The chef, food writer and sustainability campaigner - who co-created the Mexican chain after winning the 2005 series of BBC’s MasterChef - was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for services to the food industry.
Alison Brittain, chief executive of Whitebread, was awarded a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for services to business. The former banker joined the hospitality giant in 2016 and oversaw the sale of its Costa chain to Coca Cola for £3.9bn this year.
There were also a CBE for Roger Whiteside, CEO of bakery chain Greggs, for services to women and equality. In 2017 he was commended by the The Women’s Business Council and Management Today for promoting gender equality in the company.
Other awards
This year five members of the hospitality industry were made Members of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for their achievements.
Nisha Katona, founder and director of Mowgli Street Food, received the award for services to the food industry. Katona opened the first Mowgli in Liverpool in 2014 and has since grown the business to five sites.
There were also MBE’s for Mark Hill, executive chef at the House of Commons, for services to parliament and the catering industry, and Finlay Spratt, catering office, Northern Ireland prison service, for public service and charity.
Judith Fish, owner of The Applecross Inn in Wester Ross, Scotland, received an MBE for services to tourism in the Highlands and to the community.
Rajinder Singh Bajwe was recognised for services to the hospitality industry and charity in Glasgow.
There were two new Medallists of the Order of the British Empire (BEM). Eithne Marian Begley, deputy catering manager at the youth justice agency, Northern Ireland executive, was recognised for services to the youth justice system and young people in custody.
Sherley Forde, catering assistant at the cabinet office, was made a BEM for public service.
In total 1,148 people were recognised in the awards, 544 of which were women.
Last year chef Rick Stein was made a CBE in the 2018 New Years' Honours List for services to the economy.
