Lake View Hotel Motel licensee Jasmyn Francis-Mead said a commitment to their locals and plating up quality pub meals at affordable prices were key to the pub’s recent AHA award win. Photo: Redcape.
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The Lake View Hotel Motel recently took out the Australian Hotels Association (AHA) award for Best Regional Casual Dining in Southern NSW.
Only three Illawarra hotels scored an award, with Headlands Hotel in Austinmer winning Best Deluxe Pub Accommodation and Five Islands Hotel in Cringila receiving a highly commended in the Best Cheap Eats Meal category.
Lake View licensee Jasmyn Francis-Mead said their secret to success was good food, good service and dedication to their locals.
“Our biggest claim to fame is that your steak will always be cooked the way you want it here,” she said.
“That’s not easy – people ask for everything from blue to well done – but we have people come out to the kitchen to thank the chefs because they get it right every time.
“We’re a community pub, we know all our locals by name, what they drink and how they like their steaks cooked.
“We focus on good-quality pub classics at affordable prices, great service, and being part of our community.”
Jasime said the Lake View team were excited to be awarded Best Regional Casual Dining in a strong field of competitors.
It wasn’t just staff who were stoked to be recognised for their hard work.
Jasmyn said their regulars were just as proud.
“It was really nice to have people come in and congratulate us,” she said.
“It wasn’t just an award for us, it was an award for them too, and that was a really nice takeaway.
“You can run any type of specials and still be empty; it’s that relationship with our community, we deliver on what we say we will do.”
Jasmyn said it was a proud moment for her as a female licensee.
A life-long hospitality professional, she first worked in clubs before moving to Redcape Hospitality Group.
Since then she’s worked in El Cortez and at Mount Annan Hotel before making her way back down the coast – and as a Southern Highlands girl she said she couldn’t be happier to be back.
The pub was recently renovated with the goal of attracting more families as well as the traditional tradie and sports crowd.
It was a gamble, but it paid off.
She said they needed to add additional seating shortly after the renovations were completed because they were packing out the space.
“It’s like night and day the old pub and the pub we have now,” she said.
“We didn’t want to change our essence as a community pub, just give a better experience.
“It means a lot to me to work in a place I can truly say I love.
“We want to create that homely feel and be part of our community, whether it’s through events, sponsorships, or just quality, affordable food.”
