A Wanaka woman says her restaurant’s selection in a national competition is heartening news during a challenging year.

Francesca’s Italian Kitchen is one of five restaurants from around the country to be named a finalist in the ‘Best Restaurant’ category at the Hospitality Awards for Excellence.

“I’m so proud of the whole team,” Francesca Voza, who owns the restaurant with James Stapley, told the Wanaka App.

With its modern take on Italian cuisine, Franceca’s Italian Kitchen has long been a Wanaka mainstay.

Francesca first moved to Wanaka with a working holiday visa and $600 in her pocket. Francesca's food truck soon followed, and before long the concept became a restaurant. It’s also expanded in recent years, with a second Francesca’s located in Christchurch. 

Francesca’s Italian Kitchen is a finalist for ‘Best Restaurant’ at the Hospitality Awards for Excellence. PHOTO: Francesca’s Italian Kitchen

Although she comes from a family of restaurateurs - and has been managing restaurants since she was 14 - the implications of the Covid-19 pandemic brought new challenges. 

“It’s been a tough year for hospitality, but the team has worked so hard,” Francesca said.

Francesca’s Italian Kitchen has had to adapt and change the way it operates, adding private dining outdoors and introducing new specials to entice local customers, among other things.

“The response has been amazing and we are so grateful to our amazing Wanaka locals for their ongoing support.”

The Hospitality Awards for Excellence celebrates the success, achievements and resilience of the hospitality and accommodation sector and this year it has made special mention of the challenges of Covid-19.

Find where to Dine | Drink in your Wanaka App

“Every hospitality business and every worker out there deserves a medal for the guts and perseverance they’ve shown through probably the toughest period the industry has ever been through,” Awards CEO Julie White said.

Head judge Michael Friend said standards certainly haven’t slipped because of those challenges: “The finalists are generally at a much higher standard which presents the judges with a great challenge in determining each category winner and the Supreme Award winner,” he said.

Francesca, James and some members of her team will head up to Auckland for the awards black tie dinner on September 9. 

This isn’t Franceca’s Italian Kitchen’s first nomination for best restaurant: “We have been a finalist before but never a winner. Fingers crossed for this year.”

To vote for the restaurant in the People’s Choice category at the awards click here.