Auckland's top chef, best new eatery crowned

Author: Tyson Beckett ,
Publish Date: Mon, 2 Jun 2025, 4:44pm

The Lewisham Awards celebrated Auckland’s hospitality scene, highlighting pies, pasta, and pescatarian menus.
Judith Tabron’s First Mates, Last Laughs won best new establishment.
Nicola Richards received the Hospitality Hero award, and Apero’s Leslie Hottiaux was named best chef.

Auckland’s top chef and best new eatery were crowned as the biggest names in Auckland’s restaurant scene gathered at the Viaduct Events Centre for the 22nd annual Lewisham Awards.

Established in 2002, the Lewisham Awards encourage excellence in the city’s hospitality community.

The team from Best New Establishment First Mates Last Laugh. Photo / Smoke Photo & Video

Industry stalwart Judith Tabron’s First Mates, Last Laughs was last night awarded Best New Establishment.

Located in Auckland’s Westhaven, the seafood-focused restaurant opened in April 2024 and is Tabron’s first new restaurant since she sold Soul Bar & Bistro in 2018.

On Instagram, Tabron’s business partner Kylie Mann said it was “a huge personal and professional achievement to even be nominated for outstanding new establishment” and called the nomination a “great way to celebrate our first year as business partners”.

Tabron was one of New Zealand’s first female apprentice chefs and a pioneering presence in the hospitality scene. She was one of the first women to run her own restaurant in Auckland, opening Ramses Bar and Grill in the 1990s in Newmarket.

Reviewing First Mates, Last Laughs shortly after it opened, Viva’s Dining Out editor Jesse Mulligan called the restaurant “sparklingly good” and deemed Tabron “the best and most experienced restaurateur in the city”.

The Hospitality Hero award went to Nicola Richards, owner of popular Southeast Asian restaurant Monsoon Poon which closed its doors after almost 20 years of trading in early May.

Theo Tjandra was awarded Best Bartender. Photo / Smoke Photo & Video

Awards also looked to the future of the industry. Theo Tjandra, winner of best barman for his work at new Ponsonby venue Goblin, is gearing up to open his first establishment, a bar on Snickel Lane called Truth or Dare.

Award organisers say despite the industry facing multiple economic challenges, this year’s awards “showcase what resilience looks like and how, despite many establishments closing, there are new locations opening and thriving”.

“Hospitality has continued to be challenging,” observed awards chairman Daniel Sullivan.

“That hasn’t stopped innovation, dedication and ultimately success in this creative commercial industry.”

Jono Thevenard of Pici accepts the award for Best Central Auckland Establishment. Photo / Smoke Photo & Video

Karangahape Road establishments were well represented on the winners’ list. Apero took home two awards: Best Wine and Best Chef for Leslie Hottiaux. St Kevin’s arcade pasta spot Pici was crowned best central establishment and Lewis Mazza-Carson of hole-in-the-wall pie shop Pie Rolla’s was deemed Auckland’s Best Emerging Talent.

For the second year in a row inner-city cocktail kitchen and whisky bar Panacea received two accolades, taking away the award for Best Sustainability and Best Cocktail Experience. Last year it was given the award for Outstanding Innovation and Cal Ross awarded Outstanding Bartender.

Lewis Mazza-Carson from Pie Rolla's took home the award for Best Emerging Talent. Photo / Smoke Photo & Video