Awards nights are usually about glamour and bragging rights. But looking back at the 2016 Gourmet Traveller Restaurant Awards, the winners told a bigger story about where Australian food was heading, and much of it still rings true today.
Bold flavours from far away
Restaurant of the Year went to Sydney’s Momofuku Seiobo, led by Barbados-born chef Paul Carmichael. It was the restaurant’s second win since 2014. Chief restaurant critic Pat Nourse said finding fine-dining Barbadian food this good in the Caribbean itself would be a revelation, and finding it in Australia was “astonishing in the best of ways”.
“This kind of food needs a voice,” Carmichael said at the time. Momofuku Seiobo closed in 2021, but its legacy lives on in the way Australian diners embrace food from every corner of the globe.
Kinder kitchens
Ben Shewry of Melbourne’s Attica was voted Chef of the Year by his peers. He was celebrated not only for his cooking but for his reputation as the “nice guy” of Australian food and an advocate for treating staff well. In an industry long known for punishing hours and high stress, that recognition mattered. Healthy, respected teams make better food, and a happier workplace.
Celebrating native ingredients
The award for Outstanding Contribution to Hospitality went to author and educator Bruce Pascoe, recognised for encouraging Australians to appreciate and use Indigenous ingredients and food culture. Native foods such as wattleseed, finger lime and saltbush are now far more common on menus and in home kitchens.
New talent and regional gems
Other winners included Thi Le of Melbourne’s Anchovy (Best New Talent), Aaron Turner’s Igni in Geelong (Regional Restaurant of the Year), Sydney’s Restaurant Hubert (New Restaurant of the Year and Wine List of the Year) and Adelaide’s Pink Moon Saloon (Bar of the Year).
What it means for how we eat
- Be adventurous. Trying new cuisines is one of the easiest ways to add variety to your diet.
- Cook with native ingredients. Many are packed with flavour and nutrients.
- Support kind kitchens. Choose restaurants that look after their people.
- Celebrate regional producers. Some of the best food in Australia is found outside the big cities.
For more on eating well, explore our Nutrition Guide and recipes from chefs and wellness retreats.
