Evening Standard from London, Greater London, England • 3

WEDNESDAY 12 MARCH 1997 3 EVENING STANDARD Despite what the French say restaurants are officially No 1 LONDON not long ago a city where gourmets feared to eat a dodgy prawn cocktail and overdone steak was last night crowned the restaurant capital of the world At the Park Lane Hotel Carlton TV supremo Nigel Walmsley introducing the second annual London Restaurant Awards declared: transformation in the London restaurant scene in the last 20 years has been nothing short of a Temperamental chef Marco Pierre White snubbed the ceremony despite winning the top prize the Award of Excellence for his eponymous restaurant at the Hyde Park Hotel be here He says he is announced Evening Standard restaurant critic Fay Maschler to a chorus of light-hearted boos and jeers is our favourite she added likes to think of himself as Heath-cliff but I prefer to think of him as the Jane Eyre of catering going mad in the Lord Lloyd-Webber presented the Outstanding London Chef award to former Rangers footballer Gordon by TIM on London home la hJJJ widen showed how "the British have finally discovered bow to enjoy tfaemselvesf COOPER ORANGE TALKAHSAD Blanc flew his flag yelling as the Ramsay of Aubergine who prize for Best NewRestau- mm this immiE ATONIY won his second Michelin star this year at 30 Designer Bruce Oldfield handed Claudia Schiffer the Best Theme Restaurant prize for the Fashion Cato she launched with supermodel partners Naomi Campbell Christy Turlington and Elle Macpherson Singer Paul Young handed the Best Brasserie award to Winston Matthews ofLe Palais du Jardin while Julia Carling presented the Best Thai Restaurant prize to the Blue Elephant Other winners at the rant went to fellow Frenchman Jean-Christophe Novell! for Maison NoveuL Blanc was there to present an award to actor Michael Caine for his outstanding contribution to London restaurants won last year by Ms Maschler Caine however who now has interests in seven restaurants including and The Canteen was stranded in New York on a film shoot Afterwards Blanc proprietor of Le Manoir Aux was happy to IMS INCLUSIVE Claudia SchHfec Collected the Best Theme Restaurant prize for the Fashion Cafe launched with feiiow supeimodeis GIVES YOU 12 MONTHS LINE RENTAL FREE CONNECTION 15 MINS FREE TALK TIME EACH MONTH awards judged by a panel pay tribute to the country including Ms Maschler and that has been his adopted master chef Raymond Blanc home for the past 23 years from a shortlist compiled I first came here from TV votes London was a dark barbar-included the Atlantic Bar ian place for gastronomy and Grill (Best Restaurant with terrible food and horri-Bar) St John (Best Modern ble subservient he British Restaurant) Cafe said Med (Best Mediterranean the British are Restaurant) The Eagle (Best changing They are far more Pub Restaurant) Star Of sensuous They even open India (Best Indian Restau- up their jackets These are rant) and Zafferano (Best exciting times for British Italian Restaurant) food fashion music litera- As the prizes were heaped tore and cinema The British have finally discovered how to enjoy themselves" He added: few years ago you would see the British eating at the table talking about the mother-in-law the cricket and the weather Now they talk about sex politics and even the food they are Meanwhile France is in danger of lagging behind he said Paris the great French restaurants are still great but they have to be careftQ London scene is so much more exciting It has better quality better service a better welcome and a better environment we need now is some global warming so we can have tables on the pavement Pictures: DAVE BENETT Jit 12 MONTHS FREE INSURANCE orange THE RIGHT CONNECTION 1HR0IKH0UT 6REATEB UHMHL FOR TOUR IEMEST BRAICHCALL ill ll £4 Chefs Antony Wofraft-Thompson and Raymond Blanc (right with the Standard's Fay Maschler.