Latest news with #CuisineGoodFoodAwards
Scoop
6 days ago
- Business
- Scoop
Cuisine Reveals Highly Anticipated Annual List Of The Nation's Top Dining Destinations
Press Release – Cuisine The Cuisine Good Food Awards are a celebration of the incredible talent, dedication and creativity that makes up New Zealands dining and hospitality scene.' The nation's top restaurants and must-visit dining destinations were named today by Cuisine and will feature in this year's Cuisine Good Food Guide. Around the country more than 300 venues made the list, showcasing the top hospitality establishments, from fine dining and regional destinations to metropolitan and neighbourhood favourites. Following the release of this year's Cuisine Good Food Guide list, 20 category winners and over 95 hatted restaurants, including American Express Restaurant of the Year and Cuisine Chef of the Year will be announced at the esteemed Cuisine Good Food Awards event, presented by American Express on 18 August. Curated by a national panel of 30 judges comprising food and drink writers, critics, chefs and hospitality professionals and led by food & drink writer/hospitality expert Kerry Tyack, the Cuisine Good Food Awards and Guide is designed to showcase the country's outstanding talent and hottest venues with the aim of encouraging patronage and showcasing New Zealand cuisine to local and international audiences. Despite the continued challenges of staffing shortages and increased costs, the Cuisine Good Food Guide 2025, contains some new entries alongside many of the country's long-term players. According to Cuisine owner and editor Kelli Brett, this is a testament to the quality and passion of Aotearoa's restaurant scene. 'As always we are thrilled to release our list of the New Zealand restaurants that will be featured in our Cuisine Good Food Guide for 2025,' she says. 'Despite the challenges across the hospitality industry we are seeing new openings and it's exciting to see that many are embracing an elevated casual approach that showcases the flavours and hospitable culture of Aotearoa so well.' 'The Cuisine Good Food Awards are a celebration of the incredible talent, dedication and creativity that makes up New Zealand's dining and hospitality scene. The Awards highlight not only the joy of dining out but also play a valuable role in championing the industry,' says Rob Bourne, Country Manager NZ, American Express. 'American Express is proud to continue our strong partnership with Cuisine for the fourth consecutive year, and to show our support for the people who are shaping world-class culinary experiences in Aotearoa.' The Cuisine Good Food Awards will be held on 18 August at the Aotea Centre Hunua Room. Access the full list of restaurants here. The categories for the 2025 Cuisine Good Food Awards and their sponsors are as follows: GREENSTONE CREEK METROPOLITAN RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR 2025 YELLOW BRICK ROAD REGIONAL RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR 2025 SPECIALIST RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR 2025 SAWMILL BREWERY CASUAL RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR 2025 HOTEL RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR 2025 RESTAURANT PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR 2025 THE GOOD OIL INNOVATION AWARD 2025 WINERY RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR 2025 VILLA MARIA SOMMELIER & WINE EXPERIENCE OF THE YEAR 2025 THE REID DRINKS LIST OF THE YEAR 2025 PANASONIC LONG-TERM PLAYER 2025 PASTRY CHEF OF THE YEAR 2025 STURGEON VALLEY LUXURY LODGE CHEF OF THE YEAR 2025 NEW RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR 2025 CLYTH MACLEOD RISING TALENT 2025 NIWA HAKU KINGFISH CHAMPION FOR CHANGE 2025 ŌRA KING NEW ZEALAND GLOBAL CHAMPION 2025 PEAD LEGEND AWARD 2025 CUISINE CHEF OF THE YEAR 2025 AMERICAN EXPRESS RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR 2025 SUPPORTING PARTNERS
Scoop
6 days ago
- Business
- Scoop
Cuisine Reveals Highly Anticipated Annual List Of The Nation's Top Dining Destinations
