Jamie’s Italian has been voted this year’s Best Restaurant Chain at the second annual R200 awards, run by Restaurant magazine.
The chain, which is now 19-strong, was named the winner for its “vibrant blend of innovation, theatre, operational efficiency, smart marketing, service, atmosphere, and great food”.
It beat off competition from Byron and Cote to secure the award, which was presented at an exclusive R200 seminar at The Berkeley this afternoon.
Simon Blagden, managing director of Jamie’s Italian, told BigHospitality: “I hope to think that while we’ve grown to 15 sites this year that we’ve maintained consistency from the very first site we opened, if not improved. It’s a great accolade to win and I’m very proud.”
Other award winners include Cote for Best Value Restaurant Chain, ETM for Best Pub Company, and Wagamama for Best Family Restaurant Chain.
The Real Greek, which has been praised over the year for supplying calorie information on menus across its six sites, was given the Healthy Eating Chain of the Year Award over rivals Leon and Feng Sushi.
William Drew, editor of Restaurant magazine said: “The winners of Restaurant's R200 Awards reflect the extraordinary vibrancy evident in the UK restaurant business right now.
“These guys, who are all-too-often overlooked in favour of high-profile one-off restaurants, are driving growth and recovery in the sector through innovation, skill and determination.”
The winners of the Restaurant R200 Awards 2010 are:
Best Restaurant Chain
Jamie’s Italian
Best Value Restaurant Chain
Cote
Best Family Restaurant Chain
Wagamama
Best Pub Company
ETM Group
Best Restaurant Drinks Offering
Gaucho
Healthy Eating Chain of the Year
The Real Greek
Most Effective Restaurant Design
Drake & Morgan
Best New Scaleable Restaurant Concept
Dishoom
Innovation of the Year
The Cosy Club, Taunton