‘Blown away’ – Chefs react to AA Awards success

There were also a host of individual awards for pubs, hotels, restaurants and other industry professionals.

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After everybody had enjoyed a sublime five-course meal courtesy of Adam Smith and the awards were handed out, we spoke with some of the chefs.

Gareth Ward –

On winning Chefs’ Chef of the Year, Gareth said: “I’m blown away. It’s amazing. Everybody in that room is a big part of the industry and for them to vote for me as chef of the year is amazing, huge.”

Asked how big this award feels compared to others he has won in his career, Gareth added: “It’s up there. They’re all very special. You don’t ever take them for granted.

“I’m super humble to win anything. They’re all really important.”

Jean Delport –

South African Jean Delport capped a memorable year, where he cooked two dishes at the Great British Menu banquet on debut, by picking up two honours for his work at Restaurant Interlude.

They won the best restaurant with rooms award for the whole of the UK, and also received four AA rosettes.

“The team has been working hard for the last 18 months or so,” Jean said.

“We’re really transformed. It’s really good.

“It’s been a big year. Hopefully we can bring it forward a bit more and carry it on, but in hard times it has been something fun for us to look back at and enjoy.

“The team is carrying on getting stronger and stronger. Now we aim for more.”

He added: “When we started off (this year), four rosettes was definitely the goal. Five is going to be the goal now.

“To get the restaurant with rooms award for the whole of the UK is outstanding for us. We’re only a small team, out in West Sussex, so for us to get that and be recognised countrywide is absolutely phenomenal for us.”

Tom Barnes –

Skof in Manchester also took home two honours.

Tom Barnes’s restaurant, which won a Michelin star earlier this year, was named restaurant of the year for the UK, and also claimed three AA rosettes.

“I’m buzzing,” he said.

“It’s been brilliant. It’s class to be here with our team as well. It’s just amazing. To win restaurant of the year is a quality thing, so I’m really happy.”

He added: “The highlight of the night was I saw Phil Howard, I used to work for him years ago and he came over and gave me a hug and said he thinks what we’re doing looks really good.

“That was great for me, because he’s a guy I’ve got so much respect for and I’ve not seen him for such a long time. That was a real highlight of the year for me.”

Asked about the restaurant’s success this year, Tom said: “We’re trying our best. The main thing is to stay busy.

“We’ve been so supported in Manchester, by the local industry and the locals in Manchester as well, who have all booked tables with us.

“We’ve been so busy since we began and people have really got behind us. I massively appreciate the support from them all.”