The Ledbury scoops National Restaurant of the Year Award 2010
Brett Graham
The Ledbury
The Ledbury has been awarded the National Restaurant of the Year by Restaurant magazine. The awards were attended by the UK’s greatest culinary talent in a celebration of what has been an amazing year of innovation and achievement in a challenging environment.
The awards attracted over 70% of the top 100 restaurants , as well as international chefs such as David Chang (Momofuku in NYC), Massimo Bottura (Osteria Francescana), Mauro Colagreco and owner of Iggy’s in Singapore, Igantius Chan. Their presence gave added support, recognition and impetus to the UK restaurant industry.
The National Restaurant Awards are the result of an extensive survey that asks chefs, food critics and restaurateurs from all over the country to select the seven best restaurants they have eaten in during the last 12 months. From these votes, Restaurant magazine complies a list of the UK’s Top 100 Restaurants, which can be found listed in full on Bighospitality.co.uk.
It has been an outstanding year for The Ledbury in London, which tops the listing. It has gained widespread recognition among the chef and food writers’ community. Australian-born chef Brett Graham has turned the Notting Hill neighbourhood restaurant into a world-class establishment with his unique take on contemporary French cuisine coupled with Pacific Rim influences, with outstanding service to match (The Ledbury was also awarded Front of House Award).
The Highest New Entry, sponsored by Llanllyr Water, went to Bistro Bruno Loubet in London. Undoubtedly one of the most exciting openings of recent years, Bistrot Bruno Loubet’s food is hearty and full of gusto, bringing “proper” French food back into the capital.
The Restaurateurs’ Choice, sponsored by Nespresso, was presented to Restaurant Nathan Outlaw. Having moved to St Endoc Hotel in Rock, Nathan Outlaw has evidently impressed fellow restaurateurs with his ability to improve on what was already Cornwall’s finest restaurant.
The Chefs’ Chef of the Year is Claude Bosi of Hibiscus in London. Bosi is now regarded on international circuits as one of the best chefs in the world, and breaking into the World’s 50 Best Restaurants earlier this year has won him further recognition among his peers.
A new award for 2010 is the One to Watch – Restaurant’s tip for a new establishement destined for great things. A tough decision with so many promising openings in 2010, this was awarded to Tinello, the Pimlico venture led by brothers Max and Federico Sali, for its refreshingly accessible Tuscan food, relaxed atmosphere and informative service.
Other highlights included L’Enclume in the Lake District taking the Sustainable Restaurant of the Year, The Hardwick in Abergavenny being awarded Gastropub of the Year, Lancashire’s Northcote taking The Martell Hotel Restaurant of the Year, Terroirs in London being judged by our wine critics to have the Wine List of the Year, and finally, The Ledbury picking up a second prize in the form of the Front of House Award.
William Drew, editor of Restaurant magazine, said: “The UK restaurant sector is back in great shape after the shake-out of the last couple of years – and the standard of the winners in the National Restaurant Awards reflects that. The Ledbury’s coronation as the National Restaurant of the Year is fully deserved: Brett Graham has quietly built it into a quite brilliant restaurant where his stunning but never flashy food is matched by outstanding service in a smart but unstuffy environment.”
Top 100 Meal Auction on eBay
Restaurant magazine is proud to continue its association with Action Against Hunger, and support its quest to combat the sources and effects of malnutrition around the world. We are delighted that so many of the Top 100 restaurants have donated special experiences to this cause. These experiences (which include a variety of dinners for two, meet the chef, tastings and accommodation) will be auctioned on eBay in November. All proceeds will go directly to Action Against Hunger.
The 2010 National Restaurant Awards winners are:
- The Ledbury – The National Restaurant of the Year
- Restaurant Andrew Fairlie – Best Restaurant in Scotland
- The Walnut Tree – Best Restaurant in Wales
- James Street South – Best Restaurant in Northern Ireland
- Restaurant Nathan Outlaw – The Nespresso Restaurateurs’ Choice
- Bistro Bruno Loubet – The Llanllyr Water Highest New Entry
- Claude Bosi, Hibiscus – Chefs’ Chef of the Year
- The Ledbury – The Front of House Award
- L’Enclume – Sustainable Restaurant of the Year
- The Hardwick – Gastropub of the Year
- Northcote – The Martell Hotel Restaurant of the Year
- Terroirs – Wine List of the Year
- Tinello – One to Watch
Click here for a full listing of the Top 100 Restaurants in the UK
The National Restaurant Awards are produced by Restaurant magazine, the industry’s most respected and read monthly business title. The awards are accompanied by a listing of the UK’s top 100 Restaurants, which can be found on Restaurant magazine’s online news outlet,
www.Bighospitality.co.uk
Tags: Brett Graham, CLAUDE BOSI, David Chang, Hibiscus, Ignatius Chan, Massimo Bottura, National Restaurant Awards, The Ledbury
[...] The Ledbury has been awarded the National Restaurant of the Year by Restaurant magazine. The awards were attended by the UK’s greatest culinary talent in a celebration of what has been an amazing year of innovation and achievement in a challenging environment. (World’s 50 Best) [...]