Restaurateur Brings Prestigious National 'Restaurant Of The Year' Award Home To Yorkshire

Online, June 26, 2012 (Newswire.com) - Receiving praise for vibrant and ambitious cooking, van Zeller triumphed over competition from around the UK in securing The Good Food Guide's Readers' Restaurant of the Year Award. The award was presented to Tom van Zeller, chef-patron of Van Zeller by celebrity chef and fellow restaurateur Angela Hartnett MBE at a ceremony in central London.

The restaurant, which is run by chef-patron Tom van Zeller, beat nine other finalists, voted for by more than 44,500 Good Food Guide readers, and was commended for its innovative cuisine.

Elizabeth Carter, consultant editor of the Good Food Guide, praised the winner:

"Tom van Zeller is a likeable chef with no pretensions or gimmicks - his smart, contemporary dishes are full of vibrancy, bold strokes and ambition.

"His army of loyal fans are unanimous that this is a chef firing on all cylinders, one who is aiming for the top. From extraordinary attention to detail, to cooking that extracts the best from first-class produce, Van Zeller is a lesson in how a small restaurant should be run and a worthy winner of our Readers Restaurant of the Year award."

Tom van Zeller, Chef Patron of van Zeller's added:

"To win the North East regional awards was a huge honour, but to be given the national award is just completely amazing. I am so incredibly proud for my team, for my customers and for Harrogate. To be bringing this award home to Yorkshire really is a dream come true, we're working tirelessly to put fuss-free fine dining firmly on the map in Yorkshire. This award is particularly special to Team van Zeller because it has been voted for by The Good Food Guide readers; all our diners are of the upmost importance to us and to receive their recognition like this is truly breathtaking. My sincerest thanks go out to everyone who has voted for us."

The Good Food Guide Readers' Restaurant of the Year Award is run annually to find the UK's favourite restaurant as nominated by the general public. To qualify for the awards restaurants needed to be independently run, offering regional or local produce where possible and deliver consistently great food and excellent service.

Van Zeller's ongoing success

Van Zeller has collected a wide range of accolades in the past year alone including featuring in The Sunday Times Top 100 Restaurants with a respectable first time entry at 79. Tom van Zeller collected a Yorkshire Young Achiever Award for Management and Enterprise in recognition of his passion, skill and drive in making his business a success. Regional finalist in the ITV series Best Dish: The Chefs, Tom remains grounded and is a great advocate for his home town and county supporting other local businesses and charities.

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For further information on van Zeller and the Good Food Guide awards please contact James Ryan Mob: 07882598889 Email: James@navig8.co.uk

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Notes to Editors

Van Zeller restaurant is in Harrogate.
Website: www.vanzellerrestaurants.co.uk
Twitter: www.twitter.com/#!/van_zellers

About Tom van Zeller
Tom van Zeller is one of Yorkshire's brightest young chefs. His genuine passion for fine food and fine dining led to the creation of van Zeller Restaurant in 2009 which has since gone on to win numerous awards. His mission is to provide delicious and innovative food in a stylish setting, complemented by the highest standards of service, but without pretension or formality.

Tom has an impressive grounding in the restaurant trade. He grew up in Harrogate, beginning his career in the famous Bettys Tearooms and at Rudding Park before going on to work in some of the country's finest Michelin star restaurants. He spent time working in London, Sydney and New York before returning to his Yorkshire roots where he now has the backing of David Moore, owner of 2 Michelin stars through Pied a Terre and L'Autre Pied restaurants.

Awards won by van Zeller
• The Good Food Guide North East Restaurant of the Year 2012
• No.79 Sunday Times Top 100 Food List
• Regional Finalist ITV1 Best Dish The Chefs
• 2AA Rosettes 2008/09/10/11/12
• Best Restaurant in Yorkshire & The North East, 2012 Hi-Life Dining Awards
• Best Service, Best Fine Dining & Overall Winner 2011 Oliver Awards
• Best Chef Hi-Life Awards 2011
• Management & Enterprise Award 2011 Yorkshire Young Achievers Foundation
• Best Newcomer 2010 Northern Hospitality Awards

About the Good Food Guide Awards

The Good Food Guide's esteemed Restaurant of the Year Awards champion local eateries and recognise great food and good service, with the criteria that restaurants must be independently run and offer regional or local produce where possible.
This year, over 44,500 diners nominated their favourite restaurants from around the UK in the quest to find this year's The Good Food Guide Readers' Restaurant of the Year. The Good Food Guide Award judges whittled down the nominations to a list of ten Regional winners, before crowning Van Zeller as the overall winner.