Awards
We have achieved a number of awards and accolades over the past five years and have also received recognition and publicity for other achievements and initiatives, all of which we are extremely proud of and which are always celebrated as a whole staff team.
| Year | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | The Scottish Borders Best Tastes Competition Best Bar Meal |
Winner |
| 2004 | SLTN Awards (Scottish Licensed Trade News) Best New Outlet |
Highly Commended |
| 2006 | SLTN Awards (Scottish Licensed Trade News) Independent Pub/Bar of the Year |
Highly Commended |
| 2006 | SLTN Awards (Scottish Licensed Trade News) Barperson of the Year |
Winner Kerry Chisolm |
| 2006 | The Scottish Borders Best Tastes Competition Best Eating Place in a Regeneration Area |
Highly Commended |
| 2006 | Eastern Borders Development Association For making an outstanding contribution in economic fields |
Joint Winner Peter Giacopazzi |
| 2007 | BII (British Institute of Innkeeping) Scotland’s Bar Personality of the Year Award |
Runner Up Kerry Chisolm |
| 2007 | SLTN Awards (Scottish Licensed Trade News) Inspiration Award |
Highly Commended |
| 2007 | SLTN Awards (Scottish Licensed Trade News) Wine Award |
Highly Commended |
| 2008 | SLTN Awards (Scottish Licensed Trade News) Independant Bar of the Year |
Highly Commended |
| 2008 | Borders Eating Out Awards Best Informal Meal - For Lunch |
Highly Commended |
Taste Scottish Borders Eating Out Awards
Oblò’s Tom Nisbet (Head Chef), Kerry Chisholm (General Manager) and Kerry Waddell (Manager) were proud to attend to above awards ceremony on the morning of Monday 3rd November at Tweed Horizons, Newtown St Boswells.
As detailed in the Berwickshire News write up, “Supported by Scottish Borders Enterprise and Scottish Borders Council as part of the Taste Scottish Borders initiative, which showcases the region’s food and drink establishments, the competition aims to encourage restaurants and other food outlets in the area to continue to improve the quality of the food, drink and customer service they offer.”
As the region’s very own food ‘Oscars’, it was fantastic for Oblò to be one of the 23 establishments who received an award (and one of only 3 establishments in Berwickshire!). We had been nominated in the ‘Best Informal Lunch’ category and came highly commended alongside Hazelknowe Restaurant (Woll Golf Course).
Entering the competition is a great exercise for us as a business as part of the judging process involves a mystery visit which provides the judges with an honest experience of our food, service and surroundings on any given day. Thanks to all our staff for continuing to do such a great job and thank you to all our customers who nominated us - roll on next year!
The winner of our category was Marmions Brasserie in Melrose and we would like to extend our congratulations and best wishes to them. We would also like to extend our congratulations to the overall winner, Cobbles Inn, Kelso, as well as to all the other award winners - well done everyone!
Scottish Licensed Trade News Awards, 2008
On Thursday 23rd October, 8 of our staff, as part of 700 guests, attended the 13th annual Scottish Licensed Trade News Awards (SLTN) 2008 at the Hilton Hotel in Glasgow. Oblò had made it into the final 3 of the Independent Pub/Bar of the Year category along with Moskito, Glasgow and The Old Forge, Inverie, Knoydart, by Mallaig. We had entered the competition earlier in the year and had received a judging visit in the summer, finally being notified that we had made it into the final 3 in Scotland in September.
We have entered the SLTN Awards almost every year since we opened and have received many highly commended awards in various categories with our greatest achievement so far being when Kerry Chisholm (now our General Manager) won Barperson of the Year in 2006, following our nomination.
Excitement and nerves were high and following cocktails on arrival, dinner and entertainment, the results were announced by celebrity guest compare, Kirsty Gallacher. Sadly, we did not win overall, but we felt the award deservedly went to The Old Forge in Inverie and we wish them our sincere congratulations and best wishes. As ever, staff admirably took the result on the chin and decided to make the most of the night and to celebrate coming this far. We all had an amazing time and danced until the very end with plenty of photographic evidence to prove it! There’s no doubt that our team are winners in their own right and sure know how to celebrate! Coming ‘runner up’ reminds us that we have much to work on and motivates us to continue to improve our food, service, surroundings and events if we are to be in with a chance again next year!
Reviews
As you might expect from a restaurant right on the harbour in this small fishing town, Oblò’s menu features a host of fabulous fish dishes, as fresh as it gets. Not restricted to the fruits of the sea, Oblò’s chefs also cook up some classic meat, poultry and vegetarian creations using the best the Borders has to offer.
The coastal town of Eyemouth, seven miles north of Berwick, has long been spoilt for Italian ice-cream. A century ago, Peter Giacopazzi's great-grandfather used to sell it from an ice-box on his bicycle. “It was a classic Italian story,” he says. “My family set out for America, but hit Scotland first, and stayed.” And the family tradition is still alive and well today at Giacopazzi’s, Peter's award-winning chip shop, which sells fish suppers and pizzas alongside a wide selection of ice-creams.
