Brasserie Blanc wins AFWS wine service award

Published: 05 October, 2012

High street chain Brasserie Blanc has won one of the two new Academy of Food & Wine Service awards aimed at establishments achieving excellence in the industry.

The Award for Wine Service went to Jason Wright, general manager of Brasserie Blanc Opera Terrace in London's Covent Garden. Wright was recognised for helping the recently opened restaurant stand out in London's West End by offering high levels of service and wine knowledge, and for establishing an excellent front of house team.

Paul Taylor, general manager of TGI Friday's in Luton, was given the first of a new Food Service Award and the Academy also gave its first Diamond Award to Pride Of Britain Hotels chief executive officer Peter Hancock.

AFWS vice chairman Paul Breach said: "These two new awards really reflect what the Academy is all about - excellence in front-of-house service. We have two worthy winners of the first of these awards, picked from six sector winners, and it's a reflection of improving levels of service in the UK's hospitality sector that both of these winners are from high street chains."

The full list of award winners in the AFWS 2012 Annual Awards for Excellence
were:

AFWS Award for Excellence - Laura Rhys, head sommelier, Hotel TerraVina,
Southampton

Company of the Year - De Vere Hotels

Pub Wine List of the Year - The Swan, Salford

Virgin Rising Star - Amelia Thornhill, The Bell, Fetcham

The Worshipful Company of Innholders & Maison Louis Latour Sommelier
Award - Stefan Neumann, The Fat Duck, Bray

Phillip Thornton Award - Kiri Rayner, The Cavendish London, SW1

L'Academie de Lanson Taste Award - Romain Crozat, Galvin at Windows,
London W1

Fine Dining Food Service Award - Luigi Ferrara, Babylon, Roof Gardens,
London W8

High Street Food Service Award - Paul Taylor, TGI Friday's, Luton

Pub Dining Food Service Award - Juliet Stone, The White Lion, Suffolk

Fine Dining Wine Service Award - Kathrine Larsen, Orrery, London W1

High Street Wine Service Award - Jason Wright, Brasserie Blanc Opera
Terrace, London WC2

Pub Dining Wine Service Award - Rozanne Stringer & Melissa Doyle, The
Bear, Oxshott

AFWS Food Service Award - Paul Taylor, general manager, TGI Friday's, Luton

AFWS Wine Service Award - Jason Wright, general manager, Brasserie Blanc
Opera Terrace, London WC2

Diamond Award - Peter Hancock, chief executive, Pride of Britain Hotels

AFWS Fellowships were presented to: Conor O'Leary, Hyatt Regency London; Nigel Wilkinson, Boutinot Wines; and Stephen Mannock, Edge Hotel School.

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