Salsa's Rhys Bawden says local recognition means the most
AWARDS
Salsa Bar & Grill is gearing up for the 2018 Newsport Douglas Business & Tourism Awards and are hoping to take out the Best Restaurant award once again.
Salsa Bar & Grill has won Best Restaurant several times at the awards and owner Rhys Bawden said it is a great recognition of the consistent product they’ve offered over the last twenty-four years.
Awards co-ordinator Irene Cats said "this years Douglas Business and Tourism Awards has already seen over 4,000 voting forms submitted. Each voting form has over 40 different business categories. That's a lot of votes."
"We can see where voters are from and its refreshing to see so many locals now engaging with the awards program and supporting the business they see performing well."
"Over 500 forms have already been submitted by local residents. Last year local voting was under 400" says Cats.
“We pride ourselves on being a local restaurant and what we hope to say is the local’s favourite restaurant,” Bawden said.
“For the owners, it’s nice for us to get awards but its nice for the staff to know how locals and visitors think they are doing.”
While Salsa Bar & Grill has been very successful winning many national restaurant industry awards, Rhys says they are a completely different thing to being recognised by the public visiting our restaurant.
“For our local and tourist customers to be saying we are the best in town is a great accolade for us.”
“It’s a good positive way to judge good customer service across all levels,” he said. “And it is anyone’s game to get an award.”
Bawden also said the awards are a great night for networking and gives all the town’s business a chance to mingle together after a long busy season.
“It does also create a nice little revelry between business,” he added.
The 2018 Douglas Business and Tourism awards will be held on Friday 30 November at the Glade Pavilion at the Sheraton Grand Mirage Resort Port Douglas.
Voting is still open but closes Sunday 4 November at midnight so make sure you get your votes in.