Mark Birchall Chef Patron of the two Michelin-starred Moor Hall takes the crown this year and joins an all-star list of chefs who have been awarded the accolade over the years including Jason Atherton, Tom Kerridge, Nathan Outlaw and Daniel Clifford.
On winning such huge acknowledgement from his peers, Mark Birchall commented: “Thank you so much. It means a lot. It’s lovely to be among so many people. I’m very lucky I’ve got a great team around me.”
John Williams MBE, Executive Chef of The Ritz London, who picked up of the Lifetime Achievement Award said: “It is truly the greatest honour to have been recognized by the AA, the leading authority in the hospitality industry, thank you! I’m over the moon. I’ve been the Executive Chef at The Ritz since 2004 with my main objective to run the best hotel restaurant and offer the finest hospitality in Great Britain"
He added: "I’m very lucky to have a brilliant brigade of Chefs working with me, whose passion is to deliver the very best experience to every guest who comes into The Ritz Restaurant, every day. It’s been a challenging couple of years, but I really believe the entire experience that we are offering in The Restaurant is the best it has ever been.”
Commenting on this year's awards, Managing Director of AA Media Simon Numphud, said: "This year, the AA has seen firsthand just how hard teams are working to deliver great hospitality and service to the guests. Our inspection teams were once again impressed with the quality of service demonstrated by many establishments, and their hard working staff, from hotels to spas, restauranteurs to managers, housekeepers to chefs."
He added: "Let's take a moment and applaud the millions of dedicated hospitality professionals in the UK and beyond and celebrate their exemplary commitment and focus have always been cast."
New four AA Rosettes
Bohemia Restaurant, St Helier, Jersey
The Dining Room at Whatley Manor, Malmesbury, Wiltshire
Edinbane Lodge, Edinbane, Highland
The Fernery at The Grove, Narberth, Pembrokeshire
The Glenturret Lalique Restaurant, Crieff, Perth & Kinross
Grace & Savour, Solihull, West Midlands
The Ledbury, London W11
Ormer Mayfair, London W1
Social Eating House, London W1
New 3 Rosettes
Arkle at Chester Grosvenor, Chester, Cheshire
The Chubby Castor, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire
Coast Restaurant, Saundersfoot, Pembrokeshire
The Dipping Lugger, Ullapool, Highland
The Dower House Restaurant at the Royal Crescent Hotel, Bath, Somerset
The Flitch of Bacon, Little Dunmow, Essex
The Great House, Lavenham, Suffolk
HAAR, St Andrews, Fife
Hammer & Pincers, Wymeswold, Leicestershire
The Jackdaw, Conwy
Langshott Manor, Horley, Surrey
The Loch & the Tyne by Adam Handling, Old Windsor, Berkshire
New Yard Restaurant, Helston, Cornwall
Opheem, Birmingham, West Midlands
Rafters Restaurant, Sheffield, South Yorkshire
Restaurant 22, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire
Restaurant 8, Birmingham, West Midlands
Restaurant Folium, Birmingham, West Midlands
The Seacliff Restaurant, Sandy Cove Hotel, Ilfracombe, Devon
The Sir Charles Napier, Chinnor, Oxfordshire
The Victoria Oxshott, Leatherhead, Surrey
White Swan at Fence, Burnley, Lancashire
See the full list of winners:
The winners of the AA Hospitality Awards 2022 are:
Chefs’ Chef
• Mark Birchall, Chef Patron of Moor Hall, Aughton, Lancashire
Restaurant of the Year
• England – Socius, Burnham Market, Norfolk
• London – Chez Bruce, London SW17
• Wales – Gem 42, Newport
• Scotland – The Cellar, Anstruther, Fife
Hotel of the Year
• England – Grantley Hall, Ripon, North Yorkshire
• London – Pan Pacific London, London EC3
• Wales – Llanerch Vineyard, Hensol, South Wales
• Scotland – The Balmoral, Edinburgh
• Northern Ireland – The Rabbit Hotel & Retreat, Templepatrick, County Antrim
Restaurant with Rooms
• England – The Angel at Hetton, North Yorkshire
• Wales – Crug Glâs Country House, Solva, Pembrokeshire
• Scotland – The Bonnie Badger, Gullane, East Lothian Spa
Hotel of the Year
• Lime Wood, Lyndhurst, Hampshire
Hotel Group of the Year
• The Pig Group
SmallHotel Group of the Year
• Iconic Luxury Hotels
Accessible Award
• Rudding Park, Harrogate, North Yorkshire
Sustainable Award
• Swinton Estate, Masham, North Yorkshire
Food Service Award
• Hélène Darroze at The Connaught, London W1
Wine Award
• England – The Vineyard, Newbury, Berkshire
• Wales – The Grove, Narberth, Pembrokeshire
• Scotland – UNALOME by Graeme Cheevers, Glasgow
College Restaurant of the Year
• Senara Restaurant, Truro & Penwith College
Lifetime Achievement Award
• John Williams MBE
Outstanding Contribution Award
• Northcote: Obsession, Langho, Lancashire
Housekeeper of the Year
• Diane Payne from Rockliffe Hall in Darlington, County Durham