When Peter took over the family business five years ago, he decided to offer a more sophisticated dining option. “Like most small towns, it had plenty of classic pubs, but nowhere you could get a decent coffee,” he says. “I wanted a tweak on a style bar.” He bought the derelict space above the chip shop and converted it into Oblò, a restaurant offering everything from lobster and steaks to local seafood, roast Sunday lunches and strong Italian coffees.
Running two very different businesses is made more challenging by the fact that both Oblò and Giacopazzi's share the same tiny kitchen. At its busiest, five chefs vie for chopping space: while potatoes are chipped in one corner, fine cuisine is prepared in another. “Knives do fly,” he admits.
Peter's partner of 12 years, Kerry Waddell, gave up her job as a social worker to help run Oblò and is an enthusiastic participant in the Borders Banquet, an annual festival celebrating the variety of food and drink available on both sides of the border. As part of this year's event, she has even roped in her father Ian, who owns a local fishmonger and smokehouse. He’ll demonstrate traditional smoking techniques before customers sit down to a seafood meal. “It's a bit of fun,” she says, “but it's also about encouraging people to try new food.”
Imbued the kind of designer coolth now common in Edinburgh and Glasgow, Oblò Bar and Bistro in Eyemouth is a welcome surprise in a small fishing port. Drinkers and diners can look out through the upper-storey floor-to-ceiling window onto the comings and goings in the harbour below and choose from breakfast, lunch, bar and dinner menus featuring local, seasonal food.
Buccleuch sirloin steaks (£14.95) are popular, the wine list has won awards (a bottle of house white Sauvignon Blanc is £11), and bar tender Mark Collin’s invention, the Mint Experience cocktail (Smirnoff vodka, Bailey’s and mint choc chip ice-cream) has been going down a storm.
Trendy Eyemouth bistro pays dividends for Peter
A trendy bistro and a shop specialising in enviromentally friendly and ethical products have both won top awards from the Eastern Borders Development Association.
The EBDA Trustees this week made an award to Peter Giacopazzi in recognition of his contribution to the economic regeneration of Eyemouth through the establishment of the Oblò Bistro and Retaurant.
It may be an apocroyphal tale but the story goes that when Peter Giacopazzi’s great grandfather, Lorenzo, left his home in Borgo Cal Di Taro in Northern Italy in 1898 to seek his fortune in the New World he thought he had arrived on the eastern seaboard of the States when he landed in Scotland.
But for whatever reason, Lorenzo (or Peter as he became known) decided not to venture any further and made his home in Eyemouth, setting up in business doing what he knew best - making ice cream in the renowned Italian style.
So began the Giacopazzi dynasty in Eyemouth which three generations and almost 110 years on is an established Eyemouth insititution known not only for its home made ice cream but also for its fish restaurant sourcing its ingredients from the harbour which it overlooks.
Just into the milliennium, Peter Giacopazzi, the present owner of the business, identified a niche for an upmarket eating place and was able to create Oblò on the rear and upper floor of the harbour road premises.
The bistro has been a great success attracting clientele not only from Eyemouth and east Berwickshire but also from further afield and visiting sailors too.
Oblò’s Kerry is ‘Barperson of the Year’
Twenty four year old Kerry Chisholm is the toast of the bar trade after winning a top award at the Scottish drinks trade Oscars last week.
Kerry, from Eyemouth, beat of nationwide competition when she was named Barperson of the Year at a glittering ceremony in Glasgow last week.
Oblò, the Eyemouth bar & restaurant where she works, was named runner-up in the Independant Bar of the Year category, two years after winning Newcomer of the Year.
Announcing Kerry’s prize, the judges said: “An exceptional all rounder, Kerry is an important asset in this imaginative Eyemouth venture”
“An invaluable member of the team, she is self motivated and aware of current trends in the industry. Her customer service skills are first class and she engages pro-actively in all training opportunities.”
As well as a trophy, Kerry wins two tickets to the T in the Park concert next year.
Run by the Scottish Licensed Trade News, the awards ceremony was held in Glasgow’s Hilton last Thursday when Kerry was named winner from a short-list of three.
This week she told Berwickshire News: “I could hardly believe it when they called my name out.”
“The award generally goes to people from the bigger bars in Edinburgh and Glasgow so it is great news that it is coming to Eyemouth this year.”
Despite having worked in the trade since she was 18, it is the first time that Kerry has entered the awards.
She has been at Oblò for three years after first working in bars in Aberdeen and Edinburgh.
She was nominated by her manager Kerry Waddell who said: “Winning the award is a fantastic achievement and we are very proud for her. She certainly deserves it as she has lots of ideas and suggestions and is great with the customers and her colleagues.”
Kerry was presented with her award by TV star Katy Hill.
