Gold Coast hotspot, Nineteen at The Star, has been crowned the best ‘hotel restaurant’ across Australia, New Zealand, and the South Pacific in a stunning accolade for the rooftop venue.Located on Level 19 of The Darling luxury suite hotel at The Star Gold Coast, Nineteen at The Star was selected from a field of 30 finalists to win the coveted industry accolade at the 2020 Hotel Management Awards for Hotel and Accommodation Excellence.
The venue features a luxurious dining area that opens onto The Darling’s infinity pool with sweeping views across the Pacific Ocean, as well as a private dining area with a self-contained bar that can be booked for private events. A stand-out feature is the exquisite open-plan kitchen, where guests can get a first-hand view of the chefs in action from the comfort of their dining chairs.
Nineteen at The Star Executive Chef Uday Huja said he was delighted to have the venue recognised at an awards ceremony in Sydney last night.
“This is a fantastic testament to our talented food and beverage team who come to work each day with such incredible passion and a genuine love for the hospitality industry,” Chef Uday said.
“We enjoy nothing more than interacting and entertaining our guests with stories about what inspired our menu; where our produce comes from; and letting them enjoy all the theatre behind our creations through our kitchen, designed to be seen through a glass window from our dining area.
“We continue to innovate our menu, working closely with farmers and producers to ensure we keep sourcing premium and sustainable produce. Some of these include steaks from the Darling Downs, Bay Bugs from Moreton Bay, and Jamon Iberico from Spain.
“Our menu is inspired by our commitment to presenting this produce with finesse and culinary craftmanship that reflects our respect for the raw, natural ingredients.”
Chef Uday said although 2020 had been a challenging year due to the global coronavirus pandemic, he was excited to see the restaurant successfully create new offerings for guests.
“In addition to being an award-winning premium night-time dining spot, we also wanted to invite guests to come join us for a scrumptious breakfast and brunch,” Chef Uday said.
“In October, we began offering ‘Sunday brunches’ featuring an exquisite curated menu complete with some of my brunch favourites, as well as highlights from our grill.
“From midday, guests can also kick on at our ‘after brunch’ party by The Darling’s rooftop pool. Guests can relax on the hotel’s luxe poolside day beds while enjoying refreshing cocktails and DJ music.
“Further, we also want to be known as the Gold Coast’s most spectacular breakfast destination so we have recently begun offering a five-star breakfast experience featuring everyone’s favourite breakfast dishes plus some of my Southern specialties.
“Today, we have a wide-ranging premium menu, a warm yet stylish setting, and we look forward to creating even more thrilling moments for our guests next year.”
The Star Gold Coast COO Jessica Mellor congratulated the team for being recognised on an international stage.
“This is a wonderful achievement for Chef Uday and his entire team who have worked hard to create unique and bespoke dining experiences for our guests,” Ms Mellor said.
“The venue opened in 2018 and since then has become one of the Gold Coast’s most award-winning and sought after dining spots, with its gorgeous rooftop location and incredible views of the glittering Gold Coast skyline where you can often see whales breaching the water.
“With such a breathtaking spot, delicious food, and outstanding service, it’s great to see the team be recognised through awards like this and we look forward to seeing the venue achieve even more in 2021.
“It will certainly kick off with a bang with guests being able to book an unforgettable New Year’s Eve package at Nineteen, featuring two multi-course dining experiences to choose from, paired with a backdrop of beautiful views for that perfect New Year’s Eve selfie.”
The 2020 Hotel Management Awards for Hotel and Accommodation Excellence were delivered at a gala dinner in Sydney on Friday 27 November, and featured more than 1,000 entries in over 40 categories.
The awards are the leading industry awards in the region and celebrate the best properties, departments, people, chains and brands in Australia, New Zealand, and the South Pacific.
For more about the awards, visit www.hmawards.com.au
