Main caption: Delaware North Australia team members representing MCG Events, the team dedicated to non-match day business and events at Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), won silver and bronze awards in the Best Business Events Venue and Restaurant and Event Catering categories at the annual Victorian Tourism Awards on Nov. 27 in Melbourne. Pictured in the back row, left to right, are Robert Aparo, executive sous chef; Troy Stasinowsky, director of sales and marketing; Elle Reinehr, client relationship manager; Dylan Sanding, executive chef; Agneeta Santimano, client relationship manager; Ryan Steveson, executive pastry chef; and Tad Lombardo, customer experience manager. Pictured in the front row, left to right, are Naman Kochhar, chef de cuisine; Daniel Leoni, chef de cuisine; and Michael Ng, chef de cuisine.
Delaware North Australia, which operates hospitality, catering and retail services at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), was recognized with several industry awards in November and December.
Delaware North began operating at the MCG – the largest stadium in the Southern Hemisphere – in 2022 and later formed the MCG Events team, which focuses on bringing events and tourism business to the venue on non-match days.
The Victorian Tourism Awards, which recognized the 2025 winners on Nov. 27 in Melbourne, have showcased the state’s leaders in tourism excellence and innovation for 39 years.
The MCG Events team was recognized in two categories:
- Best Business Events Venue (silver)
- Restaurant and Event Catering (bronze)
The MCG also took home gold, winning the top category of the night, Major Tourist Attraction.
“Thank you to everyone who contributed to the award submissions, and to all the team members who play a role in delivering exceptionally catered events to the business event tourism audience,” said Troy Stasinowsky, director of MCG Events.
Just a week later, the Australian Business Events Association held its annual awards on Dec. 4, with the MCG Events team winning the Business Event Venue of the Year (Non-Convention Centre) award.
The award recognizes the MCG team’s excellence in hosting business events outside of traditional convention centers, a significant achievement in the competitive Australian events industry.