The Amisfield near Arrowtown has gone back to back.
The Amisfield restaurant was named on Monday night - for a second straight year - the restaurant of the year in the Cuisine Good Food Awards in Auckland.
The restaurant continues to dominate, almost coming out with a perfect mark.
Under the system used for the awards, there were 18 category winners and 84 hatted restaurants.
Similarly, those establishments and industry players who took home category wins are those considered to be the leaders of their craft.
Amisfield was awarded a 3-hat status, with a score of 19.5 out of 20, considered to be "extraordinary and approaching perfection".
Dining there was an experience described by the judges as magical, entertaining and memorable.
"Mabee remains top of his game, delighting us with his theatre of food delivery and executing a near-faultless and daring dance of innovation, putting Kiwi food firmly on the global culinary stage," head judge Kerry Tyack said.
"Where others conduct workshops, Vaughan offers a masterclass."
Mr Mabee is also a judge on the Masterchef programme.
It has been a big past 12 months for Mr Mabee and the restaurant.
Amisfield was named in the publication The World’s 50 Best Restaurants late last year, while Mr Mabee married in January this year.
Ben Bayley who runs Ahi, Origine, and The Grounds in Auckland and Aosta, Little Aosta, Blue Door Bar, and The Bathhouse in Queenstown was named Champion for Change.
Sherwood in Queenstown was awarded two hats while another 10 restaurants in the South received one hat.
