Jonray and Peter Sanchez-Iglesias crowned as Chefs of the Year

The Staff Canteen

In an award ceremony taking place tonight in London Jonray and Peter Sanchez-Iglesias of Casamia, Bristol have been awarded the title of Chefs of the Year in the Good Food Guide 2015 which will be published on 8th September. Jonray and Peter join a renowned alumni of other great chefs who have been given this award in previous years including Clare Smyth, Angela Hartnett, Simon Rogan and Jason Atherton. Jonray Sanchez-Iglesias, head chef and joint-proprietor of Casamia, comments: “We are ecstatic to have won Best Chefs in Waitrose Good Food Guide 2015. We’ve worked so hard in the last eight years to earn recognition and the fact that a guide we respect so much thinks we’re worthy of this title is simply amazing. We’re not going to stop here; we’re going to work even harder, trying new ways to create spectacular food.”

His brother, Peter, continues: “We are thrilled to achieve a spot in the Top 50 in such a highly acclaimed guide alongside restaurants such as L’Enclume in Cumbria, The Fat Duck in Bray and The Ledbury, London. "The UK restaurant scene is full of exceptional culinary talent and to be considered as one of the best, and the only top 50 restaurant in Bristol, gives us such encouragement and inspiration to continue pushing boundaries within our kitchen and hopefully one day make number one.” Elizabeth Carter, Consultant Editor of the Waitrose Good Food Guide, comments on what made Jonray and Peter stand out this year: “Over the past couple of years Jonray and Peter Sanchez-Iglesias have grown in stature and I’m really pleased to be able to rank them with the best chefs in the UK in the Waitrose Good Food Guide 2015. The brothers have come to understand what people want to eat, put a high premium on seasonality and freshness, and deliver dishes that are vibrantly seasoned, intricately composed and utterly delicious. As a result, Casamia is proud, vital, and very much worth a visit.”

The Chef of the Year award is one of eight Editors’ Awards featured in The Good Food Guide 2015 and aims to recognise excellence across the restaurant industry and are decided by The Good Food Guide team. The full list of Editors’ Awards for the 2015 edition are:

  • Chef(s) of the Year – Jonray and Peter Sanchez-Iglesias (Casamia, Bristol)
  • Chef to Watch – Gareth Ward (Ynyshir Hall, Powys)
  • Best New Entry: Restaurant –André Garrett (Cliveden, Berkshire)
  • Best New Entry: Pub - The Broad Chare (Newcastle)
  • Pub of the Year – Freemasons at Wiswell (Lancashire)
  • Wine List of the Year – The Sun Inn (Dedham, Essex)
  • Local Gem of the Year – Delilah (Nottingham)
  • Best Set Lunch - Tuddenham Mill (Suffolk)

 

Watch our video with the pair below from their restaurant Casamia, which also secured the 39th spot in the Top 50 restaurant list:

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The Staff Canteen

The Staff Canteen

Editor 1st September 2014

Jonray and Peter Sanchez-Iglesias crowned as Chefs of the Year