Cateys 2023: Restaurateur of the Year – Independent: Clare Smyth, CS Hospitality
Clare Smyth wins Restaurateur of the Year – Independent, sponsored by Venners
Clare Smyth was praised by judges as exemplifying what it means to be a Catey winner, working at the very top level of her industry and acting as an inspiration to others in the sector.
Smyth became the first female chef to win three Michelin stars in the UK for Restaurant Gordon Ramsay in London's Chelsea and she won the Catey Chef Award in 2016. Since then, her success has continued and she left Ramsay to open her own venture, Core in Notting Hill, in 2017.
Core has been nothing short of an outstanding success. Smyth's rigorously high standards have seen it maintain three stars in the Michelin Guide Great Britain and Ireland since 2021 and five AA rosettes since 2018.
On winning a third star, Smyth said: "We worked hard every day to be the best that we can. We try to be better every day than the last.
She added: "I just want for the future that young chefs – male or female – have the opportunity to open their own restaurants."
Smyth calls her style of dishes "British fine dining" and deliberately avoids the reliance on luxury imported ingredients that can be seen at other dining rooms at a top price point. Instead, her menus celebrate world-class produce found in the British Isles, such as Scottish langoustines and Lake District hogget. Even the humble potato has been transformed into one of Core's signature dishes, topped with trout and herring roe and homemade salt and vinegar crisps and served with a dulse beurre blanc in tribute to her Northern Ireland upbringing.
Outside of the kitchen, Smyth dedicates her time to supporting the next generation of chefs. This year, she took over as president of Bocuse d'Or UK and has made it her mission to boost the profile of UK gastronomy on the world stage. She has called for more investment in the competing chefs to boost their chances of winning the international culinary competition.
"The opportunity is there for Britain to be regarded as one of the best in global gastronomy," she said.
Smyth is also on the judging panel of the Roux Scholarship and the S Pellegrino World's Best Young Chef competition, and works with charities that are close to her heart.
Core's success has now expanded overseas with the opening of Oncore in Sydney in Australia in late 2021. The opening, praised by Bloomberg as "Sydney's best restaurant", has demonstrated that her success as a restaurateur is continuing on an international scale.
What the judges said
"Clare has clearly demonstrated both her contribution to the industry and as an exceptional restauranteur. The continued success of Core with its three Michelin stars and the stunning success of Oncore in Australia truly warrants her recognition and as a Catey winner." Bill Toner
"Clare exemplifies what it is to be a Catey winner. Absolutely at the top of her game, an inspiration to many and proof that a dedication to excellence pays off both in accolades and financially. A stand out candidate in the judging process and a very worthy winner of this award." Andrew McKenzie
The shortlist
- Adam Handling, Adam Handling Group
- Sam Harrison, Sam's Riverside
- Rebecca Mascarenhas, Elystan Street, Church Road, Kitchen W8, Home SW15 and Flour + Water
- Clare Smyth, CS Hospitality
- Markus Thesleff, Thesleff Group
The judges
- Andreas Antona, Simpsons
- Peter Backman, Peter Backman Foodservice Consultancy
- Sam Hart, Harts Group
- Andrew McKenzie, the Vineyard
- Bill Toner, CH&Co