The nation's top restaurants and must-visit dining destinations were named today by Cuisine and will feature in this year's Cuisine Good Food Guide. Around the country more than 300 venues made the list, showcasing the top hospitality establishments, from fine dining and regional destinations to metropolitan and neighbourhood favourites. Following the release of this year's Cuisine Good Food Guide list, 20 category winners and over 95 hatted restaurants, including American Express Restaurant of the Year and Cuisine Chef of the Year will be announced at the esteemed Cuisine Good Food Awards event, presented by American Express on 18 August. Curated by a national panel of 30 judges comprising food and drink writers, critics, chefs and hospitality professionals and led by food & drink writer/hospitality expert Kerry Tyack, the Cuisine Good Food Awards and Guide is designed to showcase the country's outstanding talent and hottest venues with the aim of encouraging patronage and showcasing New Zealand cuisine to local and international audiences. Despite the continued challenges of staffing shortages and increased costs, the Cuisine Good Food Guide 2025, contains some new entries alongside many of the country's long-term players. According to Cuisine owner and editor Kelli Brett, this is a testament to the quality and passion of Aotearoa's restaurant scene. 'As always we are thrilled to release our list of the New Zealand restaurants that will be featured in our Cuisine Good Food Guide for 2025,' she says. 'Despite the challenges across the hospitality industry we are seeing new openings and it's exciting to see that many are embracing an elevated casual approach that showcases the flavours and hospitable culture of Aotearoa so well.' 'The Cuisine Good Food Awards are a celebration of the incredible talent, dedication and creativity that makes up New Zealand's dining and hospitality scene. The Awards highlight not only the joy of dining out but also play a valuable role in championing the industry,' says Rob Bourne, Country Manager NZ, American Express. 'American Express is proud to continue our strong partnership with Cuisine for the fourth consecutive year, and to show our support for the people who are shaping world-class culinary experiences in Aotearoa.' The Cuisine Good Food Awards will be held on 18 August at the Aotea Centre Hunua Room. Access the full list of restaurants here. The categories for the 2025 Cuisine Good Food Awards and their sponsors are as follows: GREENSTONE CREEK METROPOLITAN RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR 2025 YELLOW BRICK ROAD REGIONAL RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR 2025 SPECIALIST RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR 2025 SAWMILL BREWERY CASUAL RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR 2025 HOTEL RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR 2025 RESTAURANT PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR 2025 THE GOOD OIL INNOVATION AWARD 2025 WINERY RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR 2025 VILLA MARIA SOMMELIER & WINE EXPERIENCE OF THE YEAR 2025 THE REID DRINKS LIST OF THE YEAR 2025 PANASONIC LONG-TERM PLAYER 2025 PASTRY CHEF OF THE YEAR 2025 STURGEON VALLEY LUXURY LODGE CHEF OF THE YEAR 2025 NEW RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR 2025 CLYTH MACLEOD RISING TALENT 2025 NIWA HAKU KINGFISH CHAMPION FOR CHANGE 2025 ŌRA KING NEW ZEALAND GLOBAL CHAMPION 2025 PEAD LEGEND AWARD 2025 CUISINE CHEF OF THE YEAR 2025 AMERICAN EXPRESS RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR 2025 SUPPORTING PARTNERS
Otago Daily Times
10-06-2025
- Business
- Otago Daily Times
Award-winning Oamaru restaurant hired teens with no contract
An award-winning Oamaru restaurant must pay two teenagers $500 each after they were employed with no contract. The two employees took Cucina Oamaru Ltd to the Employment Relations Authority because they believed they had been illegally sacked. They both received confusing texts from their employer, Yanina Tacchini, and were not offered any more shifts after they picked up second jobs as "cheese hosts" at Whitestone Cheese Diner & Deli. But authority member Andrew Dallas said they had not been illegally sacked and, due to the casual nature of their employment, Cucina had no obligation to keep offering them shifts. Cucina is an upmarket restaurant in Oamaru and the name of the company, which also operates another restaurant, Del Mar, and Tees Street Cafe. Last year, Cucina was nominated for five awards at the Otago Hospitality Awards and won the outstanding restaurant award, the people's choice award and the award for supreme establishment. It was awarded one hat in the Cuisine Good Food Awards in 2023, a ranking that denotes excellence and was given to fewer than 90 restaurants throughout the country. The two teenage employees worked across all three establishments. At the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) hearing it