AMAYA VOTED LONDON RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR 2005
(5 April 2005)

This year's Tio Pepe ITV London Restaurant Awards evening was full of Eastern promise, as the Capital's Asian restaurants proved the hottest contenders at the star-studded highlight of London's gastronomic calendar, held at Grosvenor House, Park Lane. Guests were on the edge of their seats as the evening was spiced up by the battle of Indian restaurants Amaya and Rasoi Vineet Bhatia - both shortlisted in the Indian Restaurant of the Year and New Restaurant of the Year categories.

Although Rasoi Vineet Bhatia pipped Amaya for the Indian Restaurant of the Year award - in recognition for its outstanding haute Indian cuisine - the night in fact belonged to Amaya. The restaurant scooped two of the most prestigious awards for its innovative and progressive 'grazing' menu, firstly being named New Restaurant of the Year before being presented with the ultimate jewel in the crown - the Tio Pepe ITV London Restaurant of the Year.

Despite tough competition in a category crowded with Asian contenders, Hakkasan's Tong Chee Hwee walked away with the Outstanding London Chef award. Rival Rainer Becker from both Zuma and Roka had to bite back his disappointment at missing out in this category, in addition to losing New Restaurant of the Year to Amaya. However the evening wasn't all bad, his superb Japanese-influenced restaurant Roka was bestowed with the award for Oriental Restaurant of the Year.

Recognised by restaurateurs as the eatery they would most like to visit when 'off-duty', Nobu clinched the London Restaurant Academy Award of Excellence. To be shortlisted in the Awards categories is itself a huge achievement, yet to secure such recognition from fellow restaurateurs * all former Award winners * is the ultimate compliment.

The Eastern influence wasn't simply gastronomic, as the trend proved to be geographic too, with East London's The Fox winning the increasingly competitive category, London Gastropub of the Year.

Moving west, Racine was among the other winners celebrating tonight. Receiving the award for French Restaurant of the Year was a particularly sweet victory for chef Henry Harris. After numerous years as a runner up, he was finally crowned the bride rather than the bridesmaid. Another French restaurant, Ma Cuisine in Twickenham was acknowledged in the Evening Standard / London Tonight category as the best restaurant where two people can eat for under £60.

In acknowledgement of his expertise, passion and commitment to the business of restaurant promotion, the late Alan Crompton-Batt was posthumously awarded for his Outstanding Contribution to London Restaurants.

LONDON RESTAURANT AWARDS 2005 - WINNERS

British Restaurant of the Year
The Goring

French Restaurant of the Year
Racine

Italian Restaurant of the Year
Passione

Oriental Restaurant of the Year
Roka

Indian Restaurant of the Year
Rasoi Vineet Bhatia

Fish Restaurant of the Year
FishWorks

New Restaurant of the Year
(Restaurants opened between December 2003 and November 2004.)
Amaya

Most Exceptional Restaurant Wine List
(This award is given for a well balanced wine list that best matches the style and cuisine of the restaurant whilst encouraging customers to expand their interest.)
Enoteca Turi

London Gastropub of the Year
The Fox

Outstanding London Chef
Tong Chee Hwee - Hakkasan

Outstanding Front of House Team
(This award is not so much for an individual front of house leader, as for the whole service team in a restaurant)
Le Gavroche

LONDON RESTAURANT ACADEMY AWARD OF EXCELLENCE
Nobu

OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION
Alan Crompton Batt

EVENING STANDARD LONDON TONIGHT AWARD
Ma Cuisine

TIO PEPE ITV LONDON RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR
maya

The Tio Pepe ITV London Restaurant Awards will be broadcast on ITV1 on 7 April at 23:00hrs and ITV3 on 10 April at 23:10hrs.

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