Heston Blumenthal, chef-proprietor of the Fat Duck in Bray, Berkshire, was declared an inspirational role model when he was voted last year's Independent Restaurateur of the Year by the Catey judges.
A self-taught chef, Blumenthal opened the Fat Duck seven years ago without the benefit of investors, working up to 110 hours a week at first in order to develop the business. The hard work paid off, and he has since been awarded two Michelin stars and five AA rosettes for his food, and he opened his second restaurant, the Riverside Brasserie, also in Bray, in October last year.
Blumenthal's revolutionary approach to cooking has led him to become one of the most talked-about chefs in Britain. His menu, based on his interest in molecular gastronomy - the study of the science of food, cooking and eating - has become a huge success with the public and Michelin and AA inspectors alike, and has earned him much critical acclaim.
Legendary creations include such combinations as smoky bacon ice-cream, and white chocolate and caviar buttons. One Catey judge declared the chef's mustard ice-cream with a cabbage gazpacho as "stunning", while another said: "He is like Anton Mosimann was 20 years ago and Marco Pierre White 10 years ago: chefs want to be like him."
Blumenthal's cooking ability was not the only thing that impressed the judges, however. One of the qualities looked for in this category is hard work and passion, plus the ability to ride the ups and downs of the volatile restaurant market with flair, creativity and business acumen.
But Blumenthal's passion for culinary science doesn't stop there. His interest in how ingredients work together has led him to become involved in setting up a molecular gastronomy research centre at Bristol University, due to open next year.
So what did winning a Catey mean to the chef? "The big thing for me is the recognition from my peers, especially with what we've been doing here," he says. "It's an individual path we've taken, and the acceptance from the senior people in the industry is a great confidence booster. We've still got a long way to go in the development path and the award is a nice shot in the arm."
Judges' criteria
* Candidates must demonstrate the ability to combine flair and innovation with good business acumen.
* They must be setting standards to which others can aspire.
* They should be making a valuable contribution to the restaurant industry, either by lobbying on its behalf or developing links with colleagues, or by making a mark in other ways.
This year's winner will be announced at the Catey Awards on Tuesday 1st July.
Previous Winners:
2002 Heston Blumenthal
2001 Shaun Hill
2000 Andrew Radford
1999 Annie & Germain Schwab
1998 Terry Laybourne
1997 Paul Heathcote
1996 Michael Gill
1995 Sally Clarke
1994 Sir Terence Conran & Joel Kissin
1993 Christopher Corbin & Jeremy King
1992 Nick Smallwood & Simon Slater
1991 David Levin
1990 Peter, Tom & Eugene McCoy
1989 David Wilson
1988 Albert Roux
1987 Victor Sassie
1986 Pierre Martin
1985 Michel Roux
1984 Richard Shepherd
Sponsored by: Brakes
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