Craft Guild of Chefs Awards

Chef-restaurateur Raymond Blanc has been recognised for his contribution to the hospitality industry by the Craft Guild of Chefs, which last week named the French chef as the recipient of its 2002 Special Award.

Announcing the award at a gala dinner held at London's Landmark hotel, the guild's national chairman, David Mulcahy, described Blanc, who has lived and worked in the UK for more than 20 years, as "one of the finest ambassadors [for the industry] we know today".

Mulcahy went on to describe Blanc's "visionary approach to gastronomy" and referred to the plethora of Michelin-starred chefs that had trained under him at his renowned hotel in Great Milton, Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons: Marco Pierre White, Richard Neat, Paul Heathcote, John Burton-Race and Michael Caines, to name but five.

Unfortunately, Blanc was unable to attend the dinner himself as he was suffering from gastric flu, so the accolade was accepted on his behalf by Gary Jones, Le Manoir's head chef.

In addition to Blanc, nine other chefs working across all sectors of the industry were honoured at the annual awards (see below), including Northern Ireland's Michael Deane, who garnered the Restaurant Chef Award; Aramark's Simon Warren, who walked off with the Contract Catering Chef Award; and La Trompette's Olivier Couillaud, who collected the Newcomer of the Year Award.

Judging for the awards, now in their ninth year, was done on paper after nominations were submitted to the guild by fellow chefs. The exception is the Special Award, which is always granted at the discretion of the guild itself.

Guests were treated to a four-course dinner specially created for the occasion by the Landmark's executive chef, Gary Klaner. It comprised white pudding and sweet pea purée; warm rabbit, foie gras ravioli and asparagus with truffle dressing; seared fillet of barramundi with summer bean cassoulet and sauce Jacqueline; and millefeuille of granola and honey-iced parfait with gooseberry coulis.

Craft Guild of Chefs Awards 2002

Banqueting Chef Malcolm Emery, Sodexho

Competition Chef Peter Joyner, Sodexho

Contract Catering Chef
Simon Warren, Aramark

Cost Sector Chef
Roderick Kirk, HM Prison Peterhead

Education & Training Chef
Michael Burke, Sheffield College

Newcomer of the Year
Olivier Couillaud, La Trompette

Pastry Chef
Nick Hollands, Royal Garden hotel

Restaurant Chef
Michael Deane, Restaurant Michael Deane

Young Chef
Michelle Boundy, Restaurant Associates

Special Award
Raymond Blanc, Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons