AA Hospitality Awards 2014

CLICK ON THIS PICTURE TO SEE THE FULL LIST OF WINNERS AT THE AA WEBSITE

I was lucky enough to be invited to the AA Hotel of the Year awards at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London. 
As this coincided with my trip back to the UK to see family and friends I was delighted to accept. 

These awards are some of the most prestigious national awards of their kind with winners categories covering many aspects of catering and hotel keeping.  They are incredibly sought after- as I know from when I worked for the AA Hotel Inspection team.

The event was catered for by Tom Kerridge who is the Chef Proprietor of the famous Hand and Flowers Restaurant in Marlow and previous AA Award winner.

Champagne by Tattinger flowed for much of the evening; I would love to know how many bottles they got through as there were over 1000 people quaffing away!

Dinner demonstrated Tom's pioneering spirit with simple names given to quite complicated dishes.  Serving anything to over 1000 people is a nightmare in logistics, let alone feeding 1000 of some of the most capable professionals in the Catering industry including many high level chefs!!

Potted Shrimp with Smoked Paprika Butter

Shepherd's Pie with Lamb Suet Pastry

Potted Crab with Smoked Paprika Butter and cucumber chutney was probably the most simple of the three courses with the freshness of the crab shining through the smokey butter.

Shepherd’s Pie with Lamb Suet Pastry with buttered cabbage and clotted cream mash was a triumph in flavour and the aspect of “how did he do this?”………the lamb had been cooked within a ball of crisp pastry which was then served with a whole baby cabbage and some of the silkiest mash ever sampled.  Every guest also had their own jug of rich savoury gravy which again boggles the mind to the number of jugs and keeping everything hot!

Whiskey cream served with a glass of 14 year old Balvenie Whiskey had a riot of colour and texture with honeycomb, blueberries and other fruits suspended in a whiskey flavoured cream dessert.  I didn't drink my whiskey as there appeared to be the equivalent of a glass in the dessert!
 

The awards which followed gave recognition to many in the industry.  Some of the most coveted awards are Hotel of the Year, Restaurant of the Year, and Chef’s Chef of the year which this year went to Cornish Chef Nathan Outlaw

The AA Lifetime Achievement award which recognises someone in the industry who has committed their lives to the pursuit of perfection within their discipline.  This year’s Lifetime Achievement Award went to Ruth Rogers MBE of the River Café in west London. 

Nathan Outlaw and 2014 Chef's Chef Award Winner

Ruth Rogers of River Café and 2014 AA Lifetime Achievement Award winner

Like many trades the UK Hospitality industry is incredibly small, or it seems so when one reaches a certain age and knows most people in a room of over 1000 people.

It was a fantastic evening and I was lucky enough to bump into many old colleagues and friends although I didn’t quite make it to the 5.30am finish which was when the evening allegedly ended! 

My goodself with Maureen Mills of Network London and PR Agent to Many of the countries' top Chefs

Andrew McKleish of Chapter One and Chapter Two Restaurants in Kent and Giovanna Grossi, Head of the AA Inspectorate