Independent Restaurateur of the Year
Andrew Radford, proprietor of the two restaurants Atrium and Blue in Edinburgh and winner of the Independent Restaurateur Catey last year, had what could diplomatically be called mixed fortunes in 2000. Winning the Catey was one of the good parts, but less enjoyable was the difficult decision to close his former Glasgow restaurant after the business failed to live up to expectations.
It demonstrates the potential perils for even the most gifted of independent restaurateurs in a market that can be harsh and unforgiving. Last year another former winner of this Catey, Terry Laybourne, proprietor of 21 Queen Street in Newcastle, decided that his restaurant, too, could no longer continue and be commercially successful. So it was that Newcastle's only Michelin-starred restaurant became the bistro Café 21 in September, serving simpler but more profitable food.
Perhaps the unifying factor for both Radford and Laybourne is their resilience. Both have dealt with their problems and come out the other side in a position to put things right. For Radford and his wife, Lisa, this involved selling the Glasgow restaurant in December and concentrating on their Edinburgh operations before considering where to expand next. Despite such a difficult 2000, Radford is already talking of the possibility of another Blue in Edinburgh.
This ability to bounce back from reverses is one of the many qualities that the judges will be looking at when they consider who will win this Catey in 2001. Winners in previous years have included Annie and Germain Schwab from Winteringham Fields in Lincolnshire, who won in 1999, and Paul Heathcote in 1997. To these two you can add Sally Clarke (1995), Terence Conran and Joel Kissin (1994), the Roux brothers (1985 and 1988), the McCoys (1990), together with Christopher Corbin and Jeremy King (1993). Just reading the list will give you an idea of the quality required.
One of the things they all share, above and beyond being excellent restaurateurs, is that they give much more to the industry than their restaurants alone. Radford, for example, was a founder member of the Scottish Chefs Association. He was involved in setting up Natural Cooking of Scotland, which promotes Scottish food, and has been involved in the American Express Young Chef/Young Waiter competition, seen by the industry as one of the most influential for up-and-coming talent. For the other recent winners, Annie Schwab and Terry Laybourne, their contributions to life beyond their restaurants were acknowledged when they were both appointed MBE.
But if a list of previous winners like this seems difficult to emulate, don't let that stop you nominating someone you feel may be suitable for the award. To put forward your candidate, fill in the form on page 36 of this brochure. It would be very helpful if you could enclose a supporting statement of no more than 200 words on a separate sheet.
You could certainly make someone happy. Radford says that last year's award "was a huge surprise and particularly moving in that it came in a year when the restaurant in Glasgow was not doing well. That made it a particularly emotional award for us."
Closing date for nominations is 2 March and judging will take place at London's Berkeley hotel on Wednesday 2 May. n
