The Editor's Hospitality Blog

Two very important sets of awards are unveiled tonight at London's Royal Lancaster hotel.

This evening, hotel employees from all around Britain will be recognised for their work at the 2008 Hotel Cateys and we will also be unveiling the 2008 Caterer and Hotelkeeper Hotelier of the Year in association with Louis Jadot.

To find out who will be 2007 Hotelier of the Year Michael Gray's successor and to get all the Hotel Cateys results, be sure to log on to caterersearch.com at around 11.30pm tonight!

The hotel industry celebrated in style last night at Caterer and Hotelkeeper's second Hotel Cateys at The Royal Lancaster Hotel in London.

The evening kicked off with a Two Ronnies routine from Peter Hancock, chief executive of Pride of Britain Hotels and David Morgan Hewitt, general manager of the Goring hotel, who had the room howling with laugher.

Big winners for the night included, John Williams, executive chef of The Ritz, London who took home the Outstanding Contribution to the Industry Award and Andrew McKenzie who took home the title of 2008 Caterer and Hotelkeeper Hotelier of the Year. 

Winners list in full:

Outstanding Contribution to the Industry
John Williams, executive head chef, The Ritz, London

Conference and Banqueting Manager or Team of the Year Award
Rudding Park conference and banqueting team, Harrogate, Yorkshire  Supplier

Food and Wine Service Award
Gary Clarke, The Chester Grosvenor and Spa, Chester

Food and Beverage Manager of the Year Award
Richard Ellison, The Old Course Hotel, Fife

Front of House Manager Award
Carly Taylor, Ston Eaton Park Hotel, Bath

Front of House Team of the Year Award
Jurys Inn, Manchester

Green Hotel of the Year Award
Bedruthan Steps, Cornwall

Hotel Chef of the Year (less than 250 covers)
Simon Radley, The Chester Grosvenor and Spa, Chester

Hotel Chef of the Year (more than 250 covers)
Anthony Marshall, London Hilton Park Lane

Hotel Restaurant Manager of the Year
Loris Lucchini, The Chesterfield Mayfair

Hotel Restaurant Team of the Year
The Granary Beefeater and Peterborough (Ferry Meadows) Premier Inn

Housekeeper of the Year
Jean Robers, Hotel du Vin, Harrogate

Human Resources Manager of the Year
Sean Wheeler, Malmaison and Hotel du Vin

Human Resources Team of the Year
The Dorchester, London

Spa Manager of the Year
Nicola Williams, Malmaison Birmingham

Extra Mile Award
Premier Inn Gloucester East (Barnwood)

The celebrations carried on into the evening with the guests pulling some moves on the dance floor... check out the photos from the night below.

 You can also watch footage from the awards ceremony here.

Well, what a way to end the week! News has just come into Caterer HQ that senior features writer, Tom Vaughan has walked away with two prizes at the Periodicals Training Council's New Journalist of the Year Awards at an annual ceremony held in London today.

Tom, who saw off stiff competition from other journalists from other top publishers including, CMP, Haymarket and Emap, clinched the PTC new business features journalist of the year award as well bagging the overall prize.

Judges described Vaughan's work as "well-constructed, interesting and thoroughly enjoyable".

Well done Tom!

Read the full list of winners here

Caterer's newly crowned Hotelier of the Year Andrew McKenzie and Tobias Elwood, the Shadow Culture Secretary, are among the senior industry figures taking part in a Question Time debate at the St Julian Scholars autumn meeting and dinner this Friday.

The meeting is being held at the Hyatt Regency Churchill hotel in London's Portman Square and will see the panellists - including British Hospitality Association chief executive Bob Cotton, Peter Hancock, the chief executive of Pride of Britain Hotels and London chef restaurateur Chris Galvin - taking questions from the floor.

Most St Julian's Scholars are hotel general managers, or senior assistant managers, who have successfully completed Master Innholder scholarships at Cranfield, Cornell or Lausanne.

It's only November and Christmas is already hitting the high street in a big way, and if you looking for inspiration for this year's festivities, Caterer has two pairs of tickets to Taste of Christmas with Gordon Ramsay.

Taste of Christmas is launched in partnership with Taste Festival and Channel 4 and will celebrate the best in Christmas food, drink and entertaining at London's Excel Centre in East London on 4-7 December.

Vistors will be able to visit some of Gordon Ramsay's restaurants in site including Jason Atherton's Maze and the newly opened York & Albany, with Angela Hartnett.

Visitors to the show will be able to try out a number of foodie treats and take part cookery demonstrations and wine tasting, all leaving you with a warm Christmas glow.

To get your hands on a free pair of tickets, send your name, address and contact number to info@caterersearch.com with "Taste of Christmas" in the subject line.

The closing date for entry is midday Monday 1 December, so hurry and get your entry in.

Winners will be picked randomly and notified by telephone or e-mail.

The initiative was thought up by Restaurant Association's chairman Bob Walton is supported by Hospitality Action and children's charity the Variety Club.

Ross was on top form when he arrived to speak at the champagne and canape event and quipped he was happy that the Met police allowed him out of witness protection to attend.

He praised the Meal Appeal which urges restaurants and hotels to add a discretionary £1 to customers' bills as donation to help sick, disabled and disadvantaged children and those in the hospitality industry who have fallen on hard times.

Ross also took time out during the event to give a special message to the hospitality industry urging them to take up the scheme.

Many hotels and restuarants have already taken up the scheme including The Vineyard at Stockcross, Von Essen hotels and London Fine Dining Group.