Rick Stein’s Padstow eatery has been named the best in the UK for food service. The Seafood Restaurant scooped the accolade at the annual AA Hospitality Awards – an event that has become the benchmark for excellence in the industry.
The celebrity television chef opened his Cornwall restaurant with his ex-wife, Jill, in 1975 serving fish and shellfish “simply cooked”. It is now headed up by chef Pete Murt and its menu includes dishes such as lobster thermidor, turbot hollandaise and Indonesian seafood curry.
Mr Stein was among numerous British chefs, spas, restaurants, inns and hotels to be recognised at the event, which was hosted by BAFTA-nominated television and radio broadcaster Angellica Bell in London.
Senara Restaurant in Penzance, which is run by Truro & Penwith College, also picked up AA College Restaurant of the Year.
Simon Numphud, managing director at AA Media, said: “This incredible celebration is a true testament to the strength and innovation within our industry. The dedication and excellence demonstrated by all the hospitality teams have been nothing short of inspiring. Congratulations to all the winners, nominees, and new Rosette holders for their remarkable contributions.”
The annual awards ceremony was attended by 900 guests and honoured achievements across 16 categories.
There were four overall AA Restaurant of the Year winners – The Greyhound, Buckinghamshire; The Silver Birch, London; Thomas by Tom Simmons, Cardiff; and Loch Bay Restaurant, Isle of Skye.
Tom Aikens, of Muse in London, won the AA Chefs’ Chef of the Year which is chosen by all AA Rosette-awarded chefs. The Lifetime Achievement Award went to Adrian Ellis, former General Manager of The Lowry Hotel, Manchester.
The AA introduced the renowned star-rating scheme for quality in 1908 to shine a spotlight on individuals and establishments who consistently deliver excellence to their guests.
List of winners at the AA Hospitality Awards
Chefs’ Chef of the Year
· Tom Aikens, from Muse, London
Lifetime Achievement Award
· Adrian Ellis MI FIH, former General Manager of The Lowry Hotel, Manchester
Outstanding Contribution Award
· Sue Williams, Positive Hospitality Ltd, Director and formerly General Manager of Whatley Manor Hotel & Spa
Restaurants of the Year
· England – The Greyhound, Buckinghamshire
· London – The Silver Birch, London
· Wales – Thomas by Tom Simmons, Cardiff
· Scotland – Loch Bay Restaurant, Isle of Skye
Hotels of the Year
· England – Down Hall Hotel & Spa, Hertfordshire
· London – The Dorchester
· Wales – The Parkgate Hotel, Cardiff
· Scotland – Cromlix, Stirling
· Northern Ireland – The Ebrington Hotel, Londonderry
Group of the Year
· Red Carnation Hotel Group
Small Hotel Group of the Year
· Eden Hotel Collection, Stratford-Upon-Avon
Wine Award
· England – Moor Hall Restaurant with Rooms, Lancashire
· Wales – Plas Dinas Country House, Gwynedd
· Scotland – The Balmoral, Edinburgh
Shortlisted categories (excluding Chefs Chef):
Housekeeper of the Year
· Paula Seddon – Crow Wood Hotel and Spa Resort, Lancashire
Sustainable Award
· 1 Hotel Mayfair, London
Inn of the Year
· The Cartford Inn, Lancashire
B&B of the Year
· Mallard Grange, North Yorkshire
Restaurant with Rooms of the Year
· Mingary Castle, Highlands
Spa Hotel of the Year
· Carden Park Hotel, Cheshire
Food Service Award
· The Seafood Restaurant, Cornwall
College Restaurant of the Year
· Senara – Truro & Penwith College
New 5 Rosettes
· Woven by Adam Smith (Coworth Park), Berkshire
· The Glenturret Lalique Restaurant, Perth & Kinross
· Angel at Hetton, North Yorkshire
New 4 Rosettes
· Restaurant 1890 by Gordon Ramsay (Savoy Hotel), London
· Olive Tree at the Queensberry Hotel, Somerset
· Bybrook at The Manor House Hotel, Wiltshire
· Lumiere, Gloucestershire
· Atrium (Lords of the Manor), Gloucestershire
New 3 Rosettes
· The Flintlock at Cheddleton, Staffordshire
· The Old Deanery, North Yorkshire
· HUMO London, London
· Pignut, North Yorkshire
· The Vines Restaurant, Cheshire
· Rookery Hall Hotel & Spa, Cheshire
· The Three Horseshoes, Essex
· The Cottage in the Wood, Cumbria
· Chartwell at Aldwark Manor, North Yorkshire
· Mallory Court Country House Hotel & Spa, Warwickshire
· Skosh, North Yorkshire
· MUSU, Greater Manchester
· The Fanny Talbot, Gwynedd
New 4 Red Stars
· Farlam Hall Hotel & Restaurant, Cumbria
· Douneside House, Aberdeenshire
· The Angel Hotel, Suffolk
· Lygon Arms Hotel, Worcestershire
· Nutfield Priory Hotel & Spa, Surrey
New 3 Red Stars
· Penally Abbey, Pembrokeshire