Last night’s Glasgow Restaurant Awards at the Citz will be remembered for many things. Not least the sight of many of the city’s most well known chefs wiggling onstage to a soundtrack of Sexy and I Know It by LMFAO. Watching Guy Cowan of Guy’s restaurant pouting and shaking his booty is not the sort of thing one forgets easily – no matter how hard you try.
Host Michelle McManus did a lively job of compering the evening while Anthea Jackson and Ryan James of the Glasgow Restaurateurs Association proved a nifty double act as they introduced the awards. Tam Cowan provided a colourful guest spot, almost none of which is repeatable here.
Best restaurants in Glasgow
Glasgow’s Best Restaurant went to Amarone who also took the prize in the Smart but Casual category.
Presenting the winners, Ryan James, chairman of The Glasgow Restaurants Association (GRA), commented: ‘This year’s awards have been highly competitive. Over 17,000 votes were cast by the dining public and the winners fought off some stiff competition to bring home their trophy. These awards demonstrate the culinary diversity that we have in the city and highlight the excellent technical expertise of our industry.
‘Amarone were voted outright winners this year because of the excellent service the staff give their dinners, the creation of a wonderful atmosphere and, of course, for the high quality of the dishes served.’
Maurice Taylor of the Chandon Group, which runs La Bonne Auberge and Hotel Indigo won the Entrepreneurial Spirit Award.
Number 16 on Byres Road took the 5pm Online Users prize which was decided purely by 5pm users.
Guy Cowan won the Spirit of Glasgow award. Judging by his spectacular dancing, he is certainly a game spirit.
The Lifetime Achievement Award was given to Jim and Gilly Wilson who have worked in several of Glasgow’s landmark restaurants including Rogano and The Buttery over the last four decades.
The winners
The full list of winners is:
Best Restaurant – Amarone
Casual – Art Lovers Café at House for an Art Lover
Smart but Casual – Amarone
Posh Nosh – Brian Maule at Chardon d’Or
Family Restaurant of the Year – La Vita George Square
Best Newcomer – Lychee Oriental
Best Breakfast – Cafe Gandolfi
Best Italian – La Lanterna
Non-European – Sapporo Teppanyaki
Young Chef of the Year – Morvern Gibson of Restaurant at Blythswood Square
5pm Online Users award – Number 16
Outstanding Maitre D’ of the Year – Ali Mohammed at Charcoals
Greenest Restaurant – Cup Tea Lounge
Best Use of Social Media – Arisaig
Kitchen Porter – Peter Hynes of The Pipers’ Tryst
Spirit of Glasgow – Guy Cowan
Entrepreneurial Spirit – Maurice Taylor, Chardon Group
Lifetime Achievement Award – Jim and Gilly Wilson
This year’s awards proved to be bigger than ever, with more than 40 finalists nominated for the 19 award categories. The public cast more than 17,000 votes.