became clear neither girl had an employment contract. Mrs Tacchini said she prepared employment agreements for them and provided these to managers but only discovered they were not in force when the personal grievance claims were filed. Both girls were in high school when they started working for Cucina and they stopped working there in November 2023. The first employee started working in 2021 after she responded to a Facebook advertisement for a last-minute kitchen hand shift. During the shift, Mrs Tacchini asked the girl if she could work another shift at Tees Street Cafe the next day. Mrs Tacchini said she made it clear to the girl employment with Cucina was on a "casual" basis. The girl told the ERA Mrs Tacchini said a contract was not needed because of this, but the employer denied saying that. In September 2023, the employee talked to Mrs Tacchini about starting a second job, to which Mrs Tacchini was open. But in November 2023, when the employee advised her boss of her new role, she was told Cucina viewed working at Whitestone as a "conflict". Before the employee could respond, she received two more texts stating: "so it's OK you can work there but we will remove you from Del Mar's roster" and "good luck with your future ventures". The girl said she was "completely taken aback by [her] sudden dismissal" and it was very confusing. Mrs Tacchini said Cucina managers conveyed to the teen later that night she had not been "dismissed" from her casual employment with Cucina, but she would not be offered further shifts if she chose to work at Whitestone. A similar situation unfolded for the second employee when she too got a job as a "cheese host" at Whitestone. She thought a second job there would be viable as Cucina had previously approved her working a second job at Pita Pit. The girl said she "reached out" to Mrs Tacchini, who was initially supportive, but again things changed and she was advised Cucina saw working at Whitestone as a conflict. Despite assurances the girl said she gave about maintaining the company's confidentiality, Mrs Tacchini sent her a text message stating: "That's OK. We will remove you from Cucina's roster. Good luck ... I wish you the best". This was followed by another text saying "please just email me the resignation letter". Mrs Tacchini accepted her choice of words when texting both girls was poor, but maintained they had not been "dismissed". Authority member Mr Dallas found the girls were not unjustifiably dismissed, even though they both believed they were permanent employees. "A genuine belief about employment status and the absence of an in-force employment agreement, which certainly would have assisted, does not, of itself, create a permanent employment relationship," Mr Dallas said. He ordered Cucina to pay each girl $500 for the lack of an employment contract.
Otago Daily Times
10-06-2025
- Business
- Otago Daily Times
Restaurant must pay teens $500 each because employment contracts lacking
An award-winning Oamaru restaurant must pay two teenagers $500 each after they were employed with no contract. The two employees took Cucina Oamaru Ltd to the Employment Relations Authority because they believed they had been illegally sacked. They both received confusing texts from their employer, Yanina Tacchini, and were not offered any more shifts after they picked up second jobs as "cheese hosts" at Whitestone Cheese Diner & Deli. But authority member Andrew Dallas said they had not been illegally sacked and, due to the casual nature of their employment, Cucina had no obligation to keep offering them shifts. Cucina is an upmarket restaurant in Oamaru and the name of the company, which also operates another restaurant, Del Mar, and Tees Street Cafe. Last year, Cucina was nominated for five awards at the Otago Hospitality Awards and won the outstanding restaurant award, the people's choice award and the award for supreme establishment. It was awarded one hat in the Cuisine Good Food Awards in 2023, a ranking that denotes excellence and was given to fewer than 90 restaurants throughout the country. The two teenage employees worked across all three establishments. At the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) hearing it became clear neither girl had an employment contract. Mrs Tacchini said she prepared employment agreements for them and provided these to managers but only discovered they were not in force when the personal grievance claims were filed. Both girls were in high school when they started working for Cucina and they