Jason Atherton and Robin Sheppard picked up the top honours at the AA Hospitality Awards held at Grosvenor House Hotel in London last night.
Atherton was named ‘Chef’s chef of the year’ for the development of his 18-strong The Social Company brand, and Sheppard was presented with a lifetime achievement award for his commitment to the hospitality industry over the last 50 years.
Having worked alongside industry greats including Pierre Koffmann, Marco Pierre White, Nico Ladenis and Ferran Adria at el Bulli, Atherton has become one of the UK’s most respected chefs.
Since leaving the Gordon Ramsay group and setting up his brand in 2010, he has built a global portfolio of restaurants, ranging from the highly acclaimed Pollen Street Social and 3-Rosette winners in London such as Social Eating House, and City Social in the Gherkin skyscraper; to destination dining venues in New York, Dubai, Shanghai and the Philippines.
Sheppard, who graduated from Oxford Brookes University in 1977, has developed and built numerous brands across the sector, including the establishment of the Bristol Hotel Group in 1998, followed by Furlong Hotels and in 2000. He co-founded Bespoke Hotels which has subsequently grown into the UK’s largest independent hotel group and now boasts over 200 properties spanning the length and breadth of the country and overseas.
Since being struck by the debilitating Guillain-Barre Syndrome in 2004, Sheppard has campaigned tirelessly for improved access for those with disabilities, including publishing his highly-successful book ‘A Solitary Confinement’, proceeds of which are given to GAIN, the UK charity offering support sufferers of Guillain-Barre. The book has sold over 45,000 copies to date.
They were joined by other leading figures from hotels, restaurants and pubs in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to celebrate the twenty-second annual AA awards. Presented by Kate Silverton, the awards honoured the best establishments in the UK across twenty-three categories.
Commenting on his award, Jason Atherton said: “When you win Chef’s Chef of the Year it’s that award where the chefs vote you, so for me to be voted by my peers it’s just incredible. I was not expecting it, I’m absolutely thrilled to bits.”
Sheppard added: “I just got married, and it doesn’t get any better to spend the second night of your honeymoon winning a lifetime achievement award, so I’m thrilled to bits, astonished and just absolutely delighted.
“it has been a wonderful and joyous ride. This industry is fantastic and I’d always advise young people to get into the industry quickly. It can be such a wonderful and rewarding career and there are so many opportunities for those who want to get on.”
The full list of winners is as follows:
Chefs’ Chef: Jason Atherton
Restaurant of the Year
England – Fordwich Arms, Canterbury
London – Cornerstone by Chef Tom Brown, London, E9
Wales – Bryn Williams at Porth Eirias, Colwyn Bay
Scotland – Sugar Boat, Helensburgh
Hotel of the Year
England – Chewton Glen, New Milton
London – The Landmark, London, NW1
Wales – The Grove, Narbeth
Scotland – The Gleneagles Hotel, Auchterarder
Northern Ireland – The Fitzwilliam Hotel, Belfast
Pub of the Year
England – Three Daggers, Edington
Wales – Glynne Arms, Hawarden
Scotland – Meikleour Arms Public House, Perth
Spa of the Year
Rudding Park Hotel, Harrogate
Eco Hotel of the Year
Carbis Bay Hotel, St Ives
Food Service Award
The Ritz, London
Wine Award
Overall Winner – Hampton Manor, Solihull
Regional Awards:
England – Hampton Manor, Solihull
Wales – Penmaenuchaf Hall Hotel, Dolgellau
Scotland – Castle Terrace Restaurant, Edinburgh
Lifetime Achievement Award
Robin Sheppard, Chairman, Bespoke Hotels
Large Hotel Group of the Year
Park Plaza Group
Small Hotel Group of the Year
Inverlochy Castle Management International
Housekeeper of the Year
Ankica Korzelius, St Ermins Hotel, London
Wine Award
Overall Winner – Hampton Manor, Solihull
Regional Awards:
England – Hampton Manor, Solihull
Wales – Penmaenuchaf Hall Hotel, Dolgellau
Scotland – Castle Terrace Restaurant, Edinburgh
College Restaurant of the Year
Academy, Cheshire Colleges South & West, Cheshire
New 5 Rosettes
Lympstone Manor, Exmouth
New 4 Rosettes
Coworth Park, Ascot
Gravetye Manor, East Grinstead
Hipping Hall, Lancaster
Hrishi at Gilpin Hotel & Lake House, Windermere
Old Downton Lodge, Ludlow
Roganic, London
Sorrel, Dorking
The Angel at Hetton, Hetton
The Greenhouse, London
The Dining Room at Whatley Manor, Malmesbury
5 Red Stars
Foxhill Manor, Broadway, Worcestershire
Cromlix Hotel, Kinbuck, Dunblane
Alexander House Hotel, Turners Hill, West Sussex
Adare Manor, Adare, Limerick
The Langham, London, W1
Café Royale, London, W1
Seaham Hall, Seaham, County Durham
Torridon, Wester Ross, Torridon
4 Red Stars
Galgorm Spa & Golf Resort, Ballymena, County Antrim
The Scarlet, Mawgan Porth, Cornwall
The Painswick, Painswick, Gloucestershire
St Ermins Hotel, London, SW1
The Montagu Arms Hotel, Beaulieu, Hampshire
Cavendish Hotel, Baslow, Derbyshire
Maison Talbooth, Dedham, Essex
3 Red Stars
Bingham Riverhouse, Richmond upon Thames, Surrey
THE PIG at Combe Hotel, Honiton, Devon
The full list of this year’s AA Hospitality Awards winners can be found at
www.theaa.com/hospitality-awards/hospitality-awards-winners.
H&C News would like to congratulate all the nominees and winners on their achievement and thank the AA for another spectacular evening at Grosvenor House Hotel.