The hotel was announced as the winner of the Best Casual Dining Venue for Southern NSW, an achievement of which hotel licencee Erica Warren is extremely proud.

“Years ago the focus of pubs was how many drinks you could sell, but that has changed dramatically over the years with changes to road safety laws and now there is a major focus on the catering side of the business, which, in turn, bring other benefits,” Ms Warren said.

“We are very proud of our chef Michael Lucassen and his staff – they do a wonderful job.

“Over the three-or-so years he has been here, we have tweaked the menu a bit, making sure we retain the popular meals and add something a bit different from time-to-time and it has been a success.

“We have also added specialty nights like a $10 menu on Wednesday and Friday nights and $10 pizzas on Thursday, which has also proved popular.

The hotel was a finalist in three categories, Best Hotel Operator, Best Traditional Hotel Bar and the winning Best Casual dining Venue, with Ms Warren delighted with the winning category.

“Of the awards we were nominated for, this is definitely the most beneficial to the business.

“To be recognised for your food is so important – it helps spread the word from visitors who have a meal here – they tell their friends and it grows from there.”

Chef Michael Lucassen said he was thrilled with the win.

“It’s certainly nice to get the recognition – I have been a chef for around 15 years and this is certainly the highlight,” he said.

Mr Warren said the dining award wasn’t just a matter of judging the food, but also the service and the ambiance of the venue.