Tapas bar Poco named Restaurant of the Year at the Food Made Good Awards

By Sophie Witts

- Last updated on GMT

Raymond Blanc presents the Poco team with their award
Raymond Blanc presents the Poco team with their award

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East London tapas bar Poco has been named Restaurant of the Year at the Food Made Good Awards just six months after opening.

The prize - which recognises the most sustainable restaurant in the UK - was presented by Raymond Blanc, at a ceremony on 22 March.

Poco is the second restaurant from ‘eco-chef’ Tom Hunt and uses almost entirely organic, locally sourced produce. Lemons are the only fresh imported ingredient on the menu.

Hunt said: “Winning this award is like winning three Michelin stars for us! Sustainability is at the heart of all Poco's values. We are therefore ecstatic to receive recognition for something we believe is so important.

"Since we opened our first Poco five years ago the environmental consciousness of restaurants has increased dramatically.”

Jamie’s a food hero

Jamie Oliver was named this year’s Raymond Blanc Sustainability Hero​ for his ‘unrelenting passion and commitment’ to improving the health of the nation.

Public favourite

Lussmanns Fish & Grill in Hertfordshire received the People’s Favourite Award after topping a public poll of five restaurants shortlisted from more than 600 nominations.

The restaurant was praised for its community engagement – supporting more than 30 good causes – and menus sourced from British producers.

Other awards

Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s River Cottage HQ – which grows and rears half of its ingredients on-site – won the Sourcing award for the fourth year running.

South London pub The Roebuck picked up the award for Most Improved Sustainability while Wahaca was named Large Group of the Year.

Copenhagen-based Relæ, the only organic certified Michelin-starred restaurant in the world, was named International Food Made Good Champion.

This year’s winners in full:

Restaurant of the Year – Poco Broadway Market

Independent Restaurant of the Year - Poco, Broadway Market, London

Small Group of the Year - Daylesford, Gloucestershire and London

Large Group of the Year - Wahaca

Award for Environment - Arbor at The Green House Hotel, Bournemouth

Award for Society - Artizian Catering Services

Award for Sourcing - River Cottage HQ, Devon

Sustainable Innovation Award - bio-bean

English Food Made Good Champion 2016 - Poco, Broadway Market, London

Scottish Food Made Good Champion 2016 - The Captain’s Galley, Scrabster

Welsh Food Made Good Champion 2016 - The Gallery, Barry

Irish Food Made Good Champion 2016 - KSG at University College Cork

Food Made Good Caterer of the Year - bartlett mitchell

Best Food Waste Strategy - FoodInResidence, The University of Manchester

Most Improved Sustainability - The Roebuck, London

International Food Made Good Champion 2016 - Relæ, Denmark

The People’s Favourite - Lussmanns Fish & Grill, St Albans

The Raymond Blanc Sustainability Hero Award - Jamie Oliver

Food Made Good University Champion - Plymouth University

Food Made Good Supplier of the Year - Delphis Eco

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