stopped working there in November 2023. The first employee started working in 2021 after she responded to a Facebook advertisement for a last-minute kitchen hand shift. During the shift, Mrs Tacchini asked the girl if she could work another shift at Tees Street Cafe the next day. Mrs Tacchini said she made it clear to the girl employment with Cucina was on a "casual" basis. The girl told the ERA Mrs Tacchini said a contract was not needed because of this, but the employer denied saying that. In September 2023, the employee talked to Mrs Tacchini about starting a second job, to which Mrs Tacchini was open. But in November 2023, when the employee advised her boss of her new role, she was told Cucina viewed working at Whitestone as a "conflict". Before the employee could respond, she received two more texts stating: "so it's OK you can work there but we will remove you from Del Mar's roster" and "good luck with your future ventures". The girl said she was "completely taken aback by [her] sudden dismissal" and it was very confusing. Mrs Tacchini said Cucina managers conveyed to the teen later that night she had not been "dismissed" from her casual employment with Cucina, but she would not be offered further shifts if she chose to work at Whitestone. A similar situation unfolded for the second employee when she too got a job as a "cheese host" at Whitestone. She thought a second job there would be viable as Cucina had previously approved her working a second job at Pita Pit. The girl said she "reached out" to Mrs Tacchini, who was initially supportive, but again things changed and she was advised Cucina saw working at Whitestone as a conflict. Despite assurances the girl said she gave about maintaining the company's confidentiality, Mrs Tacchini sent her a text message stating: "That's OK. We will remove you from Cucina's roster. Good luck ... I wish you the best". This was followed by another text saying "please just email me the resignation letter". Mrs Tacchini accepted her choice of words when texting both girls was poor, but maintained they had not been "dismissed". Authority member Mr Dallas found the girls were not unjustifiably dismissed, even though they both believed they were permanent employees. "A genuine belief about employment status and the absence of an in-force employment agreement, which certainly would have assisted, does not, of itself, create a permanent employment relationship," Mr Dallas said. He ordered Cucina to pay each girl $500 for the lack of an employment contract.
NZ Herald
06-06-2025
- Business
- NZ Herald
Queenstown's Amisfield Makes Yet Another World's Best Restaurants List
Fine dining restaurant Amisfield in Queenstown has been named in the acclaimed The World's 50 Best Restaurants 51-100 list for 2025, making it the first time its panel has recognised a restaurant in New Zealand. Amisfield ranked 99th on the list, which will be fully revealed, including the currently unknown top 50, at an awards ceremony in Turin, Italy, on June 19. Executive chef Vaughan Mabee, who has been with the restaurant since 2012, said being named on the list is an 'extraordinary honour — not just for Amisfield, but for New Zealand." 'It marks a defining moment in our journey and a proud milestone for our team. This is a recognition of the years of hard work, creativity, and belief that have gone into building something truly reflective of this place. I'm incredibly proud of what we've achieved together, and I hope this brings a global spotlight on the whole of Aotearoa's unique cuisine,' Mabee told Viva. The announcement adds to the restaurant's growing number of accolades. In April, the restaurant placed third in Food & Wine's third-annual Global Tastemakers Awards. It was named Restaurant of the Year in 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023 by the Cuisine Good Food Awards. Mabee was awarded the Innovation Award at the Cuisine Good Food Awards in 2022 and 2024, and Cuisine Magazine named him Chef of the Year 2019/2020. The extended list of 51-100 includes restaurants in 25 territories and 37 cities across six continents. Europe boasts 20 restaurants in the list, with Germany grabbing four spots. There are 12 new entries from 12 different cities, ranging from São Paulo and San Francisco to Macau and Tulum. Since 2002, the World's 50 Best Restaurants annual list has aimed to celebrate the tapestry of the global culinary scene. This year, restaurants were voted for by 1120 international restaurant industry experts and 'well-travelled gourmets'.
