At the hospitality industry’s Oscar’s in London this week, James Thomson, owner and creator of the Witchery by the Castle and other Edinburgh institutions, was named “Restaurateur of the Year.”
James now joins a very select club, with former winners including Albert Roux, Terence Conran, Heston Blumenthal and Gordon Ramsay. James won against a prestigious shortlist that included London’s high-profile chef-restaurateurs the Galvin Brothers and Michelin-starred Hibiscus in Mayfair.
Others receiving awards this week included industry icon Raymond Blanc and renowned chef Angela Hartnett.
James is responsible for some of the highest-profile restaurants in the city including the Witchery by the Castle, the rooftop Tower & Rhubarb at his ultra-opulent five red star hotel, Prestonfield. The award is particularly apposite as this year he is celebrating the 30th anniversary of the Witchery.
Judges praised the longevity of his restaurants, noting “he’s been a fixture on the Edinburgh hospitality scene for 30 years since becoming Edinburgh’s youngest licensee when he opened the Witchery aged 20 in 1979.”
“Thomson is a restaurateur who has been running a successful restaurant for 30 years and truly deserves the Catey. Thomson’s high standards, business acumen and dedication to the industry have seen him rise way above many of his competitors.”
They noted that “Thomson’s goal of creating magical dining experiences within unique and atmospheric settings has proved a major tourist magnet for the Scottish capital.”
The Catey’s are the hospitality industry’s most coveted accolade as they are nominated and rigorously judged by their peers in the industry. Candidates are nominated by their peers in the hospitality industry and readers of Caterer & Hotelkeeper before entering a rigorous process of judging by industry experts.
Judges included Richard Shepherd of Langans, Pascal Aussignac of Club Gascon, Paul Heathcote, Alan Yau of Hakkasan & Jacquie Pern of the Star Inn at Harome.
