Centre. Tickets to the event are on sale now, to purchase or for more information regarding the awards, visit: hospitalityawards.co.nz/hawkesbay
Cast your industry votes here, and your People’s Choice Awards votes here.
Hawke’s Bay Hospitality Awards Finalists 2022
Meadow Fresh Outstanding Barista
• Benjamin Fernandez (Georgia on Tennyson)
• Jaye Sanders (Workroom)
• Rosie Crawley (Harvest Deli)
• Ryan Huthnance (Uncle)
Simply Squeezed Outstanding Bartender
• Andrea Marseglia (Teresa Bar)
• Dave Morris (Funbuns)
• Nils Kuehlsen (Matisse Wine Bar)
• Sam Cunningham (Rosie O'Grady's Irish Pub)
Antipodes Water Outstanding Front of House Team
• Central Fire Station
• Craggy Range
• Mister D Dining
• Pacifica
Service Foods Outstanding Chef
• Casey McDonald (Craggy Range)
• Conor Mertens (Harvest Deli)
• David Griffiths (Mister D Dining)
• Jeremy Rameka (Pacifica)
Lumina Lamb Emerging Chef
• Hirenkumar Prajapati (Mission Estate Restaurant)
• Jeevan Devkota (Craggy Range)
• Nicky Bulman (Pacifica)
• Vipin Uniyal (Piku Restaurant & Cocktail Bar)
Menulog Outstanding Street Food/Takeout
• Asian Diner
• Black Betty BBQ
• Kilim Cafe Napier
• Vinci's Pizza
Karma Drinks Outstanding Cafe
• Cupple
• Georgia on Tennyson
• Maina
• Soho Cafe & Bar
Toitoi Venues Outstanding Bar
• Brave Brewing Co
• Giant Brewing Co.
• Monica Loves
• Teresa Bar
The National Distillery Outstanding Cocktail Experience
• Funbuns
• Monica Loves
• Piku Restaurant & Cocktail Bar
• Teresa Bar
Trinity Hill Outstanding Wine & Beverage List
• Deliciosa
• Matisse Wine Bar
• Teresa Bar
• The Urban Winery
Nova Energy Outstanding Regional Establishment
• Cone & Flower
• Gods Own Brewing
• Puketapu Pub
• St Georges Restaurant
OneMusic Outstanding Ambience & Design
• Central Fire Station
• Craggy Range
• Piku Restaurant & Cocktail Bar
• Teresa Bar
Wine Education Co. Outstanding Winery Restaurant
• Black Barn Bistro
• Clearview Estate
• Craggy Range
• Mission Estate
Napier City Council Outstanding Restaurant
• Central Fire Station
• Craggy Range
• Hunger Monger
• Pacifica
Brave Brewing Company Outstanding Supplier
• Bar Stuff NZ
• Bidfood Hawke's Bay
• Gourmeats
• Service Foods
Bidfood Hawke's Bay Outstanding Caterer
• Black Betty BBQ
• Good Company
• Little Black Bird
• Orton's
Dish Catering Outstanding Producer
• Beagles Bees Pure Honey
• Hapi
• Petit Jardin
• Pig and Salt
