Entry criteria 2025

Definition of a Gastropub

A gastropub is a bar or pub offering a higher-end dining experience by serving quality food and a wide selection of alcoholic beverages. Unlike traditional pubs, gastropubs prioritise the culinary aspect and feature a menu with creatively prepared dishes using fresh, locally sourced ingredients. They also offer a selection of craft beers, wines, and spirits. Essentially, gastropubs blend a pub's cozy atmosphere with a restaurant's culinary expertise, creating a more elevated dining and drinking experience.

General Guidelines for All Categories:

• Self-Nomination: All entries must be submitted through self-nomination. By submitting, you grant HNZ permission to use provided content (photos, descriptions, testimonials) for judging, marketing, and promotional purposes, including but not limited to the awards ceremony, digital promotions, and social media.

• Content and Images: Each entry must include high-resolution images of your venue, dishes, beverages, and team members. These images may be used across various HNZ platforms and should capture the essence of your venue, showcasing its atmosphere, food, and commitment to sustainability.

• Mandatory Questions: Every question in the application form is compulsory. Word limits must be followed, and supporting evidence such as customer testimonials, links to videos, images, or other materials should be included to strengthen your entry.

• Judging: Judges are not obliged to visit your venue in person, so ensure your submission is as comprehensive and detailed as possible. Use images, social media links, and written descriptions to provide a full understanding of your venue’s atmosphere, service, and uniqueness.

Submission Requirements:

• High-Quality Images: Submit at least five high-resolution images that represent your venue’s atmosphere, dishes, and beverages. These images will be used for HNZ’s marketing and promotional purposes, so they should be professional and reflective of your venue’s identity.  You should have the right to supply these.

• Social Media Links: Provide links to your social media accounts (Instagram, Facebook, etc.), showcasing your online presence and customer engagement.

• Supporting Materials: Attach any relevant supporting materials, such as videos, testimonials, or examples of customer feedback. Where applicable, include links to online reviews or social media posts that reflect your venue’s impact and achievements.

Regional Awards: Top of the North, Bottom of the North, Top of the South, Bottom of the South

These awards recognise the top venues across four regions. To showcase the best your venue has to offer, your entry must address the following:

1. Venue Experience:

• Describe the Experience: Provide a description of your venue’s atmosphere, decor, and guest interactions. What makes your venue unique? How do you create an inviting, memorable experience for your guests?

• Food and Beverage Offering: Include a sample menu and beverage list. Highlight any signature dishes or drinks, and explain why they resonate with your clientele. Please provide commentary to any seasonal changes or variations.

• Repeat Business: Detail why customers choose to return. How do you foster customer loyalty and repeat visits?

• Social Media and Online Presence: Attach links to your venue’s social media accounts (e.g., Instagram, Facebook). Include examples of engaging with your audience, promoting your offerings, and showcasing customer feedback. Provide evidence to any positive reviews or testimonials if applicable.

• Awards and Recognition: List any awards or recognitions your venue has received in the last 24 months. This could include local, regional, or national awards that recognise your excellence in hospitality, customer service, or sustainability.

2. Key Points of Difference:

• Unique Selling Proposition: What sets your venue apart from competitors in your region? Highlight any unique aspects of your service, menu, or customer experience that differentiate your business.

3. Commitment to Customer Service and Host Responsibility:

• Hospitality Approach: Describe your venue’s customer service philosophy. How do you handle dietary requests, allergies, and special guest needs? Provide examples of how you’ve gone above and beyond to ensure guest satisfaction.

• Host Responsibility: Share how you ensure responsible alcohol service, including any training programs for staff. Outline your policies for ensuring guest safety and comfort during their experience at your venue.

4. Community Engagement & Social Responsibility:

• Local Impact: How is your venue involved in the local community? Describe any partnerships with local businesses, charitable organisations, or events you support. This could include fundraising efforts, collaborations, or hosting local initiatives.

• Employee Satisfaction and Development: Explain how you foster a positive work environment for your staff. Detail any training, development programs, or unique employee benefits contributing to job satisfaction.

