Gordon Ramsay hails 'incredible chef' Clare Smyth who scored top marks in UK restaurant ranking

 
Recognition: Clare Smyth at Restaurant Gordon Ramsay which has been named London’s best by the Good Food Guide (Picture: Rebecca Reid)
Louise Jury26 August 2014

London chef Clare Smyth has become the first woman in 15 years to achieve a perfect score in the Good Food Guide to Britain’s top restaurants.

Ms Smyth is the chef and proprietor of Restaurant Gordon Ramsay in Chelsea — the flagship for the TV celebrity’s global business — which is one of three restaurants to receive 10 out of 10 in the 64th issue of the guide.

It is topped for the second year running by Simon Rogan’s L’Enclume in Cumbria with second place taken by Heston Blumenthal’s The Fat Duck in Bray, Berkshire.

Praise: Gordon Ramsay (Picture: Getty)

Blumenthal’s restaurant achieved top marks for the seventh year in a row, longer than any other restaurant since the current scoring system was adopted.

The top 10 includes five restaurants in the capital — Hibiscus, Pollen Street Social, The Square and The Ledbury, as well as Restaurant Gordon Ramsay in third place.

Ms Smyth said she was “absolutely overjoyed” at the accolade.

Runner up: Heston Blumenthal (Picture: REX)

She added: “I have personally referenced the Good Food Guide for places to eat for years and value their opinion as it’s the customers’ opinion. Like all restaurants we are one big team and my team here is tremendous, so a huge thank you from every one of us.”

Ramsay said: “Clare is an incredible chef and I am, and have always been, very proud of her and all the team at the restaurant. It’s great to see them receive the recognition they deserve.”

Elizabeth Carter, consultant editor of the guide which is now published by Waitrose, said Ms Smyth received support from “one of the best front-of-house teams in the UK”.

High marks: Pollen Street Social is in the Good Food Guide’s top 10

“With her brilliantly artistic, elegant, modern French cooking, she perfectly complements the witty, cerebral Fat Duck and the sensual farm-to-table delights of L’Enclume at the pinnacle of our list,” she added.

It is the first time in 15 years that three restaurants have scored full marks. In 1999, that honour was shared by Marco Pierre White’s Oak Room, Nico Ladenis at Chez Nico and female chef Gunn Eriksen at the Altnaharrie Inn at Loch Broom, Ullapool, in Scotland.

The guide is compiled by experts on public recommendations and also includes pubs and cafés. It will be available in Waitrose and bookstores on September 8.

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