We're nearly at the end of the year and that means it's time for the publication of the New Year's Honours list and a quick scour through the list to see which people in the hospitality industry made the cut. This year, it's the turn of three well-known chefs, each getting themselves a shiny new MBE.
First up is Adam Handling, chef of The Frog in London and Ugly Butterfly in St Ives (which we recently paid a visit). He wins his MBE award for "services to Hospitality and International Trade". The first reason may seem fairly understandable, but if you're wondering about the "International Trade" part, it's all about him being an ambassador for the recent Great Britain and Northern Ireland campaign to promote British food to the world and also for his work in zero-waste solutions. Serving the food at the G7 in St Ives in 2021 won't have hurt either.
Of the award, Handling said, "It’s incredible to be appointed an MBE for two things that mean the most to me - education and hospitality. I always instil education, inspiration, motivation into my team - that’s our ethos and how we work every day. Inspiring not only my team but also our guests, the future of the industry and the wider public in terms of what British food is all about, in a sustainable and luxury manner, is what I set out to do and what I intend to continue to focus on."
Next is Simon Rogan who gets his award for "services to the Food Industry". While Rogan does have his restaurant Aulis in London, he's much better known for L'enclume in Cartmel, long regarded as one of the best restaurants in the UK.
Of his award, Rogan said, "It is a great honour to be recognised with an MBE and I’m proud to have made an impact on the hospitality landscape, all of which would not have been possible without my amazing team. The British dining scene has changed a lot in the last 20 years, and it has been invigorating to be a part of that, namely raising the profile of the ‘farm-to-fork’ way of growing and eating, and hopefully inspiring others to follow suit."
Finally, there's the great Jeremy Lee, best known for being the man behind Quo Vadis, itself getting a pretty major upgrade this year. The chef remains one of the most well-regarded chefs in London by both the public and notably by other big-name chefs, with his collaboration supperclubs being among the hottest tickets in town.
Follow the chefs on Instagram at @rogan_simon, @jeremyleeqv and @adamhandling.
See previous years' hospitality honours here
Adam Handling photo by Jason Alfred Palmer
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