Scottish chef Martin Wishart, the owner of Edinburgh’s first Michelin starred restaurant, has been awarded the AA Chef’s Chef of the Year 2010 award by his culinary peers.
The coveted accolade, decided on by AA Rosette-awarded chefs in the UK, was presented at that AA Hospitality awards at the London Hilton Park lane last night.
Speaking to BigHospitality, Wishart said he believed his restaurant’s style of cooking and consistency was what inspired the chefs to give him the award.
“I’m delighted,” said he said. “The event last night was a real success and to be voted Chef of the Year by your peers is excellent and very humbling.”
Wishart opened his eponymous restaurant in Edinburgh with his wife Cecile in 1999. The restaurant holds four AA rosettes and an eight out of ten rating in the Good Food guide. It earned its Michelin star, Edinburgh’s first, in 2001.
Meanwhile , The Harrow at Little Bedwyn, The Peat Inn, Fife, The Hardwick, Abergavenny, Galvin La Chapelle emerged victorious in the Restaurant of the Year awards, for England, Scotland, Wales and London respectively.
The gong for Galvin La Chapelle was the second in fours years for restaurateur brothers Chris and Jeff Galvin, who won the award in 2006-7 for Galvin Bistrot de Luxe.
Chris Galvin, who also won the award as head chef of the Wolseley, said: “We are thrilled. This award is a great indication of the level that your restaurant in operating at as it is a true reflection of customer opinion.”
Hotelier George Goring OBE was presented with a lifetime achievement award, for his 43 years at the helm of the Goring Hotel, which the AA judges said exemplified “the fundamentals of good hotel keeping”.
The Royal Horseguards took the London award for hotel of the year, while the English, Scottish and Welsh awards were won by Lucknam Park Hotel and Spa in Colerne, Boath House in Nairn, and the Imperial Hotel in Llandudno.
Marriott Hotels won Hotel Group of the Year.
The awards also saw the launch of two new awards for Eco Hotel and Eco Hotel Group of the Year, won by The Scarlet, Cornwall and Elite Hotels.
Winners
The winners of the AA Hospitality Awards 2010 are:
AA Lifetime Achievement
Winner: George Goring OBE
AA Chefs’ Chef of the Year
Winner: Martin Wishart
AA Hotel of the Year
Winner, England: Lucknam Park Hotel & Spa, Colerne,
Winner, Scotland: Boath House, Nairn, Highland
Winner, Wales: - The Imperial Hotel, Llandudno
Winner, London: The Royal Horseguards, London
AA Restaurant of the Year
Winner, England: The Harrow at Little Bedwyn, Marlborough
Winner, Scotland: The Peat Inn, Fife
Winner, Wales: The Hardwick, Abergavenny, Monmouthshire
Winner, London: Galvin La Chapelle
AA Wine Award
Winner, England & Overall: Hambleton Hall, Oakham, Rutland
Winner, Scotland: The Kitchin, Leith, Edinburgh
Winner, Wales: Fairyhill, Reynoldston, Swansea
AA Pub of the Year
Winner, England: The Black Swan at Oldstead, North Yorkshire
Winner, Scotland: The Sun Inn, Eskbank, EdinburghWinner, Wales: The Swan Inn, Little Haven, Haverfordwest
AA Small Hotel Group of the Year
Winner: Apex Hotels
AA Hotel Group of the Year
Winner: Marriott Hotels
AA Eco Hotel of the Year
Winner: The Scarlet, Cornwall
AA Eco Hotel Group of the Year
Winner: Elite Hotels