Now we were going to lead this week’s news with the entirely proper and grown-up news item about Angela Hartnett’s big award. But then we read this story about Britain’s Got Talent star Stavros Flatley being booked to perform a series of gigs at The Real Greek restaurants for the not inconsiderable sum of £100k. Dinner and a floor show – now that’s what we call a good night out. We’ll bring you more news of where and when Stavros will be performing when we get them.
Back to business. It’s been a huge week for Angela Hartnett of Murano who on Tuesday became the first women to win the influential Cateys Top Chef award. Run by industry magazine Caterer Search, it’s the Oscars of the restaurant world (as chef Michael Caines told us when we nabbed him just before the event kicked off for an interview). Hartnett told the award organisers, ‘It’s incredible and great to be chosen by your peers.’ She was also proud to be compared to previous award winners, saying ‘and to be next to [people like Phil [Howard of The Square], David [Everitt-Matthias of Le Champignon Sauvage], Marcus [Wareing] and John [Campbell of The Vineyard at Stockcross] – it’s fantastic. I honestly thought Jason [Atherton of Maze] was going to win it this year. He’ll do it next year.’
Other London-based chefs recognised in the awards were Tom Pemberton of Hereford Road and Xavier Rousset and Aggi Sverisson of Texture who were both shortlisted for best newcomer, Maze’s Jason Atherton and Ritz Executive Head Chef John Williams who were pipped to Best Chef by Hartnett as well as Claude and Claire Bosi from Hibiscus and Chris and Jeff Galvin for Galvin at Windows who were both shortlisted for Best Restaurant but lost out to Edinburgh eateries The Witchery by the Castle.
More things we learned this week:
- Chef Aldo Zilli’s three-year-old son can make a better omelette than Tesco
- Meat and fat is good for you – that’s what the American author of a new best-selling book says and we don’t care what her credentials are, it sounds about right to us.
- ...but if you’re not convinced, maybe you’re one of the new band of ‘flexitarians’ who are eating less meat in a bid to be more health and eco conscious.