• Staff Welfare and Support: What measures are in place to ensure fair wages, safe working conditions, and overall employee well-being? Discuss your venue’s commitment to fostering an inclusive and supportive workplace culture. Include any employee retention strategies, training programs, or opportunities for career advancement that contribute to overall staff satisfaction and well-being.

Estrella Damm Best Paired Meal Award

This award celebrates creativity in pairing food with beverages, particularly focusing on Estrella Damm beer. Criteria include:

1. Meal and Beverage Pairing:

• Submit a Featured Meal: Provide a description of the meal and the chosen beverage pairing. Share the inspiration behind the pairing and why the combination works well. Include tasting notes and the overall dining experience.

• Sustainability in Pairing: How does your meal use sustainable or local ingredients? Does the beverage reflect sustainability principles (e.g., local breweries, sustainable winemaking)?

2. Creativity and Innovation:

• Innovative Presentation: Submit high-quality images of the meal and beverage pairing, showcasing the creativity of the presentation. How does the presentation add to the overall experience?

• Guest Experience: Include any customer feedback or reviews that highlight the success of the pairing.

3. Sustainability Practices:

• Local Sourcing: Explain how both the food and beverage are sourced locally or sustainably. If applicable, describe how you reduce packaging waste for beverages or implement eco-friendly practices in serving.

Sustainability Champion Award Short Form Descriptor

Our judges are in search of a venue that provides an exceptional experience for its guests, is connected and giving back to the community and is actively reducing its impacts on the environment. This gastropub should aspire to be among the finest in the industry.

Criteria

Tell us about your commitment in the following areas:

1. Environmental Sustainability

• Creating seasonal menu’s with locally sourced ingredients. Demonstrate your use of local, organic, or sustainably farmed ingredients to reduce your carbon footprint and support local businesses.

• Waste Reduction & Management: What are your policies for separating, recycling, and reducing waste? What do you do to reduce food waste (e.g. work with supply chain, composting, food repurposing, circular systems to minimize packaging, takeaways).

• Water Conservation: How are you conserving water? e.g. water-efficient appliances, and other practices for reducing water usage.

• Energy Efficiency: How are you actively reducing energy and /or using renewable energy sources (solar panels, wind energy, etc.)

2. Social Responsibility

• Fair Employment Practices: What are your practices around fair wages, benefits, and working conditions for employees?

• Community Engagement: Describe your involvement in local community initiatives, such as hosting local events, partnering with charities, or offering programmes that benefit the community.

• Education & Awareness: Explain your efforts to educate customers and staff on sustainability issues, such as menu transparency regarding food sources, and training staff on sustainable practices.

3. Sourcing & Supply Chain

• Reducing Food Miles: Do you prioritise local suppliers to minimise transportation emissions?

• Sustainable Seafood: Are your using sustainably sourced seafood? From what sources?

4. Food & Beverage Innovation

• Plant-Based Options: Do you offer a variety of plant-based menu options to reduce environmental impacts associated with meat production?

• Sustainable Beverage Programmes: Are you using local or sustainable wines, beers, and spirits? Have you implemented programmes for reducing waste from beverage containers (e.g. refillable wine, spirits and beer kegs /growlers etc).

• Health-Conscious Menus: Are you providing healthier, sustainably sourced meals that also consider dietary restrictions and preferences? Including non-GMO and organic ingredients where possible?

5. Customer Experience and Recognition

• Transparency: Are you providing clear communication with customers about sustainability efforts through menu descriptions, marketing materials, and interactions with staff?

• Sustainable Dining Experience: Are you making every effort to reduce environmental impact in day-to-day operations? (e.g. no single-use products, energy-efficient lighting and heating etc).

• Pioneering Initiatives: Are you utilizing trailblazing initiatives that go beyond traditional sustainability measures, such as urban gardening, zero-waste kitchens, or carbon neutrality programmes?

• Industry Leadership: Are you leading sustainability conversations in the industry, advocating for broader systemic changes

Full entry criteria can also be found here