PubChef's winners
A former London PR director turned pub owner and self-taught chef has been crowned PubChef of the Year 2008.
Ross Williams, who left London five years ago to buy the Wellington, in Wellington, Herefordshire, with his wife, Philippa, scooped the top title in the PubChef Food Excellence Awards.
The winners were announced at a glittering awards ceremony at the Dorchester Hotel in Park Lane, London.
Tony Hughes, who stepped down after a decade as boss of Mitchells & Butlers pub-restaurant division at the end of 2007, was awarded the PubChef Food Excellence Awards' Special Achievement Award for 2008.
Hughes has been described by industry peers as the
"godfather of casual dining
in the UK".
Pub Company of the Year (Branded) was awarded to Orchid and Pub Company of the Year (Unbranded) to Brunning & Price.
Food Concept of the Year went to Mitchells & Butlers for its steakhouse concept Miller & Carter.
Vince Glouton from Fuller's was awarded Catering Development Professional of the Year, and John Taylor from the Punch Tavern, Fleet Street, London, scooped the award for Food Pub Manager.
As well as picking up the top gong, Ross Williams also won the Meat Category for his dish of roast rack and faggot of speckled-faced lamb with roast garlic mash.
James Rogers from the Grundisburgh Dog, Grundisburgh, Suffolk, was awarded first place in the Global Category for his dish of tandoori baked rabbit.
He also won the Pub Clas-sics Category with his dish of venison liver and bacon.
Rogers and his former chef Sam Browes scooped first place in the Team Category.
l See this month's Pubchef, in today's MA, for more info
InBrief
FSB slates foreign worker rules
The Federation of Small Businesses has slammed new rules stopping firms employing illegal foreign workers. Since 29 February, small firms must understand and verify up to 13 different forms of ID when employing foreign workers. This includes recognising the passports of 27 EU states. Fines of £10,000 could be levied. "It is totally unfair to expect small business owners to act as immigration officers," said the FSB.
MP seeks support from Johnson
Greg Mulholland MP has written to Health Secretary Alan Johnson asking him to back his calls for pubs to sell wine in glasses no bigger than 125ml. Mulholland, the Liberal Democrat health spokesman, thinks bigger glasses encourage heavy drinking. "Many people are unaware of how many units there are per alcoholic drink, particularly with larger glasses of wine," said the MP.
Extra dates for Marston's events
Marston's Pub Company has added more dates to its trade shows for licensees. The new dates are: Haydock Park Racecourse (16 April); Doncaster Racecourse (24 April); Bristol City Football Club (29 April); and Walsall Football Club (1 May). The shows will include advice on offering food and marketing, with a particular focus on preparing for summer. Around 25 suppliers will attend the events.
Coors appoints two new sales directors
Coors has appointed two new sales directors to replace John Holberry -
who is becoming managing director of Magners. Steve Ellis will look after the independent on-trade business. John Heynen will be sales director for national retail groups and distributors in both the on and off trades. In addition, David Heede will join the board as strategy director.
Marston's cricket sponsorship trophy
Marston's has won an award for its sponsorship of the England cricket team. The firm - which is Official Beer of the England Cricket Team - won the Sports Sponsorship trophy at the Hollis Sponsorship Awards. Marston's Beer Company marketing director Peter Jackson said: "It's a great boost and shows that our investment in and support of the England Cricket Team has been given national recognition. We look forward to sponsoring the team through the summer tours."
The full list of winners
l Special Achievement - Tony Hughes
l Catering Development Professional - Vince Glouton, executive chef, Fuller Smith & Turner
l Pub Company of the Year, Unbranded - Brunning & Price
l Pub Company of the Year, Branded - Orchid
l Food Concept of the Year - Miller & Carter
l Young Pub Chef - Jack Bloomfield, the Lickfold Inn, Lickfold, West Sussex
l Seafood - Jack Baker, head chef, the Cricket Inn, Totley, Sheffield
l Pub Classics - James Rogers, the Grundisburgh Dog, Grundisburgh, Suffolk
l Meat Category -
Ross Williams, head chef/owner, the Wellington, Wellington, Herefordshire
l Poultry - Neil Clark,
head chef, the Linnet,
Great Hinton, near Trowbridge, Wiltshire
l Game - Jack Baker,
head chef, the Cricket Inn, Totley, Sheffield
l Desserts - Annette Brassey, pastry chef, the Crown, Roecliffe, North Yorkshire
l Bar Dishes - Michael Ward, head chef, the Highwayman, Burrow, Kirkby Lonsdale, Lancashire
l Global Cuisine - James Rogers, chef patron, the Grundisburgh Dog, Grundisburgh, Suffolk
l Team Category
- James Rogers and
Sam Browes, the Grundisburgh Dog, Grundisburgh, Suffolk
l Food Pub Manager - John Taylor, Punch Tavern, Fleet Street, London
