Notting Hill's tiny restaurant, Marianne scooped the main award for Top Gastronomic Experience fending off stiff competition from Brett Graham's renowned Notting Hill restaurant The Ledbury, Shoreditch's now world-famous Clove Club and Phil Howard's latest venture Elystan Street in Chelsea.
The Theatre,Hippodrome Casino
Peter Harden, editor of the Harden’s restaurant guide, said: “Marianne’s performance in the Harden’s survey was so strong this year, we felt she deserved to be recognised at the pinnacle of London cuisine, despite hugely impressive performances from all the other shortlisted candidates."
Last year the award went to London's most expensive restaurant The Araki in Mayfair.
Lifetime Achievement Award
This year’s special Lifetime Achievement Award went to Chris Corbin and Jeremy King for their work which includes launching Le Caprice in 1981 which the duo followed up with the Ivy in 1990 - both are now owned by Caprice Holdings. The award, sponsored by The Hippodrome Casino, acknowledges an industry figure whose ventures have performed exceptionally well in the Harden's survey over many years. Last year this prestigious honour went to Bruce
Poole, chef-patron of Balham's “unfailingly outstanding” neighbourhood classic, Chez Bruce.
New to this year was the addition of a brand new category, Best for Fish & Seafood, sponsored by Exmoor Caviar with West End's glamorous Estiatorio Milos winning the award.
Canapes
This year's event was introduced by editor of the Harden’s restaurant guide, Peter Harden before handing over to food and drink broadcaster, Nigel Barden who hosted the event which was held at the Hippodrome Casino in Leicester Square.
Once the awards were given out coffee and dessert canapés were served in the Heliot lounge before an after party took place on the roof terrace to finish the day.
Nominations for this year’s awards were taken from Harden's 27-year-old annual survey of UK restaurant-goers. This year 8,500 people contributed 50,000 nominations within the categories specified by Harden's.
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