AA Hospitality Awards 2025 round-up: Gareth Ward voted top chef
Gareth Ward became the latest name added to the prestigious AA Chefs’ Chef of the Year roll of honour, taking top spot at the aa hospitality awards 2025.
Gareth is chef owner at Ynyshir Restaurant with Rooms in the Rhondda Valley in Wales, which holds five AA rosettes and is the only establishment in Wales to hold two Michelin stars.
He came out on top among a shortlist of esteemed peers, including the likes of Aktar Islam, Brett Graham and Clare Smyth, with the winner voted for by chefs who hold AA rosettes.
Recent winners include Paul Ainsworth, Tom Aikens and Mark Birchall.
Gareth was just one of many winners as the best and brightest in British hospitality came together at JW Marriott Grosvenor House for AA Hospitality’s flagship event.
The glittering evening was hosted by television and radio personality Vernon Kay, who entertained the near 1,000 guests in the room, after they had been treated to a stunning dinner courtesy of chef Adam Smith, from Woven at Coworth Park.
This year was the first for the Rising Star Award, recognising individuals in hospitality who demonstrate exceptional promise and potential in their field.
The winner was Nataliia Maiseionok, who worked her way up from waitress to sommelier at Fischer's Baslow Hall, having relocated from Ukraine in 2022, arriving to the UK with limited English but extensive hospitality experience.
Simon Numphud, managing director at AA Media, praised the UK’s hospitality sector for its resilience and innovative spirit in 2025.
He said: "This celebration highlights the passion, creativity and resilience that define UK hospitality. The teams have turned challenges into opportunities, inspiring us with their innovation and dedication.
“Congratulations to all winners, nominees and new rosette holders – your achievements deserve recognition and set a shining example for the future of our industry.”
All of 2025’s restaurant award winners and new rosette holders feature in the AA Restaurant Guide 2026, showcasing the very best restaurants across the UK and is the food lover’s definitive guide to enjoying the finest cuisine the country has to offer.
There were two new entries at five rosette level, in Row on 5 on Savile Row, by Jason Atherton and Spencer Metzger, and The Forest Side in Grasmere, where Paul Leonard works as head chef.
Six restaurants were new additions at four rosettes: Cedar Tree by Hrishikesh Desai, HAAR in St Andrews (Dean Banks), Restaurant Interlude (Jean Delport), Forge at Middleton Lodge (Jake Jones), Solstice by Kenny Atkinson and Source at Gilpin Lodge (Ollie Bridgwater).
Other individual awards saw James Thomson OBE of Prestonfield in Edinburgh take home the Lifetime Achievement prize, while the Outstanding Contribution Award went to Alain Roux and Michel Roux Jr.
AA Hospitality Awards – 2025 winners
Chefs’ Chef of the Year
- Gareth Ward of Ynyshir Restaurant and Rooms, Eglwys Fach
Lifetime Achievement Award
- James Thomson OBE of Prestonfield, Edinburgh
Outstanding Contribution Award
- Alain Roux and Michel Roux Jr
Restaurants of the Year
- England – Skof, Manchester
- London – Joséphine, London
- Wales – Gorse, Cardiff
- Scotland – The Little Chartroom, Edinburgh
Hotels of the Year
- England – The Cavendish Hotel, Derbyshire
- London – 1 Hotel Mayfair, London
- Wales – St Brides Spa Hotel, Pembrokeshire
- Scotland – 100 Princes Street, Edinburgh
- Northern Ireland – The Old Inn, County Down
Group of the Year
- Daniel Thwaites (hotels, inns and spas)
Small Hotel Group of the Year
- Brend Collection
Wine Award
- England and overall – Sketch Lecture Room & Library, London
- Wales – Ynyshir Restaurant and Rooms, Eglwys Fach
- Scotland – Timberyard, Edinburgh
Rising Star of the Year
- Nataliia Maiseionok - Fischer's Baslow Hall, Derbyshire
Housekeeper of the Year
- Amit Pal – Prestonfield, Edinburgh
Sustainable Award
- The Gleneagles Hotel, Scotland
Inn of the Year
- The George Inn, Somerset
B&B of the Year
- The 25 Boutique B&B, Devon
Restaurant with Rooms of the Year
- Restaurant Interlude, West Sussex
Spa Hotel of the Year
- Hoar Cross Hall, Staffordshire
Restaurant Team Award
- The Goring, London
College Restaurant of the Year
@34 Restaurant – Exeter College
New 5 Rosettes
- Forest Side, Grasmere
- Row on 5, London
New 4 Rosettes
- Cedar Tree Restaurant by Hrishikesh Desai, Cumbria
- HAAR, Fife
- Restaurant Interlude, West Sussex
- Forge @ Middleton Estate, North Yorkshire
- Solstice by Kenny Atkinson, Newcastle Upon Tyne
- SOURCE at Gilpin Hotel, Cumbria
New 3 Rosettes
- The Kirkstyle Inn and Sportsman's Rest, Northumberland
- Skof, Manchester
- The Horn of Plenty, Devon
- The Greyhound, Buckinghamshire
- Fawsley Hall Hotel & Spa, Daventry
- The Avenue at Lainston House, Winchester
- Sushi Kanesaka (45 Park Lane), London
- Melton's, North Yorkshire
- Gorse, Cardiff
- The Braywood, Berkshire
- The Homestead Kitchen, North Yorkshire
- The Three Chimneys, Colbost
- Gravetye Manor, West Hoathly
New 5 Red Stars
- Raffles London at The OWO, London
- The Beaumont Mayfair, London
- 100 Princes Street, Edinburgh
New 4 Red Stars
- The Elms, Worcestershire
- Down Hall Hotel & Spa, Hertfordshire
- The Swan at Lavenham Hotel & Spa, Lavenham
- Foxhills, Surrey
New 3 Red Stars
- The Pig in The Cotswolds, Cotswolds
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