A 24-year-old molecular chef from Leeds has become the youngest winner of the overall Excellence Award at the annual Restaurant Rémy Awards.

Anthony Flinn, from Anthony’s Restaurant at 19 Boar Street, Leeds, was crowned the best newcomer from the 10 regional and 10 London award-winners.

The awards are organised by Champagne Cognac producer Remy Martin and Harden’s UK Restaurants guide and are based on reviews by Harden’s readers.

Flinn’s scientific approach to cooking was inspired by the two years he spent working under Ferran Adria at the El Bulli restaurant in Spain. He is the only English chef to have been on the avant garde restaurant’s payroll.

“Anthony Flinn is making bigger waves earlier in his career than any major chef in recent memory, and that includes Marco Pierre White, the previous Leeds prodigy who erupted on the scene aged 25, and Gordon Ramsay, who was first noticed at 27,” said Richard Harden, editor of Harden’s UK Restaurants 2005.

“It’s obviously early days, but it’s difficult to disagree with one of the survey reporters who claimed Anthony is the next star in the British cooking firmament.”

Anthony’s has won local recognition since it was opened just eight months ago by the chef’s father Anthony (who shares the same date, time and place of birth as his son). It is currently booked up for the next three months.

It was voted Restaurant of the Year by Yorkshire Life and Flinn junior won a business and enterprise young achiever award from Yorkshire charity NCH Children’s Trust.

The menu at Anthony’s includes roast langoustines with fennel tea consommé, roast duck with chocolate and olive oil bonbon, and peanut ice cream with artichoke caramel.

The Restaurant Rémy Awards were presented yesterday by Albert Roux and last year’s overall winner Tom Aikens.

Winners: regional restaurants
Jessica’s, Edgbaston, Birmingham
The Ebb, Padstow, Cornwall
Thai Terrace, Guildford, Surrey
The Seafood Restaurant, St. Andrews, Scotland 
Due South, Brighton
The London Carriage Works, Liverpool
Cedar Tree, Manchester
The Falcon, Poulton, Gloucestershire
The Crab, Chieveley, Berkshire

Winners: London restaurants
Patterson’s, Mayfair
1880, Kensington
Morgan M, Islington
Yauatcha, Soho 
Lanes Restaurant & Bar, City of London
Frontline Club, Paddington T
The Coach & Horses Pub and Dining Room, Clerkenwell
Latium, Fitzrovia
Le Cercle, Chelsea
Notting Hill Brasserie, Notting Hill

by Angela Frewin

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