TV chef Dev Biswal’s Ambrette restaurants in Kent and Sussex – which have won no fewer the 50 national, regional and local food and drink awards in the past four-and-a-half years – has received three more, in as many weeks.
At a glittering award ceremony at London’s Hurlingham club on 30th June The Ambrette was named one of the country’s Top 10 best eateries at National Restaurant Awards, alongside Heston Blumenthal’s internationally acclaimed ‘Fat Duck at Bray’, holder of 3 Michelin stars.
The following week, The Ambrette received a BIBA (Best in Britain Award) accolade from the Federation of Specialist Restaurants and Mood Food Magazine, putting it on a par with London’s top Michelin-starred Indian eateries; Tamarind, Benares and Quilion. Also in this year’s top 50 are TV chef Cyrus Todiwala’s Cafe Spice Namaste, Vivek Singh’s Cinnamon Club, the ornate La Porte des Indes, Cinnamon Club, Gymkhana and Bombay Brasserie. The Ambrette also edged out several other famous Indian eateries, including London’s Chor Bizarre, Eriki, Gaylord and Veeraswamy, which received ‘High Recommended’ accolades.
Ambrette has now featured in the prestigious Square Meal Magazine’s Great Britain’s Great Restaurants list of the nation’s Top 100 list of restaurants outside London, at #51, ahead of many Michelin-starred venues. Inclusion is based 2,400 votes from Square Meal’s nationwide team of reviewers, magazine readers and food bloggers.
Kent and Sussex are well represented in the London based magazine’s list with, #12 The Sportsman (Seasalter), #36 Apicius (Cranbrook), #38 Restaurant Tristan (Horsham), #43 The Pass (Lower Beeding), #45 Chapter One (Farnborough Common), #46 The Curlew (Bodiam), #53 West House (Biddeden), #56 64 Degrees (Brighton), #57 Nobles (Battle), #65 Thackeray’s (Tunbridge Wells), #69 Gallivant Rye, #72 GB Pizza Co (Margate), #75 Wild Mushroom (West Field), #80 Chilli Pickle (Brighton), #84 Jo Jo’s (Whitstable).
Dev was particularly pleased to join the elite group of leading restaurants featured in Restaurant Magazine’s Diners’ Choice ‘Fit For Foodies’ category sponsored by the OpenTable online reservations company, which seats more than 15 million diners a month worldwide. The top ten was determined by more than 325,000 reviews submitted between 1st May 2013 and 30th April 2014. Because OpenTable reviews are verified and can only be submitted by people who have booked, dined and paid for a meal, plus the sheer quantity involved, vote rigging is virtually impossible and the ratings are widely respected within the industry.
“I’m stunned to be ranked alongside one of the world’s great chefs – it’s a great achievement and will help establish this south east corner of England on culinary map,” he said, adding “As OpenTable users tend to be regular and knowledgeable restaurant-goers, their view are regarded by many restaurateurs as a true bench mark.”
