The annual Beef and Lamb Excellence Awards, now in their 21st year, are designed to acknowledge a consistently high standard of beef and lamb cuisine. 162 restaurants have just been added to the 3,150 restaurants who have previously received the nation’s longest running culinary accolade. 

The 2017 Awards attracted over 200 entries with over 400 beef and lamb dishes being assessed on taste, presentation, degree of cooking and overall appeal, over a three-month period. 

In addition to the 162 restaurants who have been awarded a gold plate, the following five chefs were announced as 2017 Beef and Lamb Ambassador Chefs, after exceling in the assessment process: 

• Steve Beere from Mint Restaurant, Napier
• Shaun Clouston from Logan Brown, Wellington
• Alistair Forster from Mahana Estate, Nelson
• Daniel Hill from Pitches Store, Ophir, Central Otago
• Scott Kennedy from Nero Restaurant, Palmerston North 

Shaun Clouston of Wellington’s Logan Brown is proud to be representing Beef and Lamb as an ambassador for the fourth time. 

“Beef and lamb dishes are a staple on my menu. To showcase versatility and the beautiful flavours I typically use two cuts for each dish, a first class cut and a secondary cut.

“Being an ambassador chef and a part of something that I am so passionate about is great motivation to keep growing as a chef and I am very much looking forward to the year ahead,” says Clouston. 

For a full list of 2017 Excellence Award recipients visit nzexcellenceawards.co.nz