GARY USHER, force of nature behind bistro trio Hispi (Didsbury), Sticky Walnut (Chester) and Burnt Truffle (Heswall), was honoured by his peers at the Northern Restaurant and Bar show in Manchester.
At the prestigious hospitality trade event in Manchester Central he was given a special achievement award for “living and breathing the model of what a contemporary restaurateur can be, with funding via crowd-sourcing, marketing via social media, and an emphasis on accessible, neighbourhood dining.”
Busy, busy, but the judges added: “Despite all this the underlying focus is on classical impeccable quality across all sites.” Taste of Manchester is an especially big fan of Hispi in Didsbury (read our review)
Two other special achievement awards were handed out at the announcement of the annual NRB Top 50 power list – Revolution Bars Group bosses Jimmy del Guidice and Mark McQuater were praised for “taking on a brand which they knew required an overhaul, and overhaul it they did’; while Living Ventures bosses Jeremy Roberts and Paul Moran were recognised for driving the business forward after the death of Tim Bacon last year;
The pair recently unveiled a spectacular upgrade of the old Reform Club site at the top of King Street, creating the colonial style Grand Pacific (above).
The Top 50 list spans 210 brands, 1012 sites and over 21,800 employees. Singling out the most influential hospitality movers and shakers, it never stands still, reflecting what Thom Hetherington, CEO of NRB organisers Holden Media, told us: “I think that in terms of volume, variety and sheer quality, northern food and drink lovers have never had it so good.
Among 10 new entries this year were Manchester United legends Gary Neville and Ryan Giggs, whose GG Hospitality empire includes Hotel and Cafe Football and the new Rabbit In The Moon in Urbis (read our review) with two more restaurants in the pipeline for manchester’s old Stock Exchange.
Gary Usher is pictured in lead picture with Thom Hetherington (left) and Tony Lyons of Kuits Solicitors, sponsors of the Top 50.
NRB TOP FIFTY 2017
(listed alphabetically by surname and grouped by company - new entries in bold)
Sax Arshad, Director, Mughli
Haz Arshad, Director, Mughli
Adele, Ashley, Owner / Head Chef, Filmore & Union
Paul Askew, Chef Patron, The Art School
Mohammed Aslam MBE, Owner, Aagrah Group
Rob Bacon, Executive Chef Director, Hickory's Smokehouse
Jason Bligh, Director, Hickory's Smokehouse
Neil McDonnell, Managing Director, Hickory's Smokehouse
John Welsh, Operations Director, Hickory's Smokehouse
Craig Bancroft, Managing Director, Northcote
Nigel Haworth, Chef Patron, Northcote
Tim Bird, Owner, Cheshire Cat Pub & Bars
Mary Mclaughlin, Owner, Cheshire Cat Pub & Bars
Ken Buckley, Managing Director, Bravo Inns
Marie Carter, Director, Beautiful Drinks
Beau Myers, Director, Beautiful Drinks
Paul Cogan, Group Finance & Resources Director, Betty & Taylors Group
Rachel Fellow, Group Communications Director, Betty & Taylors Group
Philip Hanson, Non Exec Director, Betty & Taylors Group
Clare Morrow, Non Exec Director, Betty & Taylors Group
Berenice Smith, Non Exec Director, Betty & Taylors Group
Lesley Wild, Chair of the Board, Betty & Taylors Group
Sarah Cook, Director, Vaulkhard Group
Harry Vaulkhard, Director, Vaulkhard Group
Oliver Vaulkhard, Director, Vaulkhard Group
Sue Crimes, MD, Gusto
Morgan Davies, Founder / CEO, Barburrito
Stewart Davies, Group Operations Director, GG Hospitality
Ryan Giggs, Director, GG Hospitality
Gary Neville, Director, GG Hospitality
Jimmy del Giudice, Operations Director, Revolution Bars Group plc
Mark McQuater, CEO, Revolution Bars Group plc
Carlo Distefano, Chairman, San Carlo Group
Marcello Distefano, Managing Director, San Carlo Group
James Douglas, Co Owner / Director, Reds True BBQ
Scott Munro, Co Owner / Director, Reds True BBQ
Roy Ellis, Director, Mission Mars
Neil Macleod, Director, Mission Mars
Dan Mullen, Director, Mission Mars
Joel Wilkinson, Director, Mission Mars
Adelaide Winter, Director, Mission Mars
John Ennis, Owner, Graffiti Spirit
Matthew, Farrell, Owner, Graffiti Spirit
Nick, Thomas, Owner, Graffiti Spirit
Ged Feltham, CEO, Leelex
Paul Lane, Managing Director, Leelex
Jobe Ferguson, Director, Blackdog Ballroom & The Liars Club
Lyndon Higginson, Director, Blackdog Ballroom & The Liars Club
Ross Mackenzie, Director, Blackdog Ballroom & The Liars Club
Duncan Fisher, Owner, Apartment Group
Kit Graves, Director, Lake District Hotels
Charles Graves, Director, Lake District Hotels
Dani Hope, Sales & Marketing Director, Lake District Hotels
John Gyngell, Director, North Bar / North Brewing Company
Christian Townsley, Director, North Bar / North Brewing Company
Jamie Hawksworth, Owner, Pivovar / The Tapped Brew Co
Jonathon Holdsworth, Founder, Pivovar / The Tapped Brew Co
Chris Hill, Managing Director, New World Trading Company
Chris Hopkins, MD, Hydes Brewery
Matthew Jones, Managing Director, Jones Bar Group
Ben Jones, Operations & Finance Director, Jones Bar Group
Ban Kaewkraikhot, Owner / head Chef, Sukhothai
Kim Kaewkraikhot, Chairwoman, Thai Leisure Group
Martin Stead, Owner, Thai Leisure Group
Terry Laybourne, Owner, 21 Hospitality Group
William Lees Jones, Managing Director, JW Lees
Colin Manning, Managing Partner, 60 Hope St
Gary Manning, Chef Patron, 60 Hope St
Tomas Maunier, Director, Fazenda Rodizio Bar & Grill
Robert Melman, Director, Fazenda Rodizio Bar & Grill
Stephen Miles, General Manager, Radisson Blu Edwardian Manchester
Paul Moran, Managing Director, Living Ventures
Jeremy Roberts, CEO, Living Ventures
Lucy Nelson, Sales & Marketing Director, Nelson Hotels
Andrew Nelson, Operations Director, Nelson Hotels
Joycelyn Neve, Managing Director, Seafood Pub Company
Michael O'Hare, Chef-Patron, The Man Behind the Curtain
Andrew Pern, Owner / Executive Chef, The Star at Harome/Star Inn The City
Steve Pilling, Co Owner, Damson Group
Simon Stanley, Co Owner, Damson Group
Jonathan Poole, Director, Red and Blue
Paddy Smith, Director, Red and Blue
Simon Potts, Managing Director, The Alchemist Bar & Restaurant
Oliver Robinson, Managing Director, Frederic Robinson
Simon Rogan, Co Owner, Umbel Restaurant Group
Franco Sotgiu, Co Owner, Solita
Chris Ure, Owner, Arc Inspirations
Martin Wolstencroft, Managing Director / Owner, Arc Inspirations
Gary Usher, Owner, Sticky Walnut
Steven Walker, CEO, Individual Restaurants
Marc Wilkinson, Chef Patron, Restaurant Fraiche