For the first time in 15 years, three restaurants have scored full marks (10/10), in the Good Food Guide, published by Waitrose and now in its 64th year.
In another first, Clare Smyth, Chef/Proprietor at Restaurant Gordon Ramsay has become the first female chef in fifteen years to be awarded a perfect ten score by the best selling restaurant guide, as it publishes its 2015 ranking of the UK’s Top 50 restaurants on 8th September.
Topped again by L’Enclume
And for the second year running, Simon Rogan’s Cumbrian restaurant, L’Enclume, has achieved the top spot. At number two is Heston Blumenthal’s The Fat Duck, which has now scored a perfect ten for seven years in a row – longer than any other restaurant since the guide adopted its current scoring system. Restaurant Gordon Ramsay achieved third place with its top score, rising two places from last year.
What makes Clare Smyth so special?
Elizabeth Carter, Consultant Editor of the Waitrose Good Food Guide, explains:
“After a break of a decade, Gordon Ramsay’s Chelsea flagship has once again been awarded a perfect 10. Now the domain of Clare Smyth, with support from what is, without doubt, one of the best front-of-house teams in the UK, this most impressive of London’s premier restaurants is back in that elite club.
“Further congratulations, too, for Smyth is the first female chef to achieve our top score in 15 years. With her brilliantly artistic, elegant, modern French cooking, she perfectly complements the witty, cerebral Fat Duck and the sensual farm-to-table delights of L’Enclume at the pinnacle of our Top 50 list.”
Clare Smyth at Restaurant Gordon Ramsay said: “This is incredible, I’m absolutely overjoyed, we all are. I have personally referenced The Good Food Guide for places to eat for years and value their opinion as it’s the customers’ opinion.
“It makes it so much more significant when you know it’s through customer feedback. Like all restaurants we are one big team and my team here is tremendous, so a huge thank you from every one of us.”
Highly regarded by restaurant-goers
The Good Food Guide’s annual Top 50 restaurant ranking is highly regarded by chefs and restaurant-goers alike, with particular attention paid to those chefs and restaurants who make it into the Top 10.
Cornish favourite Restaurant Nathan Outlaw takes the number 4 spot for 2015, followed by Claude Bosi’s Hibiscus, which rises two places from seven to five. Retaining sixth place is man-of-the-moment Jason Atherton with his flagship restaurant Pollen Street Social, followed by Nottingham’s Restaurant Sat Bains at number 7, and Philip Howard’s The Square at number 8. For the first time David Everitt-Matthias appears in the Top 10, with Le Champignon Sauvage taking the ninth position, and Brett Graham’s The Ledbury completing the list.
The full Top 50 listing will be published in the Good Food Guide 2015, the UK’s bestselling and longest-running restaurant guide, on 8th September.
This year’s Top 10 – cooking Score is between 1 and 10. Last year’s ranking is shown in brackets.
- L’Enclume, Cumbria. Cooking score 10. (1st)
- The Fat Duck, Berkshire. Cooking score 10. (2nd)
- Restaurant Gordon Ramsay, London. Cooking score 10. (5th)
- Restaurant Nathan Outlaw, Cornwall. Cooking score 9. (3rd)
- Hibiscus, London. Cooking score 9. (7th)
- Pollen Street Social, London. Cooking score 9. (6th)
- Restaurant Sat Bains, Nottinghamshire. Cooking score 9. (4th)
- The Square, London. Cooking score 8. (8th)
- Le Champignon Sauvage, Gloucestershire. Cooking score 8. (11th)
- The Ledbury, London. Cooking score 8. (9th)
Fifteen year flashback – the 10/10 scorers in 1999
- Nico Ladenis, Chez Nico
- Oak Room Marco Pierre White
- Gunn Eriksen, Altnaharrie Inn
About The Good Food Guide
The Good Food Guide is the UK’s longest running, bestselling restaurant guide. In its 64th year of publication, the guide is now published by Waitrose and includes independent reviews of the best dining establishments throughout the UK, from pubs and cafés to restaurants and fine dining. Waitrose Good Food Guide does not accept any sponsorship, advertisements or freebies.
Waitrose Good Food Guide 2015 publishes on 8th September 2014, RRP £17.99, and is available in all good bookshops and in Waitrose branches.
For more information click here