Raymond Blanc was honoured with a Lifetime Achievement award at the 2009-2010 AA Hospitality Awards last night.

At a ceremony held at the London Hilton Park Lane, the chef-proprietor of the two-Michelin-starred Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons in Oxfordshire headlined the evening's event.

He was recognised for his commitment to the highest quality of service and standards, his track record of constant improvement and unswerving dedication to customer care.

The award is the culmination of a successful year for Blanc, who also picked up the Lifetime Achievement Catey earlier this year.

Blanc told Caterersearch that he felt extremely privileged and proud to have won both awards.

“I have been in this country for 35 years and it has helped me enormously to become who I am,” he said. “I have given back by training so many craftsmen among them 25 Michelin-starred chefs, which is my proudest achievement.

“It has been a great year for me with Le Manoir celebrating its 25th anniversary and me picking up two top Lifetime Achievement awards. However, I’m nowhere near retirement – I love what I do and am involved in so many exciting projects.”

Among the other award winners were Chef's Chef of the Year Marcus Wareing, the two-Michelin-starred chef-patron of his eponymous restaurant at London’s Berkeley Hotel, and luxury hotel group Von Essen, which won the Hotel Group of the Year award.

Restaurant Sat Bains in Nottingham won the AA’s top accolade of five Rosettes. The Michelin-starred restaurant with rooms was the only restaurant to have been given the top award in the 2010 edition of the AA Guide.

See photos from the night here >>

2009-2010 WINNERS

Hotel Group of the Year – Von Essen
Small Hotel Group of the Year – Exclusive Hotels
Hotel of the Year (England) – Feversham Arms Hotel & Verbena Spa, Yorkshire
Hotel of the Year (Scotland) – The Gleneagles Hotel, Perthshire
Hotel of the Year (Wales) – Penmaenuchaf Hall Hotel, Snowdonia National Park
Hotel of the Year (London) – The Connaught, Mayfair
Restaurant of the Year (England) - Purnell's, Birmingham
Restaurant of the Year (Scotland) - Plumed Horse, Leith - Edinburgh
Restaurant of the Year (Wales) - Y Polyn, Carmarthenshire
Restaurant of the Year (London) - Corrigan's Mayfair, Mayfair
Pub of the Year (England) – The Trout at Tadpole Bridge, Faringdon - Oxfordshire
Pub of the Year (Scotland) – The Inn at Inverbeg, Luss - Glasgow
Pub of the Year (Wales) - The Queens Head, Llandudno
Wine Award (England) – The Old Bridge Hotel, Huntingdon - Cambridgeshire
Wine Award (Scotland) – The Cross at Kingussie, Kingussie
Wine Award (Wales) - The Bell at Skenfrith, Skenfrith - Monmouthshire
Chefs’ Chef of the Year Award – Marcus Wareing
Lifetime Achievement Award – Raymond Blanc
Five Rosettes – Restaurant Sat Bains, Nottingham
Four Rosettes – Hibiscus, London; The Connaught Hotel, London; and The Latymer at Pennyhill Park Hotel & Spa, Bagshot

Raymond Blanc wins Lifetime Achievement award at 2009 Cateys >>

Brasserie Blanc is first hospitality signatory to Primary Authority scheme >>

Raymond Blanc to star in two new BBC series >>

AA names new restaurant guide editor >>

By Kerstin Kühn

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