Fully underway for 2015, the Angostura Global Cocktail Challenge has completed its first two regional finals, with winners named in both South and Western Australia. The two heats took place this past week with Joe Sinagra from Bobeche and Roman Tazdhynov from Bibliotheca taking out the WA and SA comps respectively. Both Sinagra and Tazdhynov have now earned spots in the National Final, taking place in Sydney 31 August, where ...

The Australian Government has negotiated a new labour agreement to provide increased flexibility for hospitality industry workers, adding skilled migration positions for cooks and chefs. Trade waiter positions are also expected to be included in the skilled migration additions following national endorsement of the occupation. The industry labour agreement provides a tailored skilled migration arrangement for employers with specific occupation needs, defining employer obligations and the skills, qualifications and English ...

Hugo’s Lounge, a popular hangout and high-profile King’s Cross stalwart has announced plans to close as early as next week after being placed into voluntary administration. The closing comes after a significant decline in revenue (owner Dave Evans stated as high as 60%), since the tightening of area specific alcohol restrictions from 2012. Further hits levied from 2014 lockout legislation put the company into a cost-saving state, reducing trading hours ...

From Byron Bay to Broken Hill, Canberra to Cronulla, Deniliquin to Downtown Sydney and everywhere in between, NSW/ACT bartenders are super excited for U.G.L.Y. Bartender of the Year 2015! Long time supporter of U.G.L.Y. Bartender of the Year campaign, The Cat and Fiddle Hotel in Balmain are back for their third year in 2015 with Colin Stefanello (pictured above) at the helm. The Cat and Fiddle joins other venues in ...

This week the New South Wales Office of Liquor, Gaming and Racing (OLGR) has once again enforced a mandatory closure on Sydney’s Imperial Hotel in Erskinville. This is the second time the venue has been shut down in a little over a month as a result of serious ongoing licence breaches. The hotel was ordered to close from 7pm on Friday 24 July until this past Monday after inspections during the ...

Tourism Australia has announced its role in a ten-week relocation of one of the world’s best restaurants, Noma, to a space in Sydney’s Barangaroo beginning January 2016. Noma will temporarily close in Copenhagen, Denmark to open its new waterfront home at Barangaroo on Sydney Harbour, as part of an exciting collaboration with Tourism Australia and Lendlease. “I have always been attracted to the incredible diversity you find in Australia’s landscapes ...

Over 400 venues have nominated their U.G.L.Y. Bartender in the Leukaemia Foundation’s 2015 U.G.L.Y. Bartender of the Year campaign and are gearing up to show how creative they can be with their fundraising for this slightly ridiculous and mostly hilarious fundraiser. Launching the race to be U.G.L.Y.-est in their state is Queensland, with their official kick-off date of 1 August 2015, wrapping up U.G.L.Y. on 14 September 2015. All other ...

In an intimate dinner at iconic venue Café Sydney, House of Mumm Champagne re-released a limited quantity of magnums to signify the launch of a new Collection du Chef de Caves, Mumm Cordon Rouge Millésimes of 1985, 1990 and 1996. Chef de Cave Didier Mariotti hosted the tasting, where the wines were previewed for the first time in Australia. Each chosen by Mariotti to present one aspect of the vintage ...

Rhianne Lewis of Hamilton’s Grand Central Hotel participated in the 2014 U.G.L.Y. Bartender of the Year campaign, having such a fantastic time she’s signed up again! The town of Hamilton, the community and patrons, along with her work colleagues really got behind fundraising efforts and were so supportive of raising money for the Leukaemia Foundation. “It’s such a great cause and loads of fun; I just had to sign up ...

Following huge success in 2014 and a sell-out month this year, Suntory’s House of Suntory Melbourne pop-up continues by popular demand throughout winter, with a rollout expected in Sydney by August. The pop-up activation in Melbourne will continue on each Wednesday of July and August, with the Sydney extension to begin 5 August, hosted by Tokyo Bird. The brand attributes the activation’s success to rising consumer interest in the Japanese ...