Richard Shepherd wins Lifetime Achievement Catey

Richard Shepherd of Langan’s Brasserie has won Caterer’s prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award at a ceremony held at London’s Grosvenor House hotel last night.

Around 900 of the most important decision makers in the hospitality industry were witness to  Shepherd’s triumph, topping a career that has spanned 47 years and has seen him build up a restaurant empire that also includes Odin’s, Shepherd’s, Langan’s and Coq d’Or.

Shepherd said: "I believe this to be a fabulous industry that has given me immense satisfaction. I have worked with some fabulous people and at the age of 62, after 47 years in the industry I'm now one of the old farts. I do like to think that with my colleagues and friends in the industry we have left a legacy for the future. This has been overwhelming and I would like to thank you deeply. It's fantastic."

Shepherd, who has won two Catey’s before – Restaurateur of the Year in 1984 and the Special Award in 1993 – joins a select bunch of past winners of the award, which is granted only every three years.

Previous Lifetime Achievement recipients include chef Anton Mosimann, food critic Egon Ronay and Le Gavroche legends Albert and Michel Roux.

On a night of high achievement, Cotswold House hotel - owned by Ian and Christina Taylor - became triple Catey winners by picking up the Best Independent Marketing Campaign for the second time in their career. This complements the Hotel of the Year – Independent title they picked up in 2005.

With Vincent Labeyrie and Pascal Aussignac of Michelin-starred London restaurant Club Gascon becoming 2007’s Restaurateur of the Year – Independent, Aussignac took his Catey tally to two, having won Newcomer of the Year in 1999.

The Special Award went to Peter Kay and Michael Quinn of charity the Ark Foundation, which provides support, education and counselling for drug and drink addiction.

Cateys 2007: Winners in full

• Best Group Marketing Campaign – The Dorchester
• Best Independent Marketing Campaign – Cotswold House Hotel
• Menu of the Year Award – L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon
• Pub and Bar Award – Paul Salisbury
• Best Use of Technology Award – Loughborough University
• Leisure and Tourism Award – Lord Marshall of Knightsbridge
• Food Service Caterer Award – Alastair Storey
• Public Service Caterer Award – Sue Hawkins
• Newcomer Award – The Hand and Flowers
• Chef Award – David Everitt-Matthias
• Hotel of the Year, Group – Malmaison Oxford
• Hotel of the Year, Independent – One Aldwych
• Education and Training Award – Sandra Gorman
• Restaurateur of the Year, Group – Robin Rowland
• Restaurateur of the Year, Independent – Pascal Aussignac and Vincent Labeyrie
• Manager of the Year – Debbie Taylor
• Special Award – Peter Kay and Michael Quinn, the Ark Foundation
• Lifetime Achievement Award – Richard Shepherd

Gordon Ramsay joins elite band of triple Catey winners >>

New Cateys website launched today >>

By Chris Druce

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