Tio Pepe ITV London restaurant awards 2005

[Matthew Grant]

On arrival at the Tio Pepe ITV London restaurant awards 2005 I was glad to note that in the press room we had been provided with waiters who poured Tio Pepe Extra Dry Fine into half pint glasses which they nearly filled to the top. Same went for the Hardy’s Nottage Hill Cabernet Shiraz 2003 and the Hardy’s Nottage Hill Sauvignon Blanc 2004. I was amused to notice that the guests had exactly the same to drink, however I imagine the guests weren’t so amused considering they had paid around £180 a ticket, even the nominees didn’t get in free! Still these were the wines that the sponsors had provided so we made do.

Milling around before the awards started I spotted Jean Christophe Novelli who certainly looks better in a dinner Jacket compared to a leotard. They say that TV adds pounds to you, well TV has been kind to Ross Burden who looks about 20 pounds heavier and a lot redder in the flesh, a sort of bloated James Bond figure. Mary Nightingale was hosting the awards and had got into the spirit of things by agreeing to wear a dress made from extra thick cooking foil, I jest, she looked very fetching in a sequinned silver gown

It was hardly the world of food and drink press in the press room, a freelance writer who sometimes worked for Toptable (the tales I could tell), a crew from Fuji TV filming the awards for UK Jack, a program shown in Japan about all things British, apparently the Japanese just love this stuff. Fortunately we did have a couple of journalists from the nationals, those well known food columnists from the Sun and Daily Express were there but seemed more intent on interviewing the stars presenting the awards than the award winners. Jamie Oliver and Laila Rouass (Amber from Footballers wives) seemed popular targets of their affections. Down below in the main auditorium sat most of the judging panel Fay Maschler M.B.E, Charles Campion, Tracey Macleod , Matthew Norman, Tim Atkin. Jay Rayner and Terry Durack appeared to be absent from the proceedings, no doubt protecting their anonymity.

Dinner looked an impressive affair from the balcony above (we weren’t allowed on the floor). Around a thousand diners served 3 courses, coffee and petit fours in 90 minutes straight. Pretty impressive. I can’t comment on the quality of the food but they ate Mixed Asparagus Salad with Romesco Sauce. Plain and Herb Ciabatta and Green Olive Rustica was provided by the Bakehouse. A main courseof Fillet of Wild Seabass with Crushed Jersey Royals and Spring Vegetables. Dessert of Wild Strawberry and Elderflower Jelly with Jersey Cream.

The awards proper opened with Tara Blaze singing her latest single. In the press room we looked at each other all hoping that one of us would know who she was, and the ITV press officer ran around asking who wanted to interview her, we all remained steadfastly in our seats apart from UK Jack who pounced for an interview, I wonder if they know that she’s actually Irish?

Mike Gatting presented the British Restaurant of the Year award to The Goring, Executive chef Derek Quelch put their success down to the relaxed environment and friendly service. It seemed that Mike Gattings damaged nose had not affected his taste buds too much and proclaimed a preference for British restaurants although checking on his favourite local restaurant in Enfield, The Norfolk , it would appear to be British only in a 1970’s sort of way!

Gastropub went to The Fox who overcame everybody’s favourite the Anchor and Hope. Sayed Jaffrey presented the award for Best Indian to Rasoi Vineet Bhatia who sounded genuinely thrilled with his award and told me that leaving Zaika and setting up on his own “was the best thing I have ever done”. His outposts In Dubai and at the wonderful Le Tousserok in Mauritius are both doing well. Possibly the best-deserved award of the night.

Ronnie Corbett got one of the biggest cheers of the night presenting French Restaurant of the year although for what reason I am unsure as the press room was rather crowded by this time and it was impossible to hear the live feed. I realised that Racine had won when Henry Harris walked in. Henry is still spending plenty of time in the kitchen but he surprised me when he told me that one of his favourite places to eat was Gourmet Burger Kitchen because it was simple food well done, his general preference for a restaurant. One of Rick Steins favourite restaurants is Racine (along with Chez Bruce, J Sheekey and Fishworks). He presented the award for Fish Restaurant of the year to Fishworks who got possibly the loudest cheer of the night when the award was announced, helped no doubt by the two tables that they occupied. I’ve no idea if Rick was influenced by Andy Lynes in his choice of favourite restaurants but he had apparently spent the afternoon being pestered by him at the Roux Scholarship (Andy gets all the best gigs). He assures me that he thinks Margot’s is the second best restaurant in Padstow and asked me to let Adrian know that he promises to visit for the first time in the next month.

The London Restaurant Academy Award of Excellence went to Nobu. The Academy is made up of previous award winners, an impressive list including individuals such as Gordon Ramsay, Giorgio Locatelli, Fay Maschler, Dan Lepard, Cyrus Todiwala, Alan Yau, Pierre Koffman, Phillip Britten and a long list of the capitals favourite restaurants. Undoubtedly nice to be recognised by your peers.

Lisa Maxwell presented the award for Outstanding Front of House Team which went to Le Gavroche. Michel Roux had heard of EG “Heard of it? The only trouble with eGullet…” I was getting a little worried at this point, “…is that once you start looking at it you can’t get off it! My wife starts getting very annoyed”.

“Yep, its threatening to destroy my relationship as well” was the sympathetic reply.

