Moira restaurant shortlisted for top award

Wine & Brine in Moira has been shortlisted for The Caterer's Menu of the Year Award 2017, which will be announced in July.
Chef Chris McGowan and his wife Davina, owners of Wine and Brine, Moira.Chef Chris McGowan and his wife Davina, owners of Wine and Brine, Moira.
Chef Chris McGowan and his wife Davina, owners of Wine and Brine, Moira.

Chef proprietor Chris McGowan’s innovative eatery has also been voted one of the top 100 restaurants in the UK in the National Restaurant Awards 2017.

Since their inception in 1984, The Caterer Awards – or Cateys – have been considered the equivalent of the Oscars for the hospitality industry. This year’s Cateys will be announced on July 4 at Grosvenor House in London, and Wine & Brine is one of four restaurants shortlisted for the Menu of the Year Catey 2017, one of the night’s most prestigious awards.

Twelve nominees were selected from all the menus featured on the Menuwatch page of the Chef section of The Caterer magazine over the past year, and that original shortlist was narrowed down to a final selection of just four, one of which is Wine & Brine. The other three shortlisted restaurants for the Menu of the Year Catey 2017 are The Ninth in London, Norn in Edinburgh and Smokestak, also in London.

Judged on innovation, good use of seasonal produce, creativity, careful marrying of textures and flavours and value for money, the ultimate winner of the Menu of the Year Catey 2017 remains a secret until the award is presented at The Caterer Awards next month.

Wine and Brine has also been voted one of the top 100 restaurants in the UK in the National Restaurant Awards 2017.

Organised by Restaurant magazine, the National Restaurant Awards provide an annual snapshot of the UK restaurant scene and celebrate the success and skills of chefs and restaurateurs. The result of the votes of more than 150 industry experts, spread across all regions of the UK, comprising top chefs, restaurateurs, food writers, critics and other food experts and gastronomes, the National Restaurant Awards 2017 will be held at The Hurlingham Club on June 12, when Wine & Brine will find out their position on the list.

“Being shortlisted for The Catey for Menu of the Year 2017 is particularly satisfying, as we work really hard to create innovative, interesting and delicious menus that represent real value for money,” said Chris.

“Myself and Davina (Chris’ wife) are delighted for the whole team that Wine & Brine has made the top 100 list in the National Restaurant Awards 2017 too. We are looking forward to finding out where we come on the top 100 list, as well as catching up with friends and colleagues at The Cateys – and everyone’s working with their fingers crossed in Wine & Brine for the next few weeks!”