Flower Hotels: local pub staff speak on 13 AHA NSW award nominations
Alistair Flower and his suite of Mid-North Coast pubs will be considered among the best of the best at the upcoming AHA NSW awards gala night.
Mid-North Coast
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Hardworking hospitality staff, a Port Macquarie pub baron, and support from the local community are to thank for a massive 13 award nominations.
The Australian Hotels Association (AHA) NSW recently revealed the finalists for their upcoming gala night, with more than a dozen of the 2022 nominations going to Flower Hotels.
But what makes the Mid-North Coast pub scene so great? We spoke with the staff behind these popular venues to find out.
Settlers Inn Hotel
The Settlers Inn – affectionately known to regulars as Setts – raked in an impressive eight nominations in this year’s AHA awards.
The popular Port Macquarie watering hole is up for regional pub of the year, heart of the community, best regional local, best steak sandwich, best parmi, best bistro (northern region), best gaming, and best bottle shop.
The staff say there’s a whole range of features that make Setts the perfect venue.
Brendan Johnson, 33, has been at the pub for almost a year and said the tight-knit team and loyal customers get him out of bed each morning.
“It’s a privilege and an honour to work at a venue that gives so much back to the community,” he said.
“In my 15 years of pub work, I’ve never worked with such a supportive executive team, who know how important it is to be a part of the community.”
Assistant manager, 26-year-old Zoe Archer, agreed that community was a priority for the pub.
“I started working at Settlers Inn before Flower Hotels stepped in and, since they have taken over, I have seen the pub grow into the community-centric venue it is today,” she said.
“I’ve been lucky enough to grow as a professional in the industry in my seven years with this hotel, and I look forward to many more here.”
Marketing and events co-ordinator, 35-year-old Kristie Arnold, echoed these sentiments.
“Settlers Inn has a huge heart for the local community and I love being a part of this,” she said.
“Seeing our community collaborate and work together is truly an honour.”
Meanwhile, 32-year-old sous chef Michael Schubert believes the high-quality meals have helped Setts built its great local reputation.
“My favourite part of working here is the friendly atmosphere, and the joy I feel seeing customers enjoy the food we put on their plate,” he said.
“I feel so proud of the nominations because it shows people are noticing and appreciating the work we do.”
Beechwood Hotel
Out towards Wauchope, the nominations continue, with the Beechwood Hotel up for best regional local and best bistro (northern region).
The venue’s assistant manager, 35-year-old Cody-Lee Mabey, has been with the pub for four years and loves how close the small Beechwood community is to one another.
“Our entire venue is an extension of our locals’ homes out here, and I think our evolving menu and relaxed dining areas are what draws people out to Beechwood from all over the Hastings,” she said.
“My favourite meal from our fantastic bistro is the crumbed lamb cutlets, hands down.
“The Diane sauce is delicious, the ability to add an extra cutlet for $5 is dangerous and I’ve not once regretted taking up this option.”
Head chef, 44-year-old Glenn Knuckey, is proud to see his venue recognised for its wonderful meals.
According to Mr Knuckey, the staff’s hard work is what sets Beechwood Hotel apart from competitors.
“The love I put into all the meals and the freshness that comes out of the kitchen makes us stand out,” he said.
“We have a great team that customers love to interact with, which makes the experience much more personal.
“All our steaks are amazing, they would have to be my favourite meals from the bistro.”
Lake Cathie Tavern
Like Setts and Beechwood Hotel, the Lake Cathie Tavern is also up for best regional local.
Tabetha Baker, 19-year-old bar and bistro attendant, has been with the venue for six months and is loving every minute of it.
Like many locals and her fellow staff, Ms Baker is keen to see the pub revamped.
“I am looking forward to the new atmosphere, and the life these renovations will bring the tavern,” she said.
“I think it will help create a new space for families, locals and tourists to enjoy.”
David Shea, 44-year-old bottle shop attendant, is feeling a shared sense of excitement about the pending renovations.
“I’m most looking forward to all the locals coming back together in a new, fresh-look venue,” he said.
“I’m excited to see families enjoying the new outdoor play area, plus having out-of-town patrons from surrounding areas come enjoy the amazing new pub.”
