AHA NSW Awards for Excellence serve up best parmi honour to Settlers Inn

The density of the crumb with a hint of herbs in the in-house mixture, the schnitzel thickness, the right cheese and ham, and the sauces and toppers are all key to the Settler's Inn award-winning parmi.

That's according to Flower Hotels director Alistair Flower after Settlers Inn won Best Parmi at the Australian Hotels Association (AHA) NSW Awards for Excellence.

The category judged parmigiana, "parmi", or schnitzels with toppings.

Judges took into account details from presentation, temperature and flavour to tenderness, appearance, serving size, quality of condiments, side dishes, sauces, and value for money.

Mr Flower said the Settlers Inn chefs took a lot of pride in the hand crumbed schnitzels.

"We've always thought we have a really great parmi," he said. "It's just lovely to get the recognition across the state."

Hungry diners can munch their way through up to 1000 schnitzels a week.

Flower Hotels enjoyed another success with the Group Hotel Operator of the Year honour at the AHA NSW Awards for Excellence presentation ceremony in Sydney on Monday, October 24.

The awards ceremony celebrated professional excellence across a record 46 categories.

Judges based the Group Hotel Operator of the Year award on a range of factors.

They included a commitment to customer service excellence, an effective approach to recognising staff achievements at a group level, ongoing staff training and development programs and innovation in group and hotel operations.

"It is a very humbling award, because there are amazing established operators in NSW," Mr Flower said.

"With all of our challenges in our industry with staff, and further challenges on the Mid North Coast with fire, drought and the pandemic, it's a massive testament to our leadership team and all the staff on running a great hotel group and getting this great recognition."

In 2017, Mr Flower won the Individual Hotel Operator of the Year at the NSW AHA Awards for Excellence. Flower Hotels, within five years, has 10 venues with more than 250 staff.

AHA NSW CEO John Whelan said the awards celebrated the hard work and achievements of those in the industry.

"This stand-out list of winners is proof that despite the adversity and impacts of COVID-19 our pubs are still some of the best in the world," he said.

Other regional pubs across the state recognised at the awards included The Gem Hotel at Griffith, Hotel Brunswick at Brunswick Heads, Mudgee's Oriental Hotel, Public House Albury, Beach Hotel Byron Bay and Nundle's Peel Inn Hotel.

Metropolitan venues were also among the winners.

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