The National chapter of the Australian Hotels Association (AHA) celebrated the ‘best of the best’ at the 2022 National Awards for Excellence annual presentation dinner, held on Monday 28 November in Sydney. The prestigious Chef of the Year award on the accommodation side was awarded to Paul Griffiths, Executive Chef of QT Melbourne.

The stars of Australia’s hospitality and accommodation industry were honoured in front of record 730 VIPs and industry guests-including Australian of the Year Dylan Alcott. The evening rewards new ideas, excellence and recognise the individuals who will set the standards for the future of Australian hospitality.

People are paramount to deliver QT’s philosophy of ‘expect the unexpected’, the forefront of the brand’s unforgettable guest experiences.

Group General Manager Callum Kennedy says of the wins, “Paul is a great character whose approach to food is elegant, sophisticated and bold. His culinary journey has been built on the foundations of professionalism, organization and maintaining the utmost respect for produce.”

Wales born, Paul Griffiths joined QT Melbourne as Executive Chef in 2020 bringing his vibrant take on chic modern Australian cuisine, drawing on his extensive culinary skills and experience from the Ritz Carlton and Palazzo Versace.

A daily ritual, Griffiths picks a selection of vegetables, herbs, flowers and fruit from the QT garden. Guests can enjoy them on dishes at Pascale Bar and Grill, as garnishes for cocktails at the bar, and the base of desserts in the pastry kitchen.

QT had 7 finalists represented across 45 categories including Chef of the Year, Employee Excellence in Service – Accommodation Division, Best Hotel Bar – Accommodation Division, Best Restaurant – Accommodation Division (Deluxe), Overall Hotel of the Year – Accommodation Division.