Restaurant shows its 'chops' at hospitality awards

Hamilton restaurant and bar, Smith and McKenzie Chophouse, has been announced Supreme Champion at the recent Hospitality New Zealand Awards for Excellence.

The awards were judged on a comprehensive range of business-focused criteria – such as marketing strategies, training programmes, profitability, operational procedures, and customer service.

Earlier this year Business to Business editor, Helen Perry, visited Smith and McKenzie, which also won the Best Restaurant category. Did she like it? Yes, she did!

“The space succeeds in being simultaneously rustic, inviting, and luxurious with rich detailing such as the vintage meat hooks that have been transformed into hanging lights above the restaurant bars. On the food front, quality steaks are a highlight of the contemporary menu,” says Helen.

“It’s been said that Smith & McKenzie is a culinary and visual experience and I’d have to agree with that. Thanks to the local recommendation we enjoyed a very pleasant evening and I wouldn’t hesitate to go back.”

Hospitality New Zealand chief executive Bruce Robertson says it is highly encouraging to see the overall winner of the awards go to a regional venue outside of the bigger cities.

Five of Auckland’s best bars and restaurants were also winners in their respective categories, including: Sale Street - Best Music Entertainment Venue, The Riverhead – Best New/Redeveloped Bar/Restaurant, Soul Bar and Bistro – Excellence in Customer Service, and Excellence in Training and Staff Development, The Zookeeper’s Son – Excellence in Gaming, and Suite Bar – winner of the Best Bar category.

Mr Robertson says even though Auckland has five winners amongst the tally of categories, it had been quite some years since the diversity of winners and their regional locations had been so widely spread throughout the country.