- AA Pub of the Year – Penhelig Arms, Aberdyfi
- AA Restaurant of the Year – Inver Restaurant
- AA Hotel of the Year – Cromlix Hotel, Dunblane
- AA Hotel of the Year England – Northcote, Langho
- AA Hotel of the Year NI – Manor House Country Hotel, Enniskillen
- AA Restaurant of the Year Scotland – Inver Restaurant, Strachur
- AA Wine Award for Scotland – The Kitchin, Edinburgh
- AA Pub of the Year for Scotland – The Ship Inn, Elie
- AA Eco Hotel – Battlesteads Hotel, Hexham
AA Housekeeper of the Year Award – Nan McDowall, Crewe Hall, Crewe
AA College Restaurant Award – Foxholes Restaurant, Runshaw College
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CUMBRIAN chef Simon Rogan scooped the prestigious title of ‘Chef of the Year 2016’ at the AA Hospitality Awards ceremony, held at Grosvenor House Hotel in London.
Rogan, who owns L’Enclume in Cartmel, Cumbria, Fera at London’s Claridges, the French at the Midland hotel in Manchester and his own farm, beat some tough competition – including Angela Hartnett, the chef proprietor of Murano in Mayfair, London, and fellow northerner, Michelin-starred chef Nigel Haworth of Northcote, Ribble Valley to bag the title voted for by AA-Rosette-awarded chefs.
Last month, Simon and his partner Penny Tapsell also scooped the Good Food Guide’s ‘Restaurant of the Year’ for the fourth year running, adding to his three Michelin stars and numerous other accolades.
Chef Pierre Koffmann was honoured with the AA Lifetime Achievement Award. Koffmann, began his career working for Michel and Albert Roux at Le Gavroche, he became head chef at the Roux Brothers’ Waterside Inn at Bray. In 1977, he opened La Tante Claire in London. It quickly gained a reputation as one of the best dining experiences in London. In the 1990s, he took up residency in the Berkeley Hotel in Knightsbridge, where he continued to cook until he retired in 2003. In 2009, he made a comeback running a pop-up version of La Tante Claire on the roof of Selfridges and that pop-up inspired him to make an unexpected return to The Berkeley Hotel.
Meanwhile, five rosettes were awarded to Hélène Darroze at the Connaught, London, Casamia restaurant in Bristol, Restaurant Story in London and Jason Atherton’s flagship restaurant Pollen Street Social, also in London.
Restaurants to pick up four rosettes on the night were the Whitebrook in Monmouth, Wales, Winteringham Fields in Lincolnshire, Number One the Balmoral, Edinburgh, Hampton Manor, Solihull, Paul Ainsworth at No 6, Padstow, the Black Swan at Oldstead, Yorkshire, Five Fields in London, and Orwells, Henley-on-Thames.
Five new five red star hotels were also announced: The Royal Crescent Hotel and Spa, Bath, South Lodge, Lower Beeding, Horsham, the Bath Priory Hotel, Restaurant and Spa, Bath, Rosewood London, and Ashford Castle, Cong, County Mayo, Ireland.
Judges, including AA inspectorate and industry professionals, selected the winners in recognition of excellence and success within their chosen category, having shown a significant improvement in the preceding 12 – 18 months and proving their dedication to raising industry standards and enhancing both their guest and diner experiences. All the winners will appear in the latest edition of the 2017 AA Hotel, Restaurant and Pub Guides, also launched at the ceremony.
Guests at the awards, hosted by Hugh Dennis, were treated to a gastronomic menu created by the 2015 AA ‘Chef of the Year’, Daniel Clifford.
The full list of winners:
AA Hotel of the Year
AA Hotel of the Year for England – Northcote, Langho, Blackburn
AA Hotel of the Year for Wales – The Angel Hotel, Abergavenny
AA Hotel of the Year for Scotland – Cromlix Hotel, Dunblane
AA Hotel of the Year for London – The Beaumont
AA Hotel of the Year for Northern Ireland – Manor House Country Hotel, Enniskillen
AA Restaurant of the Year
AA Restaurant of the Year for England – Lumière, Cheltenham
AA Restaurant of the Year for Wales – Restaurant James Sommerin, Penarth
AA Restaurant of the Year for Scotland – Inver Restaurant, Strachur
AA Restaurant of the Year for London – Sosharu, London
AA Wine Award
AA Wine Award for England and Overall Winner – Sketch, London
AA Wine Award for Scotland – The Kitchin, Edinburgh
AA Wine Award for Wales – The Whitebrook, Whitebrook
AA Pub of the Year
AA Pub of the Year for England – The Boot, Repton
AA Pub of the Year for Wales – Penhelig Arms, Aberdyfi
AA Pub of the Year for Scotland – The Ship Inn, Elie
AA Hotel Group of the Year
Winner – Thwaites Shire Hotels
AA Eco Hotel and Eco Hotel Group of the Year
AA Eco Hotel – Battlesteads Hotel, Hexham
AA Eco Hotel Group – AccorHotels
AA Food Service Award
The Ritz London
AA Housekeeper of the Year Award
Nan McDowall, Crewe Hall, Crewe
AA College Restaurant Award
Foxholes Restaurant, Runshaw College
New five rosette restaurants:
Hélène Darroze at the Connaught, London
Casamia Restaurant, Bristol
Restaurant Story, London
Pollen Street Social, London
- New four rosette restaurants:
The Whitebrook, Whitebrook
Winteringham Fields, Winteringham
Number One The Balmoral, Edinburgh
Hampton Manor, Solihull
Paul Ainsworth at No 6, Padstow
Orwells, Henley-on-Thames
The Black Swan at Olstead, Yorkshire
The Five Fields, London
- New Five Red Star hotels:
The Royal Crescent Hotel and Spa, Bath
South Lodge, Lower Beeding, Horsham
The Bath Priory Hotel, Restaurant and Spa, Bath
Rosewood London
Ashford Castle, Cong, County Mayo, ROI
