Hospitality leaders celebrate The Restaurant Association Gala Dinner
with three generations of the Roux family accepting the Award for Services to
Hospitality plus the event raised £48,000 for The Springboard Charity
UKHospitality and The NTH Degree Club joined together to host the second annual
Restaurant Association Gala Dinner, Celebrating Excellence in Food & Wine Service on
Monday 25th February 2019 at The Savoy Hotel. The prestigious event was held with the
support of headline sponsors No.1 Botanical Soda with guests including the Roux family in
attendance who were honoured with a special award. The event raised £48,000 from the
Auction going to The Springboard Charity, which is the leading charity of the sector that
helps young people achieve their potential.
Guests – Top chefs and hospitality leaders attended including Raymond Blanc OBE, Shaun
Rankin, Brian Turner CBE, Fabrice Lasnon, Richard Corrigan, Francesco Mazzei, Richard
Shepherd CBE, Martyn Nail, Claude Bosi, Chris and Jeff Galvin, Neil Rankin, Ruth Hansom,
Matthew Ryle, Laurence Henry, Oli Martin, Dean Banks, Ben Tish, Sophie Michell, Gizzi
Erskine and André Garrett. Celebrity guests and influencers include model Lisa Snowdon,
bestselling cookbook authorMelissa Hemsley, YOU Magazine Editor Jo Elvin, presenter
Lucy Verasamy and nutritionist Rosemary Ferguson.
The Restaurant Association Award for Services to Hospitality
For 2019, The Restaurant Association introduced the first ever award which was presented
at the Gala Dinner. The Restaurant Association Award for Services to Hospitality, was
designed and sponsored by Fabergé, and was presented to the Roux family with Albert
Roux OBE, Michel Roux and Emily Roux in attendance.
“What a fabulous evening! We were so honoured at The Restaurant Association’s
recognition of our family’s contribution to the UK restaurant industry. We’re now into our
third generation of restaurateurs with Emily and Diego’s opening last year, and it was
wonderful to receive such an accolade in front of all our respected peers,” said Michel Roux
Jr. “It was also a significant occasion to raise awareness and money for the incredible work
undertaken by Springboard, they do such a great job in helping young people find
worthwhile careers in hospitality.”
Speakers
The NTH Degree Club founder and President of the Restaurant Association,
Robert Walton MBE, hosted the event alongside speakers including Anne Pierce Chief
Executive of Springboard Charity, Kate Nicholls CEO of UK Hospitality, David Spencer-
Percival CEO of No.1 Botanical Soda, Eric Bush of The Cayman Islands, Bastien Soots of
Michelin and Sarah Fabergé of fine jewellery brand Fabergé.
Entertainment
Entertainment was provided by announcer Alan Dedicoat plus West End singers Ben Forster
and Lauren Samuels. Diners played a game of Heads and Tails with the winner taking away
a coveted holiday to the Cayman Islands. The luxury trip will include a 7-night stay at the
Kimpton Seafire Resort and Spa on the world renowned Seven Mile Beach, and return
flights from London.
Celebrated chef Brian Turner CBE hosted the annual Auction where the
top prize was One Dazzling Night With The Dazzlers. The winner would be invited to the
home of Robert Walton MBE and Donna Ida Thornton where a dinner would be prepared for
eight guests by a host of top chefs. The starter will be prepared by Sophie Michell and Gizzi
Erskine, Melissa Hemsley will be making dessert, Robert Walton MBE will be cooking the
main course with Francesco Mazzei as commis chef with drinks served by Donna Ida
Thornton.
Springboard Charity
The auction raised £48,000 for The Springboard Charity which helps young people achieve
their potential and unemployed adults into gainful employment. It also works to support
people in or at risk of poverty, by helping them to overcome their challenges, and begin
rewarding, long-term careers in the hospitality industry.
Sponsors
Headline sponsors No.1 Botanical Soda were the perfect partners for the event. Their new
range of botanical extract mixers are sugar free and contain no artificial sweeteners or
preservatives. They are pure, fresh, aromatic and distinctive. They are made with active
herbal extracts and authenticated by the leading botanical scientists at the Royal Botanic
Gardens, Kew. Created especially for bars, restaurants and hotels, No.1 Botanical Soda
ensures the perfect fizz and flavour to produce stunning cocktails.
Platinum sponsors of the RA Gala Dinner included British Overseas Territory, the Cayman
Islands, which are located in the western Caribbean Sea, south of Cuba and north west of
Jamaica. Comprising three islands, all offer something different from the barefoot elegance
of Grand Cayman, to the adventurous spirit of Cayman Brac and the tranquillity of Little
Cayman. Alpha Rewards are the second Platinum Sponsor and is the preferred Partner of
UKHospitality delivering an exceptional Member Benefit to reward & motivate staff leading to
employee retention, labour productivity & improved quality of outputs & services to drive
increased profitability.
Gold sponsors included Fabergé, Barracuda, Overfinch, Falco Capital, Orhan London Tailoring, The
Wine Cru, Boadicea the Victorious, Nordaq, DRS Bond Management Limited, The Caterer
Silver Sponsors include Chelsea FC, Longbottom & Co, UK Hospitality, Unilever, Fiona
Barratt Interiors.
The Savoy London Menu
The menu has been designed with a starter and dessert to showcase the Headline Sponsor.
