Congratulations to Glynn Purnell, whose self-titled restaurant has won the BMW Square Meal Best UK Restaurant Award 2012.
Purnell (pictured, centre, with restaurant manager Jean-Benoît Burloux (left) and kitchen assistant Slawek Plaskocinski), trained with top chefs including Gordon Ramsay, Gary Rhodes and Claude
Bosi. The chef has made his name synonymous with his native Birmingham, gaining the city’s first Michelin star at Jessica’s when he was head chef there, then another for Purnell’s, his first solo venture. His latest project, The Asquith, which opened in October, is also based in the city.
Purnell’s clinched the prestigious accolade in the face of competition from other top-drawer UK restaurants including Simon Rogan’s L’Enclume, Sat Bains’
eponymous Nottingham restaurant and Nathan Outlaw’s fine-dining outfit in Cornwall.
Square Meal’s editor Ben McCormack presented the BMW award to Purnell and his team at the West Midlands restaurant. ‘Glynn Purnell more than anyone has put Birmingham on the culinary map,’ he said
in a speech. ‘He thoroughly deserves this award.’
Purnell was delighted at the continued success of his business. ‘You tend to win awards when you open a restaurant,’ he said. ‘To receive this accolade now is an honour for myself and my team.’
This award would not be possible without the support of BMW and our thanks go to the company once again.
Read Square Meal’s review of Purnell’s and leave a comment.
Read Square Meal’s shortlist of the 50 top UK restaurants for 2012.
This article was published in June 2012.