Harden’s unveiled the winners of its definitive 2018 London Restaurant Awards at a glittering gala ceremony in the Grand Ballroom of The Langham, London, sponsored by The Langham hotel itself and England’s finest sparkling wine, Gusbourne.

Nominations for the awards are statistically derived from Harden’s 28- year-old annual survey of UK restaurant-goers, with 8,000 people contributing 50,000 nominations in this year’s poll. The awards shortlist reflects the nominations in each survey category, with two places reserved for up-and-coming names, in keeping with the awards emphasis on recognising new and developing talent. The final selection from the shortlist is made by the Harden’s editors.

Ex Gordon Ramsay chef, Clare Smyth – patron of her “unmissable” first solo venture Core in Notting Hill, won the Top Gastronomic Award, sponsored by Gusbourne, for “ethereal cuisine delivered with confidence, exuberance and pleasure”. Presenting the award was last year’s winner, Marianna Lumb – until recently patron of Marianne, whose own Bayswater premises are not far from those of Core in Notting Hill.

The star-studded ceremony on 10 September, introduced by Peter Harden and hosted by the BBC’s Nigel Barden, presented 14 awards to the cream of London’s dining scene, including a special Outstanding Achievement Award, sponsored by The Langham, London.

This honour went to Sam & Eddie Hart, the fraternal duo behind ongoing tapas-phenomenon Barrafina as well as Soho classic Quo Vadis, Borough’s El Pastor, and with forthcoming openings in the King’s Cross Coal Drops Yard development. Last year, in the 2017 ceremony, the award went to Jeremy King and Christopher Corbin (founders of Corbin & King whose properties include The Wolseley); and this year Jeremy King was on hand to present this prestigious accolade to his successors.