Craft Guild of Chefs Awards 2016: Chris and Jeff Galvin take top prize

The Michelin-starred brothers were presented with the Special Award at a ceremony at the Lancaster London Hotel.

The annual event seeks to recognise the greatest culinary talent across all areas of the hospitality industry.

Famous for their French cuisine, the brothers opened their first restaurant Bistrot de Luxe in London in 2005, followed by the launch of Galvin at Windows at the Hilton Park Lane a year later – which gained their first Michelin star.

A second star followed a year later after the duo opened Galvin La Chapelle in 2009.

It was followed by the launch of Galvin HOP in Spitalfields, Galvin Demoiselle in Harrods, and Galvin Brasserie de Luxe and the Pompadour by Galvin in Edinburgh.

Chris White’s The White Spoon was named New Restaurant of the Year, fighting off competition from Allan Pickett’s Piquet, Wayne Smith’s Mortimer’s and Jun Tanaka’s first solo venture The Ninth.

Gareth Billington, executive chef at Sodexo, won the People’s Choice award after receiving over 1,000 online votes.

The chef heads a 32-strong team providing match-day catering at Everton Football Club, and works with Springboard’s FutureChef initiative to help young people learn cookery skills.

The full list of winners is as follows:​

• Apprentice Chef -​ Eleanor De Maria, Demi Chef de Partie at Eurest 

• Armed Service Chef​ - Richard Geenhalgh, Flight Sergeant Junior Ranks Mess at Royal Air Force 

• Banqueting/Event Chef​ - James Buckley, Executive Chef at Levy Restaurants 

• Chef Lecturer​ - John Crowe, Lecturer in Hospitality at North West Regional College - Ireland 

• Competition Chef​ - Robert Kennedy, Executive Chef at Sandhurst Military College 

• Contract Catering Chef​ - Stuart Nisbet, Offer Development Chef at Elior UK 

• Development Chef​ - Diane Camp, Development Chef at Reynolds Catering Supplies Ltd 

• Ethnic Chef​ - Chad Rahman, Executive Chef at Chez Mumtaj 

• Innovation​ - Soho Farmhouse 

• New Restaurant of the Year​ - Chris White, Chef Director at The White Spoon 

• Pastry Chef​ - Stephen Tarling, Head Pastry Chef at Daylesford Organic 

• People’s Choice​ - Gareth Billington, Executive Chef at Sodexo UK & Ireland

• Pub Restaurant Chef​ - James Mackenzie, Chef/Proprietor at The Pipe & Glass Inn 

• Public Sector Chef​ - Scott Pring, Executive Head Chef at Bridgewater College 

• Restaurant Chef​ - Will Holland, Head Chef at Coast Restaurant 

• Young Chef​ - Arthur Quin, Chef de Partie at Punch Bowl Inn & Restaurant Crosthwaite 

• Special Award​ - Galvin Brothers