Six of the UK's top restaurant managers, plus last year's runner-up, will go through to the finals of the 2011 UK Restaurant Manager of the Year competition, following a semi-final held at the Westbury Hotel, London, earlier this week.
The seven finalists are:
- Damien Bastiat, restaurant manager, Gidleigh Park, Devon
- Michele Caggianese, restaurant & bar manager, Jumeirah Carlton Tower, London (last year's runner-up)
- Nicolas Chesneau, restaurant manager, La Becasse, Ludlow, Shropshire
- Shaun Corrigan, restaurants manager, The Grand Jersey
- Markus Ludewig, restaurant manager, One Aldwych, London
- Peter McAlister, brasserie manager, Malmaison Hotel, Belfast
- Paul Shanahan, assistant food & beverage director, London Syon Park, Waldorf Astoria
All seven will compete at the final of the event being held on 16 May 2011 at the Corinthia Hotel, London.
"We had such a high standard of entries this year, that we have put a total of seven candidates through rather than six," said Sophie Roberts-Brown, executive director. "All of them were extremely impressive at the semi-finals – so we are in for an exciting final."
The competition, supported by Hospitality Benchmark through the National Skills Academy for Hospitality, the Savoy Educational Trust and sponsored by OpenTable.com, seeks to find a restaurant manager who excels front-of-house, has great people skills, the ability to manage and inspire a team and who can demonstrate a strong business acumen. Previous winners include David Hennigan, previously of the Crown at Whitebrook, and Peter Avis of Babylon restaurant, London.
The winner will receive a week in New York to complete a stage at one of restaurateur Danny Mayer's Union Square Hospitality Group properties, staying in the top suite at trendy Manhatten boutique hotel The MAve, in the Flatiron District. The winners' restaurant will receive a 12-month subscription to the OpenTable reservation system.
The line-up of judges for the 2011 competition includes the 2009 Hotelier of the Year Jonathan Raggett, managing director of Red Carnation Hotels, former Le Gavroche maitre d' Silvano Giraldin, now director of Roux Consulting, Rémy Lysé, managing director, Rex Restaurant Associates, and Conor O'Leary, director of F&B, Hyatt Regency London – The Churchill.
