Chris and Jeff Galvin awarded special prize at Craft Guild of Chefs Awards 2016

Michelin-starred chef-restaurateurs Chris and Jeff Galvin received the top honour at The Craft Guild of Chefs Awards last night.

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The chefs were presented with the special award during the awards ceremony held at Lancaster London Hotel.

Renowned for their French cuisine, the brothers opened their first restaurant, Bistrot de Luxe in 2005, with Galvin at Windows following a year later and securing a Michelin star in 2010. A second Michelin star followed a year later for them at Galvin La Chapelle, which opened in 2009.

They have since opened a further two restaurants in the city and received widespread critical praise for their ventures, shown through accolades which include Restaurant of the Year at the Tatler awards, AA London Restaurant of the Year and the Catey Award for Independent Restaurateurs of the Year 2010.

It was announced earlier this year that Chris and Jeff were planing on taking over the food and beverage operation of the five-AA-red-star Athenaeum Hotel and Residences in Mayfair, which is due to reopen at the end of this month. 

They are the first ever brothers to both gain a Michelin star

Chris White’s The White Spoon, Cheltenham was named New Restaurant of the Year, fighting off competition from Allan Pickett’s Piquet Restaurant, Wayne Smith’s Mortimers Restaurant and Jan Tanaka’s The Ninth Restaurant.

Gareth Billington, executive chef at Sodexo was named the People’s Choice following over 1, 000 online votes.

The chef heads a 32-strong team at Everton Football Club providing match day and event catering and has won a string of awards during his career.

Soho Farmhouse scooped the innovation award beating off competition from German Gymnasium and Sexy Fish.

The Craft Guild of Chefs Awards also acknowledged a host of leading lights across the industry, whether they work in a pub, fine dining restaurant, city university, military unit or in contract catering.

The full list of winners is as follows:

• Apprentice Chef- Eleanor De Maria, Demi Chef de Partie at Eurest (sponsored by Compass Group)
• Armed Service Chef- Richard Geenhalgh, Flight Sergeant Junior Ranks Mess at Royal Air Force (sponsored by Purple Foodservice Solutions)
• Banqueting/Event Chef- James Buckley, Executive Chef at Levy Restaurants (sponsored by Essential Cuisine)
• Chef Lecturer- John Crowe, Lecturer in Hospitality at North West Regional College - Ireland (sponsored by Fresh Montgomery)
• Competition Chef- Robert Kennedy, Executive Chef at Sandhurst Military College (sponsored by Santa Maria)
• Contract Catering Chef- Stuart Nisbet, Offer Development Chef at Elior UK (sponsored by Kerry Foods)
• Development Chef- Diane Camp, Development Chef at Reynolds Catering Supplies Ltd (sponsored by McCain Foods)
• Ethnic Chef- Chad Rahman, Executive Chef at Chez Mumtaj (sponsored by Nayati)
• Innovation- Soho Farmhouse (sponsored by Jestic)
• New Restaurant of the Year- Chris White, Chef Director at The White Spoon (sponsored by Jelf Insurance)
• Pastry Chef- Stephen Tarling, Head Pastry Chef at Daylesford Organic (sponsored by Carpigiani UK)
• People’s Choice- Gareth Billington, Executive Chef at Sodexo UK & Ireland (sponsored by Nisbets)
• Pub Restaurant Chef- James Mackenzie, Chef/Proprietor at The Pipe & Glass Inn (sponsored by Bidvest Foodservice)
• Public Sector Chef- Scott Pring, Executive Head Chef at Bridgewater College (sponsored by Theos Food Company)
• Restaurant Chef- Will Holland, Head Chef at Coast Restaurant (sponsored by Gram UK)
• Young Chef- Arthur Quin, Sous Chef at Punch Bowl Inn & Restaurant Crosthwaite (sponsored by Falcon Williams)
• Special Award- Galvin Brothers (sponsored by Sodexo)