In renaming his hotel restaurant after its chef-director Sat Bains, Hotel des Clos owner Daniel Ralley showed complete confidence in Bains's ability to attract attention. And it wasn't long before the food at Restaurant Sat Bains repaid that faith, earning the operation a Michelin star early last year and leaving last year's enraptured Catey judges in no doubt as to whom they were going to pick as the winner of the Menu of the Year award.
What particularly impressed them about the menu, making it stand out from the 11 other shortlisted restaurants, was the marriage of creativity and accessibility, as well as Bains's superb judgement of flavours.
They were also wowed by Bains's radical decision to replace the … la carte and set-price menus at dinner with a series of d‚gustation ones. The move could have backfired, but it was precisely the intense variety of the menu that the judges praised.
A recent menu included such choices as roast scallop combined with Indian spices, tartare and lime jelly; an amuse-bouche of hot butternut soup poured over a cold Parmesan sorbet, topped with a shaving of white truffle; and a recent Bains favourite, ballotine of foie gras with cherries, citrus fruits, rocket, candied nuts, pain d'‚pice and Banyuls syrup.
Restaurant Sat Bains was the first Midlands restaurant to win this category, joining the ranks of previous winners such as the Glasshouse at Kew, London, and Bruno's in Dublin.
This year, the Menu of the Year Catey will again be chosen from the 12 menus shortlisted by judges from all those featured in the Menuwatch pages of Caterer. London restaurants have a strong presence on the shortlist but, as ever, all locations are in the mix - as are many styles of cuisine.
The judges will be choosing from a rich selection of some of the most exciting and most talked-about menus created in the past year, all of which have fulfilled the criteria of innovation, good use of seasonal produce and, of course, value for money. But though all the menus shortlisted can call themselves special, the overall winner will have to prove to the judges that it offers that little bit more. The final decision will be made at the Conrad London hotel on Friday 7 May.
Sponsored by Quorn
Sponsor's message:
Quorn is delighted to be supporting the Cateys for the third time this year, and is proud to be sponsoring the category of Menu of the Year.
This prestigious Catey is awarded for a balanced, stylish menu that demonstrates true skill and flair, and uses a range of ingredients to produce an appropriately priced menu that is truly suited to the restaurant's customers.
Quorn fully recognises the creativity and dedication that is required to create a successful menu, and this award poses the opportunity to give due recognition and praise to those restaurants that have excelled in the field of menu development.