A quick mention about Jamie Oliver who I have sometimes griped about in the past. He spoke very proudly about the project and what it would appear to have achieved so far. He is especially generous to Nora the dinner lady, He claims the project would have been impossible without her. The award for best Italian was rather predictable when he turned up, it went of course to Passione.

The main award of the night, the Tio Pepe ITV London Restaurant of the year went to Amaya, a popular choice and making it the most successful restaurant of the night following its award for New Restaurant of the Year although I still struggle to see how it can be the best restaurant of the year if it can’t beat Rasoi Vineet Bhatia in the Category of Best Indian Restaurant?

The awards in full including nominations (winners in Bold)

Tio Pepe ITV Restaurant of the Year

Amaya

London Chef of the Year

Tong Chee Hwee - Hakkasan

Tom Aikens

Rainer Becker

Vineet Bhatia

Shane Osborn

New Restaurant of the Year

Amaya

Cipriani

Inn the Park

Rasoi Vineet Bhatia

Roka

Yauatcha

Gastropub of the year

The Fox

The Anchor and Hope

The Gun

The Hartley

The Havelock

The White Swan

British Restaurant of the Year

The Goring

Bluebird Dining Rooms

Franklins

Inn the Park

Rivington Grill

St John

French Restaurant of the Year

Racine

Morgan M

Le Petit Max

Pied A Terre

Le Roussillon

Tom Aikens

Italian Restaurant of the Year

Passione

Al Duca

Assaggi

Enoteca Turi

Locanda Locatelli

Riva

Indian Restaurant of the Year

Rasoi Vineet Bhatia

Amaya

Cinnamon Club

Five Hot Chillies

Madhu’s

Painted Heron

Oriental Restaurant of the Year

Roka

Cay Tre

Hakkasan

Royal China

Sushi-Say

Yauatcha

Outstanding Front of House Team

Le Gavroche

Clarke’s

Frankie’s

Menu at the Connaught

Racine

Savoy Grill

Fish restaurant of the Year

Fishworks

J Sheekey

One-O-One

Rasa Samudra

Le Suquet

Sweetings

The Evening Standard London Tonight Award

Ma Cuisine

Ark Fish

Brahms

Little Bay

Mela

Miraggio

Most Exceptional Winelist

Enoteca Turi

Bleeding Hert

Chez Bruce

Fino

The Greehouse

Putney Bridge

London Restaurant Academy Award of Excellence

Nobu

Cambo De Tercio

Fino

Racine

St John

Tom Aikens

Outstanding Contribution

Alan Crompton-Batt

[Gary Marshall]

good post matt

cheers

gary

[Andy Lynes]

My thanks to Matthew for covering this event for us, a job well done.

I haven't eaten in may of London's Italian restaurants, but if Passione is really the best of the lot then I don't think I'm missing very much.

[Pweaver1984]

Great review Matty!!

Nice One fella...

[Basildog]

He assures me that he thinks Margot’s is the second best restaurant in Padstow and asked me to let Adrian know that he promises to visit for the first time in the next month.

Rick, i agree, we are 2nd best, we are both chasing "The Clipper"

If Rick eats here for the first time ,i promise to eat at his for the first time.

[Andy Lynes]

You might want to get there before he puts the price of his turbot up (its going to be 31 quid apparently.)

[Basildog]

It's OK Andy, Rick can eat here for free, and i,ll eat there for free!

[Andy Lynes]

I don't think Rick Stein got to own half of Padstow by making dodgy deals like that!

[Basildog]

Worth a shot though!

[Bapi]

You might want to get there before he puts the price of his turbot up (its going to be 31 quid apparently.)

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Tsk Tsk-that is a tad pricey. Rosie had the Turbot dish last year at a whopping £27. The meal we had at The Seafood Restaurant was not patch on the ones - we then had over the following days at Ripley's and The Black Pig. Best of all was the world class Venison Haunch at some back street café called Marion's. This was amongst every other dish consumed on the menu - no really -our group ate the lot bar one dish I seem to remember. Not too sure about the chef there though- very odd bloke with baseball cap permanently attached to his head.

[Matthew Grant]

The awards are on ITV tonight at 23:00

Incidentally I knew the awards were over when the Fat Lady sang - G4 were there to close the show

Edited April 7, 2005 by Matthew Grant (log)

[therese]

Just back from a week's visit to London with my family, and caught a few minutes of this broadcast. A bit surprised to see that Racine had done so well---husband and I had eaten there earlier that week and found it nice but not worth a return visit that week (we'd rented a flat in the neighborhood, and we often do return within a week if we've really enjoyed a meal).

The broadcast overall a bit surreal from the U.S. perspective, but then so is most television everywhere.

[Paula Jonvik]

Blimey! Would that be Silvano Giraldin of Le Gavroche winning Outstanding Front of House Team? Why yes... YES IT IS! Imagine that?

Thank you so very much for the lovely report, I appreciate having it all well written in a single place.

Now who is going to report on Michel's new book release and his standing after he beats the pants off G. Ramsay tomorrow in the Marathon? :)

Edited April 16, 2005 by Paula Jonvik (log)

[Matthew Grant]

Blimey! Would that be Silvano Giraldin of Le Gavroche winning Outstanding Front of House Team? Why yes... YES IT IS! Imagine that?

Thank you so very much for the lovely report, I appreciate having it all well written in a single place.

Now who is going to report on Michel's new book release and his standing after he beats the pants off G. Ramsay tomorrow in the Marathon? :)

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The award was actually accepted by Michel Roux, not sure where Silvano was