This past year has been massive one for Tania Vereschildt and her husband Sukru Kocak.
The owners of the popular Turkish Grill restaurant at Erindale also opened the Turkish Kebab House at the Fyshwick Markets three years ago and then, almost 12 months ago, added another business to their busy schedule - the Anatolia Mediterranean Market opposite the Canberra Outlet Centre in Fyshwick.
Added to that, the couple has two young children - daughter Aylaa, four, and Esah, three; Tania also works in the public service two days a week, does the businesses' paperwork and is often working at the restaurant. Sukru is up soon after 5am each day to be in the supermarket and will be still at it late into the night at the Turkish Grill. When the Fyshwick markets are open, he'll visit the Kebab House at lunchtime to connect with the customers.
"It's a complete juggle," Tania said, with a laugh, adding that she couldn't do it without the support of their extended family with the care of their children.
So, the couple has been feeling a little bit of vindication for all that hard work, with two major acknowledgements within the space of six months.
Earlier this year, the Turkish Grill was named the ACT's favourite restaurant in Menulog's Summer Restaurant Awards.
It came out top over hundreds of Menulog restaurants in the region, thanks to its "overwhelmingly positive customer ratings and satisfaction throughout the summer".
And then last month, the Turkish Grill was also named best speciality restaurant in Restaurant and Catering Australia's recent Savour awards.
After 15 years running the Turkish Grill, the awards were welcome recognition.
"It's absolutely exciting," Tania said. "We feel like this is the busiest we've ever been, especially the last four or five months. It just made us think, 'Wow, we're not letting our customers down'. We're actually maintaining our standards'.We have so many balls in the air and not letting them drop.
"Fifteen years of running the Turkish Grill and to win these awards, we must be doing something right."
Tania and Sukru have made a commitment to now attend the national Restaurant and Catering Awards in Brisbane on October 28.
"We don't get to go out much," she said.
The couple's latest venture, the Anatolia Mediterranean Market, was opened last November. Located next to Chemist Warehouse in Iron Knob Street, it sells everything from herbs and spices to Turkish delight at baklava, canned vegetables to cheeses, chickpeas, olive oil and dried fruit.
"We felt there was a need in the market. There's a lot of Asian shops or little Indian supermarkets in Canberra but Turks and Arabs were going to Sydney to get what they needed. Even we had to source outside Canberra for what we needed in the restaurant," Tania said.
The supermarket is also stocking homewares, buying trips to Sukru's native Turkey now a mix of pleasure to see family and business to source new wares.
The couple, who met in 2000 through the hospitality industry, say family is their driving motivation.
"We like being busy, I guess. We're very self-motivated," Tania said.
"My husband is working for his kids' future. He wants to make life easier for them. They motivate him."
