• NOMINATIONS OPEN - 10 FEBRUARY 2026

• NOMINATION CLOSE - 31 MARCH 2026

• JUDGING CLOSES:

• Complete the nomination form online via the R&CA Awards website www.rca.asn.au by the close of nominations on 31 March 2026.
• Select your categories. 
• Pay the entry fee per category:
  • Member restaurants - $199.00
  • Non-member restaurants - $399.00. 

• Restaurants can enter as many categories as you wish as long as the restaurant meets the specific category definition and have been open for a minimum of 12 months except for new restaurants.
• New restaurants can only enter the New Restaurant category and must have been in operation no greater than 12 months from the 2026 nominations. Entry qualifying period - openings from 11 February 2025 to 10 February 2026.
• Categories will be split into master and sub-categories only if there are sufficient entries. If insufficient entries, the nomination will automatically be placed in the master category.
• States/regions may be merged depending on the number of entries.
• Finalists for the 2026 Awards will be notified via email, and the finalists will be displayed on the Awards page of our website www.rca.asn.au
• The R&CA Awards are open to all member and non-member businesses.
• The Restaurant Awards for Excellence Terms & Conditions of entry can be viewed HERE.
• There is no direct entry into the R&CA National Awards for Excellence; category winners will automatically be entered into the National Awards at no additional entry cost.

• The National Chair of Judge is a trained experience independent judge under the National Restaurant & Catering Evaluation System (RACES), who oversees and reviews all entrants.
• Restaurants are assessed on a set of judging criteria which encompasses the overall dining experience.
• Restaurant and Casual Dining category entrants are considered for the major awards of Restaurant of the Year and Casual Dining of the Year. The major awards are not eligible for direct entry, major award winners are determined by the highest scoring points from the both the restaurant categories and casual dining categories.
• R&CA financial member finalists will receive a judging analysis graph that provides the relative performance of their business against the average and winning result in their entered STATE category only. Honourable mention recipients will not receive the judging analysis graph.

Restaurant and Casual Dining establishments are assessed on a variety of judging criteria encompassing the overall dining experience.
Download PDF HERE.

• Complete the nomination form online via the R&CA Awards website www.rca.asn.au by the close of nominations on 31 March 2026.

• Select your categories. Caterers can enter as many categories as they wish, as long as they meet the category definition and supply the event dates or site details as requested for judging.

• Pay the entry fee per category:

  • Member Caterers - $389.00

  • Non-member Caterers - $749.00

Nominations are considered entered only once the online nomination form is completed and payment has been processed.

Note: member price is offered to current financial members for the member caterer only.

• • EVENT CATEGORIES - caterers are required to provide a list of 4 event options to be judged spread over the duration of the judging period. Multiple event options are requested to ensure that a judge is available. The assigned judge will assess one event only.
  • SITE & INDUSTRIAL CATEGORIES - caterers are required to provide site details including site contact and food service times. Caterers will be judged on one site visit only.

• Caterers can enter as many categories as they wish, as long as the catering business meets the specific category definition.
• Categories will be split into master and sub-categories only if there are sufficient entries. If insufficient entries, the nomination will automatically be placed in the master category.
• States/regions may be merged depending on the number of entries.
• Finalists for the 2026 Awards will be notified via email, and the finalists will be displayed on the Awards page of our website www.rca.asn.au
• The Catering Awards are open to R&CA members and non-member businesses.
• The Catering Awards for Excellence Terms & Conditions of entry can be viewed HERE.
• There is no direct entry into the R&CA National Awards for Excellence; catering category state winners will automatically be entered into the National Awards at no additional entry cost.

• Caterers are assessed by trained independent judges under the National Restaurant and Catering Evaluation System (RACES). The National Chair of Judge oversees and reviews all entrants.
• Caterers are assessed on either the Events Caterer or Site Caterer judging criteria.  
  
  • EVENT CATEGORIES - entrants are judged on one event only. Caterers are required to provide at least 4 weeks notice for a judge to be confirmed. Caterers are required to obtain the approval of the event client for a judge to be in attendance.
    • Caterers will be contacted by their assigned judge to confirm the judging date. Copies of the event brief including run sheet, menus, a per head food cost and overall event costing will need to be provided to the judge prior to the judging as this forms part of the judging criteria.
    • Judges will observe only during the judging assessment and will be required to sample the food however this is not to be done within the event space. Food tastings must be of the same meal being served to the event guests.
  • SITE & INDUSTRIAL CATEGORIES - entrants are judged on a site visit to one nominated site per entry to assess food and service criteria. No events can be judged in the Site & Industrial categories.
    • Caterers will be contacted by their assigned judge to confirm a convenient time to visit and assess the site during food service. A per head contracted food cost will need to be provided to the judge prior to judging as this forms part of the judging criteria.
    • Judges will be required to sample the food during the judging assessment of the site.
    • When judging remote sites, the site is required to cover all additional travel costs incurred by the judge including transfers to and from the airport, airport parking, overnight accommodation and food. Approval of additional costs will need to be agreed upon prior to judging. 
• Catering category entrants are considered for the major award of Caterer of the Year. The major award is not eligible for direct entry. The major award winner is determined by the highest scoring points of the qualifying catering categories.
• R&CA financial member finalists will receive a judging analysis graph that provides the relative performance of their business against the average and winning result in their entered state category. Honourable mention recipients will not receive the judging analysis graph.
• Winners from each state/regional awards will move forward to the National Awards for Excellence at no additional cost.

Event Caterer category entrants are assessed by an R&CA judge on criteria encompassing the overall event experience as per the client brief. The categories of Events, Event/Convention Centre, Venue and Wedding Caterer are assessed using the events criteria. 

Download PDF HERE.

Site & Industrial Caterers are assessed by an R&CA judge on a variety of criteria. The categories of Corporate & Airline Lounge, Education, Health & Aged Care and Industrial Caterers are assessed using the site & industrial criteria. 

Download PDF HERE.