Member Article

Hollywood star toasts Newcastle restaurant's success

Blackfriars Restaurant was presented with a national award by Hollywood star Kevin Spacey this week. The Newcastle eatery, which last month launched the city’s first medieval banquets, was named as the best British restaurant serving ‘Dinner with a Touch of Theatre’ as the nationwide search concluded at London’s Old Vic Theatre. Kevin Spacey, Artistic Director of the Old Vic, presented the winning trophy to owner Andy Hook and head chef Simon Brown. The public was asked to nominate the pub or restaurant in their region that delivered the best roast dinner experience. Representatives from the six regional finalists were all in attendance at the ceremony.

Chairman of judges, Julien Sereys de Rothschild, said: “The Sunday roast is the scene of many dramatic family events, including announcements of pregnancies and engagements. So, in response we thought it would be a fun idea to find the restaurant where theatre and food are best combined and launched a nationwide search to find the best “Dinner with a Touch of Theatre.”

Blackfriars owner Andy Hook said: “We are delighted to have won this award and it’s a real honour to accept the accolade from Kevin Spacey. We pride ourselves on creating an authentic atmosphere for diners when they visit Blackfriars and this is especially true of our medieval banquets. We have seen a real interest in the idea of theatrical events and this award highlights the fact that Blackfriars restaurant offers diners a real touch of theatre.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .