Chef and restaurateur Gordon Ramsay swept the board at last night’s Harpers & Queen & Moët Restaurant Awards, held at Floridita restaurant in London.
The chef won two awards for his new restaurant, Maze, where Jason Atherton is head chef, and one for himself.
Judges of the awards praised Atherton for reinventing fine dining and Maze for bringing new life to a stuffy part of the capital’s Mayfair.
Ramsay’s vintage year award was thanks to two London restaurant openings, launches in Toyko and New York, as well as several TV series, a book and newspaper column.
School meals campaigner Jamie Oliver won chef of the year, and despite diversifying into many other areas, both he and Ramsay were praised for maintaining their high standards of cooking.
Awards in full:
Restaurant of the year (London): Maze
Restaurant of the year (outside London): Midsummer House, Cambridge
Newcomer of the year: Maze
Chef of the year: Jamie Oliver
Sommelier of the year: Alessandro Marchesan for Zuma, Rocha and Shochu Lounge in London
Premier Crew Award for best front of house team: Belvedere (Julie Blay), London
Best scene: Cocoon, London
Vintage year: Gordon Ramsay
by Chris Druce