SMH Good Food Guide Awards 2013 - congrats all!

I couldn't have been more excited to be at the Sydney restaurant industry's night of nights; or indeed, night of champagne and hats. There was a palpable excitement about this year's Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide Awards, even in the weeks leading up, as if the tumultuous year needed some celebration and joy.

Abercrombie Lane next to Establishment was prime for chef spotting at 15 minutes past 7pm, with a heaving yet orderly and equal opportunity queue seeing even the likes of Merivale's own Dan Hong and Jowett Yu trudge to the end.

SMH Good Food Guide Awards 2012, Establishment, George Street, Sydney

With invitations in hand, we crammed into the venue almost shoulder-to-shoulder, passing by David Chang, Sam Christie and many more recognisable faces as we sipped on endless bottles of Louis Roederer.

The crowd at Establishment

Hosted by Julia Zemiro, there were a number of awards outside of the hat announcements, including the Diner's Choice which went to Tetsuya's with Tetsuya Wakuda there to collect the award in person.

Joanna Savill and Terry Durack - SMH Good Food Guide editors

But the hush over the one, two and three hat announcements, where Joanna Savill and Terry Durack led deliberations, was clearly the night's feature - with plenty of polite one-handed clapping and the occasional cheer of joy. Congratulations to Sydney's new toqued crew below.

Three hats 
Est, Marque Restaurant, Momofuku Seiobo, Quay, Rockpool on George, Sepia 

Two hats 
Aria, Bentley Restaurant & Bar, The Bridge Room, Buon Ricordo, Claude's, Four In Hand Dining Room, Gastro Park, Guillaume at Bennelong, Icebergs Dining Room and Bar, Longrain, Ormeggio at the Spit, Pilu at Freshwater, Porteno, Rockpool Bar & Grill, Spice Temple, Tetsuya's, Universal

One hat 
A Tavola, Aki's, The Apollo, Arras, Assiette, Balla, Bar H, The Bathers' Pavilion, Billy Kwong, Bistro Moncur, Bistrode CBD, Black by Ezard, The Boathouse at Blackwattle Bay, Buzo Trattoria, Cafe Sopra, Catalina, China Doll, Chiswick, Clareville Kiosk, The Devonshire, Fish Face, Flying Fish, 4Fourteen, Foveaux, Glass Brasserie, Jonah's, Lucio's, Ms.G's, The Ortolan on Bayswater, Oscillate Wildly, Otto Ristorante, Pendolino, Sake Restaurant & Bar, Sean's Panaroma, Sixpenny, Three Blue Ducks, Tomislav, Uccello, Ume, Xanthi 

Host Julia Zemiro and Damien Pignolet presenting the Josephine Pignolet Award
for Young Chef of the Year

Nick Gardner of Tetsuya's - Josephine Pignolet Young Chef of the Year

Leo Schofield with a martini - Vittoria Legend Award

Peter Doyle of Est (3 hats)

Mark Best of Marque (3 hats)

David Chang of Momofuku Seiobo (3 hats)

Peter Gilmore of Quay (3 hats)

Martin Benn of Sepia (3 hats)

Neil Perry of Rockppol on George (3 hats)

Richard Hargraves of Momofuku Seiobo accepts the Best New Restaurant Award

Ben Willis of Aubergine accepts Regional Restaurant of the Year Award

Elvis Abrahanowicz and Ben Milgate accept Chef(s) of the Year Award

John Fink of Quay accepts Restaurant of the Year Award

Congratulations to all the hatted restaurants, new and old, and all those who have toiled through the year toque-free as well - a celebration of Sydney restaurants includes all of you.

Louis Roederer on pour

See SMH here. The 2012 Good Food Guide is available from this Saturday.