Onzieme wins Gourmet Traveller’s best ACT restaurant gong
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Louis Couttoupes’ pared-back bistro Onzieme has been declared ACT Restaurant of the Year by Australian Food Bible Gourmet Traveller.
Winners of the 2024 Restaurant Awards were announced at a glittering gala event at Brasserie 1930 in Sydney last night, with Queensland’s Agnes taking out the top honour in the country’s longest-running restaurant awards.
It’s a sweet success for Onzieme, which came achingly close to being declared last year’s New Restaurant of the Year and which takes the baton from Pilot, which claimed the prize both in the 2023 and 2022 awards.
Louis Couttoupes is hands-on with food and wine at Onzieme. Image Lean Timms
Opening in late 2021 on the corner of Kennedy Street and Eyre Streets in Old Kingston, Onzieme is the passion project of former Bar Rochford hatted chef Louis Couttoupes, who, quite frankly, who could not quite believe the win last night.
“I thought I got an invite because they were just being polite, but honestly, what an amazing group of people and what a night they put on!”
“Actually they read the ACT award out first and I don’t know what happened next,” he said.
Louis did pay tribute to the national winner Agnes, and chef Ben Williamson, whom he described as a huge inspiration.
“It is also so good to see the amazing things which are happening outside of Sydney and Melbourne.”
While Onzieme was booked out before it even opened, Louis said it had matured and settled into its own rhythm, with the downstairs bar—managed by Brett Nebauer—finding its place among locals and non-locals alike, particularly during winter.
“Winters are hard in Canberra, especially when you’re not the new kid on the block, so it’s really good to see us develop our relationship with regulars and find our own place and identity.”
“Honestly, not in a million years did I think a tiny place in Kingston could achieve this, but this award goes out to my whole team (none of whom can believe it either)!” he said.
According to Gourmet Traveller editor Joanna Hunkin, the awards “recognise the incredible depth and diversity of Australia’s dining landscape and are always a highlight of the hospitality calendar.”
It was a huge night of celebration for Victoria, with Melbourne’s Filipino laneway diner Serai taking home Best New Restaurant, while Etta was named state winner. Plus Vue de Monde chef Hugh Allen was voted Chef of the Year in the night’s only peer-voted category, and regional paddock-to-plate fine-diner Brae was crowned the winner in Gourmet Traveller‘s inaugural Readers’ Choice Icon Award, as voted by readers.
From New South Wales, Ollie Wong-Hee — the head chef behind popular Byron Bay restaurant Bar Heather — was announced as this year’s Best New Talent. And Sean Moran was honoured with a prestigious Outstanding Contribution to Hospitality accolade. Louise Radman of Hobart’s Institut Polaire took home Restaurant Personality of the Year.
In South Australia, last year’s Restaurant of the Year, Restaurant Botanic, was awarded the state winner and Adelaide’s good-times wine bar Good Gilbert received Wine Bar of the Year. Over in Western Australia, Glenarty Road claimed Best Destination Dining and Jarrahdale’s Millbrook took home state winner for WA. Rounding out the state winners, Aalia was named NSW’s best restaurant and Massimo Mele’s Peppina took out the honour for Tasmania.
