The annual awards, held last night at Westminster Park Plaza Hotel, seek to recognise the greatest culinary talent across all sectors of the hospitality industry.
Commenting on receiving the night’s top prize, the Special Award, Howard said: “I feel to my core that I was lucky to find something I was incredibly passionate about. I had no real direction in my life, but when I started cooking I knew so quickly in every cell of my body that this was what I was born to do. It’s been a journey of endless surprise and huge challenges.”
The Craft Guild of Chefs Award winners 2011 are as follows:
- Apprentice Chef Award – Rebecca Marshman, Hilton Park Lane
- Banqueting Chef Award – David Summerell, Royal College of Physicians
- Competition Chef Award – Mathew Shropshall, University College Birmingham
- Contract Catering Chef Award – Robert Brown, Compass Group
- Cost Sector Chef Award – Alan Baker-Green, Compass Group
- Development Chef Award – Peter Joyner, Elior
- Education Chef Award – Ian Jaundoo, Liverpool Community College
- Ethnic Chef Award – Karunesh Khanna, Amaya
- New Restaurant Award – Justin Sharp, Pea Porridge, Bury St Edmunds
- Pastry Chef Award – Tal Hausen, The Lanesborough Hotel
- Pub Restaurant Chef Award – Tim Bilton, The Butchers Arms, Holmfirth
- Restaurant Chef Award – Lisa Allen, Northcote Manor
- Young Chef Award – Tom Parker, Northcote Manor
- People’s Choice Award – John Retallick, chairman of the Craft Guild of Chefs Vice Presidents’ Council