Local restaurant, Bistro Tatau, has added another award to its collection after it picked up a Trip Advisor Award under the Travellers Choice award category.

The restaurant previously won Trip Advisor Excellence Awards between 2014 and 2019 with the 2020 Travellers Choice award the latest.

Bistro Tatau co-Owner and Chef, Bill Gunn, told the Samoa Observer in an interview that the recent award is acknowledgment of the hard work that the staff are putting into their work despite the challenging times. 

"Ever since Trip Advisor commenced we have won awards under that banner every year," he said.

"It’s a reflection of what we do here in Samoa into the context of the world and I think that under the award that was given, it places Bistro Tatau in the top 10 per cent of restaurants who have won."

Mr. Gunn said their staff continue to undergo training and upskilling in their jobs and the award confirms them giving their own personal touch to the service, which they are offering to their customers.

"The staff who stay with us are always the ones who add their personality to the position they have and they generally have a heart for hospitality," Mr. Gunn added. 

"It’s reflective of the quality of service and food. It’s a comfortable environment for the travellers to come to."

According to the chef and co-owner, their restaurant “speaks of the Pacific” in terms of their menu, and they also have a blend of international dishes which tourists recognise. 

They strive to stay on top of the game to ensure premium standards by checking what’s available, check their stock, pay attention to detail, and be meticulous when it comes to cleanliness to ensure their customers are satisfied and had a good time. 

"We constantly train our staff, our menu changes from time to time so we have to explain the dishes to our staff, what’s in it, what it tastes like so that when customers ask they’ll know," he added.

And while the COVID-19 global pandemic has created a new normal for the global hospitality industry including Samoa’s, Mr Gunn said they’ve opted to push on rather than cut back.

"Rather than trying to cut back in service and staff with quality or portions of our meal, we’ve actually gone the other way.”

One advantage of being a Trip Advisor award recipient is the opportunity for the public to review their service, and while Mr. Gunn said they’ve had some "bad review”, they have always strived to identify the problem and resolve it.