Angela Hartnett wins Caterer and Hotelkeeper's coveted Chef award

Angela Hartnett was one of the big winners at last night's Cateys, picking up the sought after Chef award.

Angela, who is chef-patron of the Michelin-starred Murano as well as the York & Albany in London, became the first female chef in the Cateys' 26-year history to receive the prestigious accolade.

It's fantastic to see a woman recognised in the traditionally testosterone-fuelled world of professional cooking and Angela truly deserves her status as the first female chef to win the Chef Catey.

She beat off fellow Gordon Ramsay Holdings chef Jason Atherton of the Michelin-starred Maze and John Williams of the Ritz to win the coveted award.

The "F" word (female, not her boss, Gordon Ramsay's, trademark expletive), is an ongoing issue for Angela and she says there are still so few women in the hospitality industry.

"If being a woman is one of the assets that make you stand out because you're in a male environment, and as good a chef as, if not better than, a man, then use it. It's part of who you are," she told Caterer last year.

"I'm not saying parade yourself naked through the kitchen - but women have certain attributes that blokes don't have and vice versa. I don't see it as a problem."

See the full list of the 2009 Catey winners here.

UPDATE

Angela winning the Chef award has made headlines beyond the hospitality industry.

The Evening Standard says: "Hartnett beats the boys to be named top chef at food Oascars", while Bloomberg writes: "Hartnett becomes first woman to win UK chef award". The Daily Telegraph says: "Hartnett has become the first female chef to win a 'Catey', one of the highest accolades in the restaurant world."

Picture supplied by Jonathan Player/Rex Features.