The full list, which recognises the biggest players in North of England’s hospitality scene, was announced at a ceremony in Manchester this afternoon.
New additions include Adele Ashley, head chef at Filmore & Union, and the team from Hickory's Smokehouse barbecue group.
Former footballers Ryan Giggs and Gary Neville were also recognised for their GG Hospitality empire, which includes the recently opened Rabbit in the Moon restaurant with Michael O'Hare.
Usher received one of three special achievement awards for successfully crowdfunding his second north-west-based restaurant, Burnt Truffle.
There were also awards for Living Ventures’ CEO Jeremy Roberts and group managing director Paul Moran for their work driving the business forwards after the loss of the company’s founder Tim Bacon last year.
Jimmy del Guidice & Mark McQuater were recognised for overhauling Revolution Bars Group, which saw like-for-like sales grow two per cent in the second half of 2016.
“This year’s list has shown steady churn with an influx of new entrants particularly from Yorkshire and the North East,” says Thom Hetherington, CEO of organisers Holden Media.
“I think that in terms of volume, variety and sheer quality Northern food and drink lovers have never had it so good.”
The NRB Top Fifty 2017 list in full:
(New entries in bold)
Sax Arshad, Director, Mughli
Haz Arshad, Director, Mughli
Adele Ashley, Owner / Head Chef, Filmore & Union
Paul Askew, Chef Patron, The Art School
Mohammed Aslam MBE, Owner, Aagrah Group
Rob Bacon, Executive Chef Director, Hickory's Smokehouse
Jason Bligh, Director, Hickory's Smokehouse
Neil McDonnell, Managing Director, Hickory's Smokehouse
John Welsh, Operations Director, Hickory's Smokehouse
Craig Bancroft, Managing Director, Northcote
Nigel Haworth, Chef Patron, Northcote
Tim Bird, Owner, Cheshire Cat Pub & Bars
Mary Mclaughlin, Owner, Cheshire Cat Pub & Bar
Ken Buckley, Managing Director, Bravo Inns
Marie Carter, Director, Beautiful Drinks
Beau Myers, Director, Beautiful Drinks
Paul Cogan, Group Finance & Resources Director, Betty & Taylors Group
Rachel Fellow, Group Communications Director, Betty & Taylors Group
Philip Hanson, Non Exec Director, Betty & Taylors Group
Clare Morrow, Non Exec Director, Betty & Taylors Group
Berenice Smith, Non Exec Director, Betty & Taylors Group
Lesley Wild, Chair of the Board, Betty & Taylors Group
Sarah Cook, Director, Vaulkhard Group
Harry Vaulkhard, Director, Vaulkhard Group
Oliver Vaulkhard, Director, Vaulkhard Group
Sue Crimes, MD, Gusto
Morgan Davies, Founder / CEO, Barburrito
Stewart Davies, Group Operations Director, GG Hospitality
Ryan Giggs, Director, GG Hospitality
Gary Neville, Director, GG Hospitality
Jimmy del Giudice, Operations Director, Revolution Bars Group plc
Mark McQuater, CEO, Revolution Bars Group plc
Carlo Distefano, Chairman, San Carlo Group
Marcello Distefano, Managing Director, San Carlo Group
James Douglas, Co Owner / Director, Reds True BBQ
Scott Munro, Co Owner / Director, Reds True BBQ
Roy Ellis, Director, Mission Mars
Neil Macleod, Director, Mission Mars
Dan Mullen, Director, Mission Mars
Joel Wilkinson, Director, Mission Mars
Adelaide Winter, Director, Mission Mars
John Ennis, Owner, Graffiti Spirit
Matthew, Farrell, Owner, Graffiti Spirit
Nick, Thomas, Owner, Graffiti Spirit
Ged Feltham, CEO, Leelex
Paul Lane, Managing Director, Leelex
Jobe Ferguson, Director, Blackdog Ballroom & The Liars Club
Lyndon Higginson, Director, Blackdog Ballroom & The Liars Club
Ross Mackenzie, Director, Blackdog Ballroom & The Liars Club
Duncan Fisher, Owner, Apartment Group
Kit Graves, Director, Lake District Hotels
Charles Graves, Director, Lake District Hotels
Dani Hope, Sales & Marketing Director, Lake District Hotels
John Gyngell, Director, North Bar / North Brewing Company
Christian Townsley, Director, North Bar / North Brewing Company
Jamie Hawksworth, Owner, Pivovar / The Tapped Brew Co
Jonathon Holdsworth, Founder, Pivovar / The Tapped Brew Co
Chris Hill, CEO, New World Trading Company
Chris Hopkins, MD, Hydes Brewery
Matthew Jones, Managing Director, Jones Bar Group
Ben Jones, Operations & Finance Director, Jones Bar Group
Ban Kaewkraikhot, Owner / head Chef, Sukhothai
Kim Kaewkraikhot, Chairwoman, Thai Leisure Group
Martin Stead, Owner, Thai Leisure Group
Terry Laybourne, Owner, 21 Hospitality Group
William Lees Jones, Managing Director, JW Lees
Colin Manning, Managing Partner, 60 Hope St
Gary Manning, Chef Patron, 60 Hope St
Tomas Maunier, Director, Fazenda Rodizio Bar & Grill
Robert Melman, Director, Fazenda Rodizio Bar & Grill
Stephen Miles, General Manager, Radisson Blu Edwardian Manchester
Paul Moran, Managing Director, Living Ventures
Jeremy Roberts, CEO, Living Ventures
Lucy Nelson, Sales & Marketing Director, Nelson Hotels
Andrew Nelson, Operations Director, Nelson Hotels
Joycelyn Neve, Managing Director, Seafood Pub Company
Michael O'Hare, Chef-Patron, The Man Behind the Curtain
Andrew Pern, Owner / Executive Chef, The Star at Harome/Star Inn The City
Steve Pilling, Co Owner, Damson Group
Simon Stanley, Co Owner, Damson Group
Jonathan Poole, Director, Red and Blue
Paddy Smith, Director, Red and Blue
Simon Potts, Managing Director, The Alchemist Bar & Restaurant
Oliver Robinson, Managing Director, Frederic Robinson
Simon Rogan, Co Owner, Umbel Restaurant Group
Franco Sotgiu, Co Owner, Solita
Chris Ure, Owner, Arc Inspirations
Martin Wolstencroft, Managing Director / Owner, Arc Inspirations
Gary Usher, Owner, Sticky Walnut
Steven Walker, CEO, Individual Restaurants
Marc Wilkinson, Chef Patron, Restaurant Fraiche