Estrella Damm National Restaurant Awards to return this August

The awards, and the announcement of the UK’s top 100 restaurants, will take place at Allegra at The Stratford hotel in London as well as on Allegra’s stunning seventh-floor garden terrace at what will be one of the first large restaurant industry gatherings since the start of the pandemic early last year.

Allegra chef-patron Patrick Powell and his team will be cooking at the summer event, with the food offer to also include dishes from The Frog’s Adam Handling among others.

It marks a return of the awards following a year hiatus in 2020 to create the Estrella Damm National Restaurant Awards Top 100 Auction, where the generous donations from chefs and restaurants across the UK helped to raise almost £120,000 to support industry charity Hospitality Action.

The event will see the crowning of the Estrella Damm National Restaurant of the Year as well as the best restaurants in Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Other categories include Gastropub of the Year, The Sustainability Award, and One to Watch.

As with previous years, there will also be a shortlist of candidates in the Chef to Watch, Chef of the Year and Restaurateur of the Year categories. The shortlists for each category will be revealed later this month.

In addition, a special Outstanding Achievement award will be presented on the night in recognition of someone who has made a significant contribution to the sector and the wider community in the past year in spite of the pandemic.