Jacques Reymond has been bestowed with the honour of Lavazza Restaurant of the Year at the 2008 Restaurant & Catering Victoria Awards held on Tuesday night, with Delaware North – Melbourne Zoo taking the honours as Caterer of the Year.

The award completes an outstanding year for the Prahran restaurant, with recognition earlier this year in The Age Good Food Guide 2008 as Victoria’s only ‘three hat’ restaurant.

Thirty-two categories were represented by the awards, with a posthumous award going to Donleavy Fitzpatrick as the sixth Victorian Restaurant & Catering Australia Lifetime Achiever. His contribution to industry particularly his influence in changing the liquor licensing laws in the late 80’s and early 90’s had to be acknowledged.

Other notable winners included Crown Limited, which took out the Professional Development Award, and Maha Bar & Grill, which received the prize for Best New Restaurant beating a field which included Japanese chain Nobu.

Silks, Tutto Bene, Ladro, Paladdar Thai Issan and Crown Limited were granted entry into the Hall of Fame.

The Awards for Excellence represents the hospitality industry’s largest peer reviewed Awards program. The winners of the R&C Vic honours will now represent Victoria at the national R&C Australia awards to be held in Brisbane on October 27.

A full list of winners is provided below:
Lavazza Restaurant of the Year – Jacques Reymond, Windsor

Caterer of the Year – Delaware North – Melbourne Zoo

Melbourne Food & Wine Events Professional Development Award – Crown Limited Melbourne

Restaurant & Catering Australia Fine Wine Partners and Henschke Life Time Achievement Award – Awarded posthumously to Donleavy Fitzpatrick

Asian Restaurant
Winner: Koko – Melbourne

HostPlus Breakfast Restaurant
Winner: Richmond Hill Café e Larder – Richmond

Riviana Foods Café Restaurant
Winner: Café Vue – Melbourne

Café Restaurant – Regional
Winner: The Red Hill Brewery – Red Hill

OAMPS Chinese Restaurant
Winner: Silks – Melbourne

Coffee Shop
Winner: Convent Bakery – Abbotsford

Finlease European Restaurant
Winner: Bistro Vue – Melbourne

Family Establishment
Winner: Maribyrnong Boathouse – Moonee Ponds

red + white Fine Dining Restaurant
Winner: Jacques Reymond – Windsor

Indian Restaurant
Winner: Bukhara – Warragul

Informal Dining Restaurant
Winner: Oyster Little Bourke – Melbourne

Hospitality Training Australia Informal Dining Restaurant – Regional
Winner: Bamboo – Rye

Barilla Italian Restaurant
Winner: Tutto Bene – Southbank

American Express Modern Australian Restaurant
Winner: ezard – Melbourne

HostPlus Modern Australian – Regional
Winner: Oscar W’s Wharfside, RedGum Grill & DeckBar – Echuca

Fine Food Australia New Restaurant
Winner: Maha Bar and Grill – Melbourne

Fonterra Pizza Restaurant
Winner: Ladro – Fitzroy

PPCA Pub / Club / Tavern Restaurant
Winner: The Grand Hotel – Richmond

Westpac Restaurant in a Winery
Winner: Salix – Merricks North

Seafood Restaurant
Winner: Esposito at Toofey’s – Carlton

Specialty Cuisine Restaurant
Winner: Verge – Melbourne

Meat & Livestock Australia Steak Restaurant
Winner: The Point – Albert Park

Thai Restaurant
Winner: Paladarr Thai Issan – Alphington

Chef’s on the Run/CMD Tourism Restaurant
Winner: Lake House – Daylesford

VIP Personnel Corporate Caterer
Winner: Spotless at Delioitte- Melbourne

APRA Function Centre Caterer
Winner: Atlantic Group – Docklands

Site / Industrial Caterer
Winner: Spotless – Geelong Grammar

Venue Caterer
Winner: Delaware North – Melbourne Zoo

Modern Wedding Magazine Wedding Caterer
Winner: Delaware North – The Terrace

Hall of Fame Recipients
Silks – Melbourne – Chinese Restaurant
Tutto Bene – Southbank – Italian Restaurant
Ladro – Fitzroy – Pizza Restaurant
Paladdar Thai Issan – Thai Restaurant
Crown Limited Melbourne – Professional Development