Australians with Hellenic heritage were in the spotlight at the 2025 Gourmet Traveller Annual Restaurant Awards, with Angie Giannakodakis named Restaurant Personality of the Year for her pioneering work at Melbourne’s Taverna, and Chris Lucas’ Maison Bâtard crowned Best New Restaurant.
Giannakodakis, a fixture of Melbourne’s dining scene for over three decades, was celebrated for her multidimensional vision of hospitality. At Taverna, she has redefined Greek dining in Australia, weaving food, wine, art, and culture into an immersive experience.
Gourmet Traveller praised her as someone who “has championed the art of hospitality (and every element of it) for over three decades.”
Maison Bâtard, the Lucas Group’s latest venture, wowed judges with its extravagant four-level Parisian concept in Melbourne, combining French flair with the theatre and ambition that has become the Lucas hallmark.
The win further cements the Group’s place at the forefront of Australia’s restaurant landscape as it celebrates 30 years in the business.
The awards night, held for the first time in Tasmania at Hobart’s Henry Jones Art Hotel, brought together leading chefs and restaurateurs from across the country.
Other headline winners included Sydney’s seafood temple Saint Peter (Restaurant of the Year), Porcine’s Nik Hill (Chef of the Year), Brisbane’s +81 Aizome Bar (Bar of the Year), and Berowra Waters Inn (Readers’ Choice Icon Award).
Yet it was Giannakodakis and the Lucas Group who drew the loudest applause, recognised for setting new standards in creativity, vision, and excellence. Together, they embody the vibrancy and diversity of modern Australian dining – from the intimacy of Taverna to the spectacle of Maison Bâtard.
Source: Gourmet Traveller
