Watervale Hotel co-owner and sommelier Warrick Duthy (right) pours a drink for customers during a six course degustation at the Chef's Table, where they can observe the inner workings of the kitchen. Picture supplied

Watervale Hotel co-owner and sommelier Warrick Duthy has lost track of how many prestigious state, national and global awards they’ve won during the past five years.

Mr Duthy estimates it’s somewhere around 40, plus his partner, co-owner and head chef Nicola Palmer has won another 20 or so in her own right.

Among the more recent was Best A La Carte Dining Experience in the world by luxury travel magazine LUXlife - for the third year in a row - recognising the hotel’s farm to table ethos and extensive wine list, and the Australian Hotels Association (AHA) title of Best Regional Restaurant.

But the accolade dearest to Mr Duthy’s heart is the 2025 AHA award for excellence in Innovation, Sustainability and Energy Efficiency Practice.

“We're pretty proud of that, probably more proud of that one than any of them, to be honest, because it talks to our values,” he said.

As well as the hotel, which they extensively renovated after taking it over in 2018, the couple owns historic Penobscot Farm, which is their home and shares its name with Penobscot Restaurant.

An organic, bio-dynamic farm managed by Jared Murray on permaculture principles, it produces fruit, nuts, berries, vegetables and leaves for the restaurant.

The farm’s seasonal output drives the menu, which is matched to Clare Valley wines, or cocktails and mocktails made with farm botanicals.

“The core of the business, the philosophy of the business, is farm fresh to plate,” Mr Duthy said.

“It's so farm-led that one time Jared said to Nicola, can you put prawns on the menu? And it was like, you don't even like prawns. Where are you coming from? And he said, ‘I want the heads in the compost. I want the calcium and the oils and the bacteria’.”

Ms Palmer’s focus is on delivering punchy natural flavours, nose-to-tail eating and minimising waste.

While it can be tricky to know what to do with “far too many kilos of fennel”, she is always up for a challenge.

A whole kingfish for example is filleted for ceviche, while the heads are smoked for pate, the skin is dehydrated for gluten free crisps, the bones go into stock, and the innards go into the compost. The tails are a favourite snack for their famous “Maitre Dóg”, a staffy named Frankie Blue.

Integration doesn’t stop with the farm and kitchen - a cottage on the property provides farm stay accommodation and visitors can book a guided tour of the farm or take part in a cooking or wine masterclass.

Mr Duthy said collaboration with tourism operators and other businesses was also important for encouraging tourists to make the most of their time in the region.

“We want to help people create memorable journeys,” he said.

“A huge part of what we do is educate and entertain … everyone that comes here gets entertainment and education; as much as they want. 

“If they want heaps, they'll go on the farm tour, on the degustation. If they want a little bit, they just sit down for lunch, and get a little interaction.

“The other thing we talk about is our values and our purpose. So we say our purpose is to help heal the earth, one delicious meal at a time.”

This article appeared in Stock Journal