Canberra personalities (as well as restaurants) crack the 2027 Good Food Guide Awards
Posted on
In a list full of auspicious names on the national dining scene in this year’s Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide awards, two Canberra locals have been recognised for their personal impact.
Anand Kumar Ramakrishna from AK’s Diner was named Critic’s Pick of the Year for his tiny Malaysian kitchen in NewActon, while Venus Vinifera’s Caitlin Baker was named Cultural Change Champion for her feminist approach to the wine industry.
Meanwhile, playful Kingston winebar Tintino was awarded its first hat, joining an elite Canberra list including Rebel Rebel in NewActon, Beltana Farm in Pialligo, Paranormal in Campbell, Such and Such in Civic, Mu Omakase in Civic, Lunetta in Red Hill. and Bar Rochford in Civic – all of which received one hat. Ainslie’s Pilot received two hats, making it the ACT’s highest-rated restaurant in the 2027 guide.
The awards, announced at Carriageworks in Sydney on Monday, proved a massive night for AK, whose hawker-style eatery tucked beneath Ovolo Nishi was deemed worthy of the night’s most coveted title of Critic’s Pick – going to a venue that captures the moment, contributes something distinctive to the dining scene and remains firmly on reviewers’ radar.
AK opened the diner two years ago after previously working as a chef and co-owner of XO in Narrabundah. His compact menu draws on the Malaysian food of his mother and grandfather, with curries, pickles and street-food flavours served without fine-dining fuss and the most delectable roti bread on the side.
To say he was shocked to be singled out for the coveted award barely touches the sides.
“When they called my name, I couldn’t actually believe it. I don’t know how I got up there to give a speech; I couldn’t talk, I couldn’t take it all in – I even forgot to thank my wife.”
AK said he just remembers the Canberra contingent comprising all the hatted restaurants named in the awards went wild, clapping and cheering for him. Meanwhile, industry heroes such as Kylie Kwong gave him a hug, and Matt Moran started following him on Instagram.
“It was BIG!” he says.
Returning from Sydney late yesterday afternoon after a late night of celebrations, AK was madly prepping for Wednesday’s lunch service and gearing up for a busier week than usual, which also marked the diner’s two-year anniversary.
“I may get some new customers coming in and saying, ‘Who is this fella?!’ and I need to make sure it’s good.”
AK said the award had blown his mind, but he also felt vindicated in serving his simple soul food in simple plastic tubs without even so much as table service.
“If this is what gets recognised, then I am going to continue to do this,” he said.
He was inordinately proud that his tiny diner had allowed him to interpret in a modern way the dishes of his childhood, and his mother had managed to alert most people back in Malaysia to her son’s award overnight.
While AK considered himself “one of the smallest of the small potatoes in Canberra”, he hoped the award would help further cement Canberra’s reputation as a food city.
“It’s amazing for me, but the fact that Caitlin and I both got these awards shows how much we punch above our weight in Canberra.”
Caitlin Barker, Cultural Change Champion
The Cultural Change Champion title awarded to Caitlin Baker recognises her work in making the wine and hospitality scene safer, more inclusive and more accessible to women.
Setting up Venus Vinifera as a not-for-profit back in 2022, Caitlin hoped to create a safe space for Canberra women to learn about wine, spirits and service. The organisation delivers a program of educational events as well as creating a community dedicated to learning more and evening up the disparity in the numbers of female to male sommeliers in the ACT and Australia.
Wanting to end the way in which women are titled ‘female winemakers’ or female ‘sommeliers’, Caitlin said the award was amazing and could help amplify the impact of the work she was doing.
“Getting an award was never the point; it has always been about trying to make the industry better. But the award does signify the work we are doing is important, and it does have an impact,” she says.
She felt more operators were taking responsibility to help stamp out bad behaviour through things such as codes of conduct and more targeted training.
“We see more women go and get jobs in acclaimed venues.”
Caitlin launched Venus Vinifera in Sydney in June and is taking the organisation to Melbourne next year.
Ben Florance from Tintino. Photo: Collections from Him
Meanwhile, Tintino venue manager Adam Brown said it had been a surreal moment to join the ranks of the city’s elite restaurants with a hat.
“We were excited that we got an invite, but to see our name on the big screen and to be in such fantastic company was next level.”
He says Tintino has earned a strong brand organically since it opened its doors 15 months ago, but to earn a hat so quickly would help it to build its brand nationally.
“Mostly we are all proud. It shows that if you set the standard and work hard to execute it every day, you can achieve this level of recognition.”
“For the team and chef (Brendan Hill) and owner (Ben Florance) who have been in this industry for 20-plus years, we all want to work in a venue like this. This is what we strive for, so to get a hat just cements our sense of accomplishment.”
