The Chronicle (South Tyneside and Durham)
Awards honour for trio of restaurants
HJEM, PINE AND SOLSTICE RANKED AS ‘EXCEPTIONAL’ BY THE GOOD FOOD GUIDE
THE North East’s flourishing food scene was given another huge boost this week as The Good Food Guide Awards announced its winners, bringing more glory to two Michelin star restaurants in Northumberland and another in Newcastle.
The awards, hosted in London on Tuesday night, saw some top honours go to Hjem, Pine and Solstice which all have been ranked as ‘exceptional’. And in a further boost, Pine at Vallum Farm was a runner-up for Restaurant of the Year - just days after bagging another ‘top spot’ title. It’s a mark of extraordinary success for the three restaurants in a hugely competitive environment and Pine especially is on a roll right now, with owner-chef Cal Byerley having just made it to the finals in the current series of BBC’s Great British Menu and the restaurant winning number one spot only last week in SquareMeal’s list of the Top 100 Restaurants in the UK. Hjem and Solstice made the list too.
The Good Food Guide Awards changed format this year, replacing its own ranked list with ratings of ‘exceptional’ and even ‘world class’ to recognise the best of Britain’s dining scene. And it has added individual awards for certain categories, such as Best Restaurant, to pick out leaders in their field.
The renowned publication says each restaurant is ‘comprehensively inspected’ by its coeditors Elizabeth Carter and Chloe Hamilton and their team of 30 anonymous inspectors. The guide also receives tip-offs from readers which can help spotlight hidden gems off the beaten track.
Following the awards night, which was supported by Andrew Lloyd Webber, Elizabethor Carter said: “It’s a new era for The Good Food Guide with a new look and a revamped rating system but the guide’s deep-rooted values remain exactly the same. There’s always been a lot of excitement surrounding our awards and this year we’ve overhauled them to better reflect the fast-paced changes in Britain’s dining out scene.” She added: “I’m incredibly proud of the entire awards list as every restaurant on it, not just the winners, sets the standard by which all others should be measured.”
Pine had been up for the Restaurant of the Year award alongside Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons in Oxfordshire; Ynyshir in Wales; L’Enclume in Cumbria and The Sportsman in Kent.
It was The Sportsman which emerged as winner and the Michelin star success also became only the fourth restaurant in Britain to be rated by The Good Food Guide as ‘world class’.