Mr. Wong, Merivale’s headlining Cantonese restaurant, has announced key staffing changes as the vision behind the group’s highly anticipated takeover of the Queen Victoria Hotel begins to take foot. The developments come out of the food sector with Michael Luo joining Merivale as Head Dim Sum Chef of Mr.Wong, while Eric Koh moves to a leading role within the Queen Victoria Hotel kitchen staff. Koh will si…

The Northern Territory loves U.G.L.Y. Bartender of the Year. From the busiest trendy metropolitan bar to the iconic corrugated iron outback pub, the locals embrace their U.G.L.Y. Bartenders and that is the main reason why the Northern Territory have taken out the National title in the last 4 consecutive years. In 2014 the NT and National winner was Casey Cheal from the Palmerston Tavern.  Her team raised …

Guests at InterContinental Sydney will be able to join its new exclusive after-hours Supper Club from Thursday. Situated on the hotel’s top floor, members of the Supper Club will enjoy sweeping views of Sydney, as well as a Champagne list of 27 brands from Taittinger, Duval, Leroy and Ruinart, to name a few, plus a cocktail and food menu inspired by local produce. The new club extends the hotel’s current …

Now in its seventh year, the Leukaemia Foundation’s U.G.L.Y. Bartender of the Year campaign is gearing up to be even U.G.L.Y-ier in 2015. With the help of the wider hospitality industry and participating staff, this innovative campaign has raised $6 million over the past six years to help combat Leukaemia and provide accommodation for families traveling for treatment. U.G.L.Y offers those involved an oppo…

Distributor of Angostura, island2island Beverage Company has announced the State Finalists of the Angostura Global Cocktail Challenge in Australia. After entries closed to the competition last Monday (June 15), island2island counted entries and whittled down the total to just eight from each state. State Finalists will now go on to compete in July and August for AU$10,000 and the title of Angostura Austra…

Molly, in Canberra, is currently representing its state as the only bar from the ACT taking part in Tequila Herradura’s 12-week incentive program, running across Australia until early July. Also the newest 1920s-style speakeasy (and arguably one of the best) to join the city’s bar scene, Molly’s owners Lorenzo Focarile, Dean Brown and Antony Arena have been working closely with Brown-Forman recently (dist…

This week, Damien Neylon was announced as winner of the 2015 Hostplus Hospitality Scholarship supported by Melbourne Food and Wine (MFW). Damien, Sous Chef at ‘Brae’ in Victoria – a modern restaurant celebrating local food sourced from the land – astonished judges with his finesse and dedication. On announcing the winner, Natalia O’Brien, CEO of Melbourne Food and Wine summarised why Damien was selected a…

Speakeasy Group – the group behind Eau de Vie and The Roosevelt – has opened a new craft beer and whisky venue in Melbourne. Owner of the group, Sven Almenning has partnered up with co-owner and general manager of Eau de Vie (Melbourne) Greg Sanderson to open the doors to Boilermaker House and unlike the cocktail-style venues Speakeasy is known for, this new bar will specialise in malt whisky, as well as …

Joining Mamasita down in Melbourne, GoGo Bar is our sixth feature bar also currently taking part in Tequila Herradura’s 12-week incentive program. Our sixth feature venue, GoGo Bar headlines the program’s half way point, with only six weeks to go before the program ends; when these bars will have had to reached their individual targets for a chance to win an all expenses paid trip to the original Tequila …

Now almost half way through their 12-week incentive program with Tequila Herradura, The Deck Bar in Darwin is turning up the heat, with the launch of the first ever cocktail on tap in the Northern Territory; engaging customers to try their unique house Herradura Tommy Margarita for a chance to win an all expenses paid trip to the original Tequila Casa Herradura in Mexico. In a unique collaboration and fir…