Restaurants win awards

Two local restaurants have received awards at the Restaurant and Catering Association's Awards for Excellence.

Pearls on the Beach at Pearl Beach and Bells Restaurant and Bar at Killcare were recognised for their outstanding achievement at a special ceremony at Crowne Plaza Hotel in Terrigal recently.

Pearls on the Beach was named Restaurant of the Year and the best Contemporary Australian Restaurant- Informal on the Central Coast at the presentation dinner.

Bells Restaurant and Bar was named New Restaurant of the Year.

Pearls on the Beach proprietors Scott and Melissa Fox said they were thrilled to be named Restaurant of the Year.

"Every day we strive to make a dining experience at Pearls something special and fortunately this has been recognised as something outstanding," Mr Fox said.

"People can always rely on the food always being a very high standard and the service to be great.

"We have so many regular customers who really appreciate us knowing their names and little things such as what they like to drink and where they like to sit.

"It doesn't hurt that we have a fantastic view."

Pearls on the Beach was established in 1992, and Scott and Melissa took over the business from its former owners six years ago.

"Scott started there as head chef in 2000," Ms Fox said.

"Just under two years later the owners decided that they'd like to move on and offered to sell to us.

"This was a huge decision for us as we were so young and it was our first business venture ... but we took a gamble and just worked really really hard to make it work.

"Six years on and we're still evolving, improving and doing well."

Melissa and Scott have lived in Umina since 2001, having previously lived at Killcare Heights and St Hubert's Island.

Scott is Pearls on the Beach head chef, while Melissa is the restaurant manager.

"We have great staff that have been with us for a long time and know what high standards we insist upon," Melissa said.

Several other restaurants from the Peninsula area were nominated for awards.

Website, 15 Aug 2008 Restaurant and Catering Association Clare Graham, 1 Aug 2008 Interviewee: Scott and Melissa Fox, Pearls on the Beach