Loch Duart Scottish Salmon was cured in “KEW Organic – Explorers’ Strength Gin”, Juniper
Berry Crust and Baby Leeks Cooked in No.1 Juniper Soda. Dessert was an After-8, an
Intense Dark Chocolate Ganache, Crispy Pearls, No.1 Mint Soda infused Mint Stracciatella
Ice Cream.
Guests enjoyed an Intermediate course of Native Lobster, Norfolk Vegetables Blanquette,
Micro Cress and Edible Flowers, followed by a main course of Grassland Beef Oxtail
52° Celsius Cooked Beef Filet, Potato Confit, Heritage Beetroot, Coffee Teriyaki Sauce.
Drinks by The Wine Cru
Drinks were selected by The Wine Cru including Champagne Corbon, Absolument Brut NV.
from Champagne, France on arrival. For the Starter, Domaine Gueguen, Chablis 2015.
Burgundy, France is a Fred and Celine’s Chablis, and is the best way to discover the
kimmeridgian limestone rocks, composed of skeletal fragments of corals. For the
Intermediate course, Ottaviano Lambruschi, Colli di Luni “Costa Marina” Vermentino 2015.
Liguria, Italy is a pure and balanced Vermentino from the Ligurian coast, which reflects the
moonlight on to the hills of Carrara marble. For the main course, The People’s Wine
Revolution, Secret Vineyard Syrah St Helena Napa Valley 2014. California, USA is from a
secret vineyard in Santa Helena, Napa Valley, where Viognier is an unusual sparring partner
of a rich and velvety Syrah. A Weingut am Kaiserbaum, Gewurztraminer & Riesling Fruchtig
2016 from Pfalz, Germany will be served for dessert, an unsuspecting blend of two great
grapes, which find harmony in the sandy, loam and limestone soils of Pfalz.
Quotes on the Restaurant Association Gala Dinner
The NTH Degree Club founder and President of the Restaurant Association, Robert Walton
MBE said: “I opened my second restaurant Pincents Manor in 1985. Shortly afterwards, I
joined the Restaurant Association of Great Britain. It was fantastic to receive my scroll, meet
like-minded people and be part of an association dedicated to such an exciting sector which
I am so passionate about. In 1992, to my delight, I was invited to join the Restaurant
Association committee and after 27 years I now have the great honour of being its President
for the last 9. I look back at the past 50 years of the Restaurant Association and think of
the pioneers of 1967 and how their contribution to the hospitality industry in the UK, and
especially London, have been instrumental to its success. This has lead to London being
recognised as the hospitality capital of the world. The Association is about to start a new
journey and the future is extremely exciting. There seems to be an insatiable appetite for the
hospitality sector with our chefs becoming ever more popular, not only in their own
establishments but also in the world of media and television.”
David Spencer-Percival CEO of No.1 Botanical Soda: “We are delighted to be Headline
Sponsor for the Restaurant Association Gala Dinner. No.1 Botanical Soda represents a new
direction for the drinks industry with a product which is sugar free, pure, fresh, aromatic and
distinctive. Our drinks contain no artificial sweeteners or preservatives and can be used to
complement and enhance a sophisticated range of flavours. We’re excited to explore this
new world of botanicals with the Restaurant Association and the drinks industry as a whole.”
Kate Nicholls, Chief Executive Officer of UK Hospitality: “This year marks the first
anniversary of the establishment of UKHospitality. The inaugural year has been a tumultuous
one, but there is much of which the sector can be proud as we get our teeth into 2019. The
decision last year to merge the two organisations represented a natural progression from the
collaborative work between the Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers (ALMR) and
British Hospitality Association (BHA) that has brought success over recent years. It is
already giving the sector the resources and influence to communicate with the Government
at the highest possible levels and achieve even more than we could have hoped for
separately. Our focus is to expand to include all aspects of hospitality, but will, of course,
ensure that restaurants have a strong champion with a voice at the heart of Government.
Restaurants naturally have a major role to play in the success of the nation’s hospitality
sector and the best of them were represented at the Restaurant Association Gala Dinner
where we celebrated a successful year for UKHospitality. We look forward to continued
success in the future.”
Anne Pierce Chief Executive of Springboard Charity: “We are delighted and privileged to
be this year’s chosen Charity for the Restaurant Association’s Gala Dinner, not least
because one of the Association’s goals – to encourage future talent into hospitality – is at the
heart of everything the Charity does. Since 1990, Springboard has been working tirelessly
to help young people achieve their potential and to support adults facing a range of barriers
to work, hardship and disadvantage, into sustainable employment in the sector – in so doing
relieving unemployment and alleviating poverty. The funds raised tonight will make a real
difference to these three important areas of work. At the same time Springboard UK works
with the industry to promote careers and attract talent – vital given the increasing challenges
we are facing. Our inspiring education programmes provide secondary schools with vibrant
and interactive resources and competitions to support the food curriculum as well as provide
students, teachers and parents with vital careers education, support services and quality
work experience. The generous support at The Restaurant Association Gala Dinner will give
the opportunity for more people to take advantage of our programmes, overcome the
difficulties they face, and support them into worthwhile and sustainable careers in hospitality.
For every £1,500 we raise, one more person will get the help they need to gain meaningful
employment and turn their lives around.”
Photos by Paul Griffiths & Helen Abraham / Raccoon London. Copyright of The NTH Degree Club.
27th February 2019
