- The Agrarian Kitchen, a farm-to-table destination in the Derwent Valley was named Australia’s ‘Restaurant of the Year’ for the 2024 awards — a first for any venue from Tasmania.
- Mischa Tropp, of Keralan food specialist Toddy Shop in Melbourne, wins ‘Best New Talent’.
- Critics double down on applause for Sydney’s Cafe Paci, whose Chef-Owner Pasi Petänen is also recognised as Gourmet Traveller’s ‘Chef of the Year’.
In a historic development for the annual Gourmet Traveller restaurant awards, The Agrarian Kitchen has just been named the vaunted publication’s ‘Restaurant of the Year’ for 2024.
This is the first time, in the 45-year history of the competition, that a venue from Australia’s least populous state has nabbed the top spot.
Joanna Hunkin, Editor of Gourmet Traveller, cited the work that owners Rodney Dunn and Séverine Demanet have put into “establishing a truly sustainable food system”.
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Located in Tasmania’s Derwent Valley, amid the grounds of a former psychiatric hospital, the restaurant’s grounds are given over to hyper-seasonal gardens and a range of facilities that allow for fresh daily preparation of cheese, charcuterie and various fermented products.
Speaking from the official awards ceremony in Sydney last night, Demanet said she was “shocked” to have received what many deem to be the ultimate honour in Australia’s hospitality industry. “I thought, how can a little Tassie restaurant win restaurant of the year?” she said.
Recognition for Demanet and The Agrarian Kitchen team — an upmarket, farm-to-table operation located in one of Tasmania’s premier agricultural centres — offers an interesting counterpoint to Mischa Tropp — who was awarded ‘Best New Talent’ at this year’s awards.
The Melburnian proprietor behind Toddy Shop, a “South Indian refreshment bar”, embodies a new wave of young Australian chefs who are winning a following for their commitment to championing homestyle non-European cuisines. (In this case, regional Indian specialties from the state of Kerala.)
Other highlights include the various accolades received by Finnish-born whiz Pasi Petänen; whose eponymous venue Cafe Paci was named ‘Restaurant of the Year’ for NSW. More importantly, Petänen was also crowned ‘Chef of the Year’: the only category in these awards that is conferred on the recipient by industry peers.
You can explore the full list of this year’s Gourmet Traveller Restaurant Awards below:
The Gourmet Traveller Annual Restaurant Awards (2024)
Restaurant Of The Year: The Agrarian Kitchen, New Norfolk, TAS
Best New Restaurant: King Clarence, Sydney, NSW
Best New Talent: Mischa Tropp, Toddy Shop | Melbourne, VIC
Best Destination Dining: Chauncy, Heathcote, VIC
Wine Bar Of The Year: South West Wine Shop, Busselton, WA
Restaurant Personality Of The Year: Sarah Baldwin, Joy | Brisbane, QLD
Outstanding Contribution To Hospitality: The Ayubi Family, Parwana Afghan Kitchen | Torrensville, SA
Readers’ Choice Icon Award: Lake House, Daylesford, VIC
Now, explore all of the finalists (state by state) in this year’s Restaurants Awards:
Gourmet Traveller Annual Restaurant Awards Finalists
Restaurant Of The Year
- ACT: Pilot, Ainslie
- NSW: Cafe Paci, Newtown
- VIC: Vue de Monde, Melbourne CBD
- QLD: Restaurant Labart, Burleigh Heads
- SA: Maxwell Restaurant, McLaren Vale
- TAS: The Agrarian Kitchen, New Norfolk
- WA: Casa, Mount Hawthorn
Best New Restaurant
- WA: Gibney, Perth
- VIC: Kafeneion, Melbourne
- NSW: King Clarence, Sydney
- SA: LVN Restaurant, Adelaide Hills
- TAS: Maria, Hobart
- QLD: Pneuma, Brisbane
Best New Talent
- WA: Sofika Boulton, Sonny’s | Perth
- NSW: Jun Hwang, White Horse | Sydney
- SA: Simon Ming, Odé | Adelaide
- QLD: Pietro Segalini, Pilloni | Brisbane
- VIC: Mischa Tropp, Toddy Shop | Melbourne
Wine Bar Of The Year
- VIC: Bar Olo, Melbourne
- TAS: Havilah, Launceston
- SA: Otherness, Angaston
- NSW: Poly, Sydney
- WA: South West Wine Shop, Busselton
- ACT: 11e Cave, Canberra
Best Destination Dining
- VIC: Chauncy, Heathcote
- SA: Elementary By Soul Co, Mount Gambier
- NSW: EXP. Restaurant, Hunter Valley
- QLD: Nu Nu, Palm Cove
- WA: Wills Domain, Margaret River
Restaurant Personality Of The Year
- QLD: Sarah Baldwin, Joy | Brisbane
- TAS: Lachlan Colwill and Sophie Pope, Omotenashi | Hobart
- SA: Mel Hamilton, Temperance and Fino | Seppeltsfield
- NSW: Dot Lee, Longshore | Sydney
- VIC: Tess Murray, Chauncy | Heathcote
- WA: Jae Woods, Le Rebelle | Perth
Readers’ Choice Icon Award
- VIC: Attica, Ripponlea
- VIC: Lake House, Daylesford
- NSW: Quay, Sydney CBD
- QLD: Rick Shores, Burleigh Heads
- NSW: Sean’s, North Bondi
- WA: Vasse Felix, Margaret River
