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News
Party time
It’s been eight years since the Carlton restaurant awards were first served up. The drinks business attended the exclusive party to celebrate its continued success
THE STARS of London’s culinary scene gathered last month at Hakkasan to celebrate the Tio Pepe London Carlton Restaurant Awards. The members of The London Restaurant Academy, made up of all former award winners, were out in force to celebrate the eight years since the founding of the London Restaurant Awards.
TV chefs, Brian Turner, Jean-Christophe Novelli and Ainsley Harriet hugged and huddled together, arriving early along with Sir Terence and Lady Conran and a stream of others whose names make up the who’s who of the London Restaurant scene.
If terrorists had struck that night London restaurant goers would have gone hungry for a good few months. This was the first time that the Academy had come together, a chance for both the sponsors, Carlton TV and Tio Pepe, to demonstrate their appreciation to the restaurateurs, chefs and sommeliers that have given their continued support to these prestigious awards.
Organisers were very pleased to announce on the night the judging panel for 2004; Matthew Fort (Chair), Charles Campion, Terry Durack, Tracey MacLeod, Fay Maschler, Matthew Norman, Jay Rayner and Amy Wislocki.
Plus the ongoing support of principle sponsor Tio Pepe, embarking on its second year with the awards, and additional sponsors Villeroy & Boch, Ty Nant, Riedel, Bouchard Père et Fils and William Fevre.
Next year’s awards will see the creation of a new award for the burgeoning category of gastro pubs, plus the national cuisine award this year will be looking at the culinary delights of North, South and Central America.
In addition, the London Restaurant Academy Award of Excellence will this year be turning its attention to set menus. Nominations for the 2004 awards will be announced at a special event on January 13 and the awards dinner will take place on March 8 next year.
The drinks business is delighted to be working as trade publishing partner with the awards to produce an exclusive awards special which will published on March 8 and sent out to our on-trade readership.