COPPER KETTLE put Elmore’s dining scene on the map last week, winning Best Unlicensed Café at the 2019 Golden Plate Awards.
It was a proud moment for dynamite wife/husband duo Renee Phillips and Brian McGinley, who will celebrate the café’s second anniversary in February.
The Golden Plate Awards, which held its 18th event at The Dunes in Ocean Grove, recognise excellence in hospitality in regional Victoria.
Factors assessed include food quality and presentation, customer service, use of local produce, quality of coffee, ambience and value for money.
Renee said she could not be prouder to have her business named alongside the other winners across the state.
“It was very exciting and quite overwhelming,” she said.
“We were in a room surrounded by people who have been in the industry for a long time and own and work in some really amazing businesses around regional Victoria.
“We really believe in what we do … so to get recognition for something we put so much effort and love into is really amazing.”
Renee said the judging process was a source of fun and stress for her and Brian, as they were told judges would be coming in anonymously to test their food and service over a three-month period.
“The blind judging process is quite intense because you don’t know who they’re going to be,” she said.
“My husband said he would be able to pick who they were but didn’t get either of them.
“We love and believe in what we do so whether it was a for a judge or a customer, they’d get the exact same experience.”
And that experience Copper Kettle works so hard to achieve is something Renee hopes will help shine a brighter light on the town of Elmore.
“A lot of the time small businesses in small towns can easily be overlooked because they’re a lot harder to find,” Renee said.
“To help put Elmore on the map and make it somewhat of a destination town was really something.”