BIG EASY WINEBAR & GRILL DURBAN BY ERNIE ELS WINS RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR AT HILTON’S MIDDLE EAST, AFRICA & TURKEY FOOD AND BEVERAGE CONFERENCE

Big Easy Winebar & Grill Durban by Ernie Els was announced as the Restaurant of the Year within Hilton Middle East, Africa and Turkey (MEAT) region at their annual Food and Beverage Conference 2018 held in Durban. 

This year, Hilton Durban hosted the annual MEAT Food and Beverage Conference which took place from 22^nd â€" 26^th October 2018. The conference, which hosted over 180 members from across the food and beverage division, focused on key issues of developing talent within the sector, female diversity in the workplace, mindful leadership, along with a focus on new developments and Food and Beverage trends in the hotel restaurant sector. 

“This is the most important conference for the food and beverage division and we are honoured to have hosted this year’s conference in Durban,” says Markus Fritz, Hilton Durban General Manager. “It was a fantastic week and we were delighted to hear that our very own Big Easy Winebar & Grill Durban by Ernie Els won the Restaurant of the Year award, acknowledging the hard work that the team puts in, to deliver a quality product and world-class service to our patrons,” said Fritz. 

The theme for this year was #KYFMEA (Keep Your Focus Middle East Africa) and global Hilton leadership addressed the conference. President of Hilton Worldwide MEA and Turkey, Rudi Jagersbacher, welcomed delegates to the conference, reminding them of why it is an honour to be part of the Hilton Family and to focus on our values, deliver guest experience, grow loyalty and satisfaction. Vice-President Operations of Africa and Indian Ocean, Jan van der Putten, and other Vice President’s representing the other sub-regions within MEAT also addressed delegates on regional food and beverage priorities for 2019.  

Fritz added, “We are delighted with the outcome of this inspiring week and had this great opportunity to showcase the Hilton Durban, the city of Durban and were left with some motivating words for 2019 from the Director of Culinary Europe, Middle East & Africa, Ciaran Hickey who said â€" “Our vision is to be the benchmark of excellence in food and to be the employer of choice for culinary talent.” And from Senior Director of Food and Beverage Operations Europe, Middle East & Africa, Christian Gradnitzer on Hilton’s commitment to a more responsible future. 

Hilton Hotels and Resorts remain the stylish and forward-thinking global leader of hospitality helping to make traveling easier with their smart design, innovative concepts, authentic hospitality and commitment to the global community.