Entries Are Now Open for the Your Local Club Perfect Plate Awards

The Your Local Club Perfect Plate competition has returned for 2024 and it’s time to let your club’s culinary creativity flow and brainstorm your best competition dish to enter now.

Last year saw more than 170 club eateries enter the competition, with 13 regional winners and three state-wide winners crowned — and 2024 is set to be more competitive than ever.

Registrations for Perfect Plate are open now until 19 April, with the all-important public voting to commence from 30 April. Remember, it is the club diners who determine the winners!

Celebrity chefs Matt Moran and Courtney Roulston are back as Perfect Plate ambassadors once again, with both former clubbies ready and excited to get out and try competition dishes across the state.

“I’m absolutely stoked to come back in 2024 and be an ambassador, I can't wait to get out there and try all these Perfect Plates,” Matt said.

“We had some great food last year and I know again we're going to have even better this year.” 

Though the ambassadors don’t have a say in the final results, the highly decorated culinary leaders are keen to share their wisdom with the brilliant chefs in clubs across NSW.

“I think chefs always cook better if they're cooking something they're familiar with or something that's from their heritage or something they have a passion for,” said Courtney, who spent almost 12 years of her career at a club.

“That's when they do their best cooking and when the customers are going to get the best meal.”

Matt and Courtney have already begun searching for the Perfect Plate, heading to the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia (CYCA) to try their first club dish of 2024 risotto, served with a prawn bisque, Queensland prawns, Canadian scallops and Avruga caviar.

“The Cruising Yacht Club, what a beautiful location and the food is exactly what you would expect at a seaside location,” Matt said.

“Beautiful prawns, great fish and chips; the best I’ve had this year!”

The competition is also about bringing exposure to your club and its eateries. Just as much importance is to be placed on your marketing campaign as your entry dish, with ClubsNSW Executive Manager of Media and Marketing Darren Flynn saying teamwork is key.

“It's simply a matter of getting your kitchen staff together to produce the best culinary creations they can and, of course, getting your waitstaff and your marketing team involved in the competition to spread the word about the quality of the dining offering in your club,” Darren explained.

“It isn’t some judging panel that determines the winning dishes, it’s up to the patrons.”

CYCA has participated in the competition twice before, with CEO Justine Kirkjian saying they are back and hoping to win this year.

“What we have on offer here for food at the CYCA is a whole different range of quality foods, so we make sure we cater to all our member’s needs,” Justine said. 

“It's also really important for the chefs to be able to grow their talent and also to showcase some really good quality food.” 

To enter the Perfect Plate Awards, simply visit perfectplate.com.au and follow the prompts to register.

Key Dates for the 2024 Your Local Club Perfect Plate Awards

Club Registrations Open: Tuesday, 12 March to Friday, 19 April

Public Voting Open: Tuesday, 30 April to Sunday, 16 June

Awards Night Tickets on Sale: Monday, 27 May

Awards Night: Tuesday, 2 July