Food and Travel Reader Awards 2012

Spanish chef José Pizarro, two-Michelin-starred Tom Kerridge and Raymond Blanc protégée Ollie Dabbous were among the big winners at the inaugural Food and Travel Reader Awards held at The Royal Automobile Club on London’s Pall Mall on 3 September, 2012.

In total 29 awards were handed out during a glittering evening hosted by comedian Simon Evans, with categories ranging from Hotel of the Year to Destination of the Year, to Restaurant of the Year – the latter won by a jubilant José Pizarro for Pizarro. Crowd favourite Kerridge picked up Chef of the Year while Dabbous won Breakthrough Chef of the Year. Others honoured on the night included Istanbul, which picked up Destination of the Year, Gidleigh Park (Hotel of the Year), Singapore Airlines (Airline of the Year), Viking River Cruises (Cruise Line of the Year), The Ginger Pig (Specialist Retailer of the Year) and Ashburton Cookery School (Cookery School of the Year).

‘More than 20,000 votes were cast by our readers to nominate the best of the best across the food and travel industries and so we have thoroughly deserved winners,’ said Alex Mead, editor of Food and Travel. ‘It really was a celebration of some incredible people, places and companies and to have a menu created by Fergus Henderson, Angela Hartnett and Anthony Demetre made it even more special for everyone who attended.’

The awards coincided with the magazine’s 150th issue and as such attracted a stellar cast of chefs including Wolfgang Puck, Alan Murchison, Fergus and Margot Henderson, Anthony Demetre, Will Holland, plus award winners Michael Caines, Tom Kerridge, Ollie Dabbous and José Pizarro.

Food and Travel magazine is priced at £3.95 and is on sale at all good quality news outlets.

The winners

Tour Operator of the Year – Rainbow Tours

Bar of the Year – The Connaught Bar

Short-haul Airline of the Year – EasyJet

Long-haul Airline of the Year – Singapore Airlines

Airline of the Year (overall) – Singapore Airlines

Adventure Cruise Line of the Year – Spirit of Adventure

Ocean Cruise Line of the Year – Celebrity Cruises

River Cruise Line of the Year – Viking River Cruises

Cruise Line of the Year (overall) – Viking River Cruises

Cookery School of the Year – Ashburton Cookery School

Specialist Retailer of the Year – The Ginger Pig

Bed and Breakfast of the Year – Salthouse

City Hotel of the Year – Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park

Gourmet Bolthole of the Year – The Hand & Flowers

Rural Hotel of the Year – Gidleigh Park

International Hotel of the Year – Rosa Alpina

Hotel of the Year (overall) – Gidleigh Park

Drinks Book of the Year – How to Make Your Own Drinks by Susy Atkins

Food Book of the Year – History of English Food by Clarissa Dickson Wright

Travel Book of the Year – Unusual Hotels Europe by Steve Dobson

Book of the Year (overall) – Unusual Hotels Europe by Steve Dobson

London Restaurant of the Year – The Ledbury

Newcomer Restaurant of the Year – Pizarro

Non-London Restaurant of the Year – The Fat Duck

Timeless Classic of the Year – Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons

Restaurant of the Year (overall) – Pizarro

Breakthrough Chef of the Year – Ollie Dabbous

Chef of the Year – Tom Kerridge

Destination of the Year – Istanbul