After a week of fierce competition, the Australian Hotels Association (WA) can reveal the winning venues of the WA’s Best Steak Sandwich Competition and the inaugural WA’s Best Cocktail Competition.
The AHA & Little Creatures WA’s Best Steak Sandwich Competition for Country WA was won by resigning champions North West Brewing Co.
Chef Ats Johanson won over the judges, which included WA Premier Roger Cook, with his Smoked Harvey Beef Rump Steak loaded with salsa verde.
The Perth competition was a close affair, but ultimately The Illuka prevailed on the day. Young chef Samson Brent secured the title for the beachside venue with a thinly sliced Black Angus fillet and cognac peppercorn sauce steak sandwich.
Venues and patrons across the state strongly supported the inaugural AHA & Don Julio Tequila WA’s Best Cocktail Competition. Five finalists competed in front of a live audience, creating their cocktail for four expert judges to assess.
TWR at Crown Towers Perth triumphed with their La Bamba cocktail, produced by Robin De Mesquita Mollentze. The cocktail’s complex ingredients included charred corn, and Beeswax infused Don Julio Blanco, Casamigos Mezcal, red wine and berry reduction, with an Aperol and clarified tomato water foam.
AHA(WA) CEO Bradley Woods said the standard of the finalists that competed at the 2023 Hospitality Expo was unprecedented.
“These competitions are clearly a lot of fun, but they also carry a serious element in that they reflect a venue’s high standards of professionalism and their commitment to excellence,” Mr Woods said.
“Not all steak sandwiches are made equal and the same can certainly be said for a cocktail. These competitions play an important role in elevating the standards of both and help drive sales in the process.”
