Restaurateurs figure highly in Queen's New Year Honours list 2014

By Emma Eversham

- Last updated on GMT

Related tags Order of the british empire

Sisters Lisa and Helen Tse of Sweet Mandarin restaurant in Manchester are celebrating after receiving MBEs in the Queen's New Year Honours list 2014
Sisters Lisa and Helen Tse of Sweet Mandarin restaurant in Manchester are celebrating after receiving MBEs in the Queen's New Year Honours list 2014
Restaurateurs have figured highly in the Queen's New Year Honours list with Rex Restaurants' Chris Corbin and Jeremy King both awarded an OBE and Sweet Mandarin owners Lisa and Helen Tse given MBEs. 

Corbin, who owns four London restaurants, including The Wolseley and Brasserie Zedel with King, was given his OBE for services to the hospitality industry and voluntary services through leukaemia research Leuka while King was awarded his for services to the hospitality industry and voluntary service to the arts. 

The pair have a busy 2014 ahead with plans to open another restaurant in Marylebone​ in the spring and the Beaumont hotel in Mayfair in the summer. 

Twins Lisa and Helen Tse, whose family has run Chinese restaurant Sweet Mandarin in Manchester since 1950, were awarded MBEs for services to the food and drink sector. 

As well as running the restaurant, the sisters have developed a range of Sweet Mandarin-branded gluten and MSG-free cooking sauces for retail, which have been listed by Sainsbury's​ and which Lisa revealed had also gained a prestigious fan. 

"A few months ago, we sent some of our gluten free, nut free sauces to The Queen and received a letter back from Her Majesty saying they were special. That was amazing, but to receive the MBE is incredible," she said. 

Dedication

Lisa told BigHospitality she was 'shocked and delighted' with the MBE and said she wanted to dedicate it to her fellow restaurateurs and others within the hospitality and catering sector.

"We're all in it together," she said. "We put in the long hours, the passion, the commitment and we all serve and cook until every ticket is completed. I'm very grateful for the kindness, friendship and support of fellow chefs in the industry."

Sweet Mandarin will also celebrate the launch of its first cookbook this month. The Sweet Mandarin Chinese Cookbook, which is thought to be the first Chinese cookbook with an emphasis on gluten and dairy-free recipes, will be released on 23 January.

Others named in the 2014 New Year Honours List, include Sarah Dunning, chief executive of privately run Cumbrian motorway service stations company Tebay Services, who was given an OBE for services to the food, drink and hospitality sectors.

MBEs were also awarded to Mary O'Kane, owner of Beech Hill Country House Hotel in Londonderry for services to tourism and hospitality in Northern Ireland and Julia Sibley, chief executive of the Savoy Educational Trust for services to the hospitality industry.

Related topics Business & Legislation Fine Dining

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