Chefs Go For Gold at the Craft Guild of Chefs Awards 2012
In the year of the London Olympics, it was fitting that the Craft Guild of Chefs chose Wembley Stadium – home of many of the biggest sporting events in history – as the venue for its ‘Going for Gold’ themed 2012 awards ceremony.
The Craft Guild of Chefs Awards 2o12 brought together key people in the industry and this year there were more than 680 attending the special event to see 17 chefs being presented with the Guild’s ‘culinary Oscars’.
Among them was the Special Award winner, Cyrus Todiwala OBE, one of the most admired and respected chefs in the industry, and holder of numerous citations and awards. Past winners have included Raymond Blanc, the Roux Brothers, Heston Blumenthal, Pierre Koffmann and last year Philip Howard.
Craft Guild of Chefs Vice President, Steve Munkley, said every 2012 winning chef was not only a great cook, but used great innovation and initiative to excel in their particular sector.
“To win a Craft Guild of Chefs award, you have to be more than just handy in the kitchen, you need that extra, stand-out ingredient,” he said. “Every winner in this year’s awards can lay claim to this and thoroughly deserves their place in the association’s hall of fame.”
The annual Craft Guild of Chefs awards aim to reward leading lights from across all sectors of the industry, whether they work in a village pub, a fine dining restaurant, a university, a military unit or in contract catering.
Craft Guild of Chefs Awards winners 2012
Apprentice Chef Award
Lyndsay Michie, Le Gavroche
Armed Services Chef Award
Mark Sweeney, Royal Air Force
Banqueting & Event Chef Award
Phil Herd, Levy Restaurants
Competition Chef Award
Mark Hill, House of Commons
Contract Catering Chef Award
Mark Crowe, Elior UK
Cost Sector Chef Award
Mark Hancock, University of Sussex
Development Chef Award
Robin Turner, Sodexo
Education Chef Award
Gary Hunter, Westminster Kingsway College
Ethnic Chef Award
Mehernosh Mody, La Porte des Indes
New Restaurant of the Year Award
Pollen Street Social, London – Jason Atherton
Pastry Chef Award
Cherish Finden, The Langham Hotel
People’s Choice Award
Michael Kitts, The Emirates Academy of Hospitality Management
Pub Restaurant Chef Award
Rob Hartwell, The Peach Pub Company
Restaurant Chef Award
Richard Allen, Grand Jersey Hotel & Spa
Young Chef Award
Ben Murphy, Koffmann’s at the Berkeley Hotel
Special Award
Cyrus Todiwala
Honorary Award
Martin Bates, Craft Guild of Chefs