Tacking Point Tavern
Tacking Point Tavern, which was recently acquired by Flower Hotels, has been nominated for best steak.
Krystal Greenwood, a 21-year-old function co-ordinator at the venue, believes Tacking Point Tavern’s steaks are a cut above the rest.
“We have a huge range of steaks, all flame grilled with the freshest herbs and spices,” the Lighthouse Beach resident said.
“Its simple flavours, but our chefs are talented and put their heart and soul into every dish.
“Our customers see this difference and that’s why it’s a local favourite.”
Ms Greenwood has been with the pub for two years now, and says those local customers are a big part of what makes the work so much fun.
“The interactions we have with our customers and the community is my favourite part of the job,” she said.
“We host a lot of events and functions supporting local sporting teams – it always feels like walking into a big family barbecue instead of a restaurant because the atmosphere is always very welcoming and lively.
“I still can’t believe this is my ‘job’, I’m lucky to have these beautiful connections with our community.
“It has been one of the most fulfilling career paths.”
Meanwhile 34-year-old Billy Dietrich, who has been with Tacking Point Tavern for almost a decade in total, believes the venue’s ability to cater to all is what makes it so special.
“The lifestyle at Tacking Point Tavern is second to none – we have a lot to offer out here and we cater for a large demographic, so it’s fun trying to move and shuffle things around to suit such a wide market and we pride ourselves in doing so,” he said.
“The team we have built here also makes this job one of the best I’ve had, Covid times was an eye opener but I’m so thrilled and proud of the team here for pulling through.”
Mr Dietrich said preparing their famous steak is “harder than you might think”.
“Especially at a commercial scale – our chefs are loaded with passion and put every effort into each plate they put up,” he explained.
“Best steak this year perhaps, but we will be chasing down even more awards in the future, I can guarantee.”
Head chef, 39-year-old Melissa Ann Pongos, said quality meat and responsible ingredient sourcing also plays a part in producing such delicious meals.
“Good quality meat, sourced and hand selected by our group food director Michael Rieg, sets us apart,” she said.
“Then, it’s properly seasoned and grilled to perfection by our steak masters Charby Bayot (sous chef) and Efren Arce.”
Ms Pongos says her teammates are one of her favourite parts of the job.
“Working alongside chefs who value quality of work, time management and positive attitude towards their co-workers makes a real difference,” she said.
“Learning and receiving wisdom and support from Michael, being appreciated by the management and the front of house team here, makes the job so much more enjoyable.
“But most of all, the highlight is seeing genuine happiness from the guests and returning customers every time they receive their meals and pass on compliments – especially our locals and familiar faces.”,
Flower Hotels
Last but certainly not least, Flower Hotels itself is up for best group operator.
All group hotel finalists in the 2022 awards are eligible for this title, so the competition is fierce.
“It’s super humbling to know that our venues are up there as some of the best hotels in the state,” Mr Flower said.
“The last three years have been super challenging, not just with staff shortages but also Covid compliance and the angst that came with the pandemic.
“Our teams really stepped up show commitment and grit so I couldn’t be prouder.”
Local investment, and a continuous effort towards improvement, are part of the reason for Flower Hotels’ success to date.
“Investing locally has been a strategic goal of ours since day dot when we only had Settlers Inn,” Mr Flower explained.
“We now have 10 local venues, including the recent acquisitions of The Mercure and Tacking Point Tavern.
“We will also look to reinvest in existing hotels and we’re excited to relaunch Lake Cathie Tavern in the coming weeks.”
Looking to the future, local pub-goers can expect more exciting makeovers to their favourite venues.
“Once the Lake Cathie Tavern revamp is complete, we will commence the full renovation of the Hastings Hotel as well as the food and beverage offerings at Mercure,” Mr Flower said.
“We are 100 per cent committed to the region and we know that the local pub has an important role to play in our communities.
“We are looking to roll out these additional offerings in the next little while.”
We wish Mr Flower and all of his local staff the very best in the upcoming AHA NSW awards.
The winners will be announced at the official presentation ceremony, taking place in Sydney in late October..
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