CityLife

Hi-Life Dining Awards 2010: Winners announced

By Dianne Bourne

1 / 1 imagesEnzo Mauro was awarded the Best Chef title

ONE of the veteran stars of Manchester’s foodie scene was celebrating scooping one of the top gongs at the annual Hi-Life Dining Awards. Italian culinary whizz Enzo Mauro was crowned Best Chef for his work at acclaimed city centre eaterie Stock.

A host of stars from the small screen headed to the bash, affectionately known as The Hildas, at Manchester’s Hilton Hotel.

Enzo, 65, has been a chef now for 40 years, and reckons the secret to his success is simple - literally.

He said: “The best Italian food is all about simplicity, it’s not elaborate, it’s just tasty.  When people try to make it fancy that’s when it can all go wrong with Italian food.

“One of the best compliments we’ve had recently is when Marco Pierre White came to Stock and said it was the best restaurant he’s ever been to.  It’s nice to hear that.”

The awards are voted on by the thousands of members of the Hi-Life dining club, which gives members discounts at restaurants across the UK.

Meanwhile it was one of the city’s more recent ventures that scooped the Best Manchester Restaurant gong.

The dining public chose celebhaunt restaurant Ithaca on John Dalton Street as their favourite – with its pan-asian cuisine beating off competition from the likes of Sam’s Chop House, San Rocco, The Hale Kitchen and Sweet Mandarin.

Harvey Nichols Second Floor Restaurant in Manchester was also among the big winners – scooping the Best Platinum Restaurant gong, sponsored by our enertainment website CityLife.co.uk, against competition from fine dining venues from across the country.

But Manchester’s acclaimed Yang Sing lost out in the prestigious Best Overall Restaurant category – with the award heading to The Crab and Lobster in Thirsk.

The glitzy do also helped to raise thousands of pounds for children's charity NSPCC after an auction hosted by Corrie's Craig Gazey and Emmerdale's Tony Audenshaw.

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WINNERS
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Best Newcomer
Chaophraya, Liverpool

Best Scotland Restaurant
Howies, Edinburgh

Best Ireland Restaurant
Coco, Belfast

Best Yorkshire and North East Restaurant
The Clocktower, Harrogate

Best North West Restaurant
Nigel Smith’s Restaurant, Wrea Green

Best Manchester Restaurant
Ithaca, John Dalton Street

Best Atmosphere
Alma de Cuba, Liverpool

Best Restaurant Group
Pizza Express

Best Platinum Restaurant
Harvey Nichols Second Floor Restaurant, Manchester

Best Chef
Enzo Mauro, Stock Restaurant, Manchester

Special Recognition Award
Chef Warrick Dodds

Best Overall Restaurant
The Crab and Lobster, Thirsk

Published: Mon, 01 February, 2010

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Puddycat wrote:

Best Manchester Restaurant, Ithaca? You have got to be kidding. It's the same old, same old every year........