Mark Birchall, Hélène Darroze and John Williams win big at The AA Hospitality Awards

The UK’s best restaurants, chefs and F&B teams across England, Scotland and Wales have been honoured at the annual AA Hospitality Awards.

The ceremony, which was presented by TV presenter Gabby Logan and took place at Grosvenor House in London on 26 September, saw Lancashire-born Mark Birchall crowned Chef’s Chef of the Year by his peers, following in the footsteps of Jason Atherton, Raymond Blanc and Heston Blumenthal, who have previously taken home the coveted title. Birchall, the Chef Patron at Moor Hall, accepted his award with the words: “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.”

Hotel restaurants were well represented across the board: Hélène Darroze at The Connaught was recognised as the UK restaurant with the best customer service, winning the Food Service Award, with Alain Ducasse at the Dorchester and Lympstone Manor Hotel running-up as finalists. “It is an honour to receive this award,” said Chef Patron Darroze. “My team are an important part of such achievement: Executive Chef Marco Zampese and General Manager Mirko Benzo, who have been working with me at The Connaught for over eight years. It is a wonderful recognition for the whole team.”

Elsewhere, the Ribble Valley luxury hotel and Michelin-starred restaurant Northcote won the outstanding Contribution Award for its annual Obsession series, and John Williams MBE (of The Ritz London) was recognised with the Lifetime Achievement Award for his dedication, commitment and fundamental contribution to the industry. “I’m over the moon,” said Williams. “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. My philosophy has always been to strive for perfection, knowing you’ll never get there. 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 was great to be back at Grosvenor House after three years and to celebrate the greatest hospitality establishments across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland,” Simon Numphud, Managing Director at AA Media. “The past few years have been incredibly tough for the hospitality sector, from lockdowns to travel restrictions, supply chain issues to the rising cost of living, but these awards have highlighted how our industry, time and time again, has worked tirelessly to overcome adversity and create unforgettable experiences for the public. We would like to congratulate all the winners and shortlisted establishments for their hard work, passion and dedication to providing hospitality to the highest standards.”

The full list of this year’s AA Hospitality Awards winners can be found at business.ratedtrips.com