The Special Award, which has previously been presented to Heston Blumenthal and Marco Pierre White, recognises Bains as one of Britain’s most celebrated chefs. It follows the launch of his new dining concept Nucleus, described as a 'restaurant within a restaurant'.
Vice presidents of the Craft Guild of Chefs Steve Munkley and David Mulcahy hosted the ceremony in front of an audience of 800 industry members.
Nuno Mendes’ Chiltern Firehouse was named Best New Restaurant of the Year, fighting off tough competition from Jason Atherton’s City Social, Kenny Atkinson’s House of Tides and Lee Westcott’s Typing Room.
Billy Campbell, executive chef at Thistle Glasgow Hotel, was voted the People’s Choice after a closely fought contest which saw almost 1500 votes flood in online.
La Tasca was the only casual dining offering to win an award, with executive chef Anthony Bennet receiving the Development Chef Award for his work in reshaping the the chain's offering.
CEO Simon Wilkinson said:"On the day we launch our new La Vina menu and a week before we launch the new La Tasca menu it is only fitting that Antony wins an accolade on behalf of the company for his outstanding work in taking a written off food concept back to the top of the casual dining market."
A total of 17 awards were handed out, recognising some of the industry’s top talent working across a range of roles in pubs, fine dining restaurants, city universities, military units, contract catering, and as development chefs for national retailers.
The full list of winners is as follows:
• Apprentice Chef - Ben Garnett-Sinclair, Apprentice Chef at Lusso
• Armed Service Chef - Amrit Limbu, Junior Chef at 10th Brigade, Queens Own Gurkha Logistic Regiment
• Banqueting/Event Chef - Mark Reynolds, Executive Head Chef at Delaware North
• Chef Lecturer - Gary MacLean, Chef Lecturer at City of Glasgow College
• Competition Chef - Adam Bennett, Chef Director at The Cross, Kenilworth
• Concept & Innovation - STK
• Contract Catering Chef - Mark Cheetham, Executive Chef, Sodexo UK
• Development Chef - Antony Bennett, Head of Food Development, La Tasca Restaurant Group
• Ethnic Chef - Stephen Gomes, Chef/Patron, Moksh
• New Restaurant of the Year - Nuno Mendes, Chiltern Firehouse
• Pastry Chef - Daniel Pearse, Head Pastry Chef, Hakkasan
• People’s Choice - Billy Campbell, Executive Chef at Thistle Glasgow Hotel
• Pub Restaurant Chef - Ray Brenner, Head Chef at The Peach Pub Company
• Public Sector Chef - Rob Bean, Executive Head Chef at University of Leicester
• Restaurant Chef - Adam Smith, Head Chef at Devonshire Arms Country House Hotel
• Young Chef - Craig Bateman Chef at Compass Group UK & Ireland
• Special Award - Sat Bains, Sat Bains with Rooms