15 October 2009: At the glittering National Restaurant Awards held at The Hurlingham Club in London, Philip Newman-Hall, Director/General Manager and Gary Jones, Executive Head Chef collected the coveted Front of House Award on behalf of all the team at the two Michelin starred Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons. The accolade was presented to Newman-Hall and Jones by editor of Restaurant magazine, Paul Wooton.

Since opening in 1984, Raymond Blanc, OBE and Chef Patron of Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons, the property and its loyal team have achieved the highest awards of any restaurant and country house hotel in Great Britain. One of the few restaurants in the world to retain two Michelin stars for 25 years, Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons remains a Mecca for gourmets the world over.   

2009 is a very special year for Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons as it celebrates its 25th Anniversary - and Blanc and his team have a number of wonderful events organised for this very special quarter of a century celebration.

The National Restaurant Awards are a well-established institution where restaurants and teams are rewarded for their sterling work and service – highlighting the high standards offered by the UK restaurant trade. The votes are cast by the National Restaurant Awards Academy, a panel of chefs, restaurateurs and food critics assembled by Restaurant magazine, creators and organisers of the Awards.

Paul Wootton, Restaurant magazine editor, said, "Restaurants live or die by their reputation, which can only be enhanced by winning one of these Awards. At a time when recession-hit customers are being cautious about where they spend their dining pounds, objective endorsement from industry experts is sure to encourage new visitors and extra spend.

Every successful restaurant knows that providing great service is just as important as serving great food, and getting it right requires the same focus and attention to detail. Le Manoir manages to achieve this effortlessly and consistently and they thoroughly deserve The Front of House Award."

Philip Newman-Hall commented:

"It is with great pleasure that we collected this prestigious award on behalf of the team at Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons and it gave me particular joy with my return to the house after a five year absence. When I returned to Le Manoir, many of the loyal team were still doing a sterling job – providing the utmost in service and hospitality. The team prides itself on creating a memorable experience for all our guests and it is clear that this had paid off. I am very proud of the whole team at Le Manoir and know that Raymond Blanc is thrilled that we run such a tight ship! We owe a debt of gratitude to Alain Desenclos, who will be retiring next year after so many years of loyal service. He has worked alongside Raymond Blanc since the beginning of Le Manoir and has been inspiring during the wonderful journey."