The Bistrot Pierre group of restaurants, which has a branch in Ilkley, has won the award for Best Restaurant Menu (three to 20 sites) in the inaugural Development Chef Awards, held as part of the Development Chef Summit at Westminster Kingsway College.

Bistrot Pierre Director of Food Development, Ajay Barak, came runner-up in the Best Group Chef Award.

The awards, organised by Restaurant magazine, aim to recognise the best menus, dishes and multi-site chefs across the restaurant and pub sector.

William Drew, group editor of Restaurant magazine, said: “Our new awards will throw the spotlight on a hugely important but often unsung part of the industry.

“The standard of cooking in the multiple restaurant and pub space has improved immeasurably in recent years and we’re excited to be able to highlight and reward the very best operators.”

Bistrot Pierre opened its first restaurant in Nottingham 20 years ago and currently has 11 locations around the UK including Derby, Harrogate, Leicester and Ilkley.

Last year the group was awarded TripAdvisor’s Certificate of Excellence 2013 making it one of the top ten per cent of businesses rated on the site. Robert Beacham, joint founder of Le Bistrot Pierre, said: “We have spent years creating a restaurant brand that is firmly focused on great value French dining and fresh food.

“Our food development team are passionate about the quality of our offering and listen to customer feedback to help to shape our menus. I’m delighted this has been acknowledged by the industry.”

The restaurant holds specialist dining evenings – ‘Soiree Gastronomique’ – on the second and fourth Tuesday each month and Dine with Wine evenings on the first and third Wednesday of the month.

RECIPE

The new series of hit BBC1 cooking competition MasterChef started this week. Here’s a recipe from last year’s finalists’ book, MasterChef: The Finalists, by Natalie Coleman, Larkin Cen and Dale Williams.

DALE’S CHORIZO AND ANCHOVY PAPPARDELLE (Serves 4) 

Ingredients

400g dried pappardelle

1tbsp olive oil

400g cooking chorizo, sliced into 5mm discs

250g vine-ripened tomatoes, roughly diced

1tsp dried chilli flakes

2tbsp dried oregano

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

20 fresh marinated anchovy fillets, drained

200g pitted black olives, halved

Salt and pepper, to taste

4tbsp chopped parsley

Juice of 1/2 a lemon

Extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling

Method

Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Add the pasta and cook according to the packet instructions, until al dente.

While the pasta is cooking, set a wide high-sided frying pan over a medium heat and heat the olive oil. Add the chorizo and gently fry for two to three minutes to release the colourful oil and aroma, turning the chorizo halfway through. Add the tomatoes, chilli flakes, oregano, garlic and anchovies to the pan and cook for a further three to four minutes or until softened. Season with salt and pepper before adding the black olives and, finally, the parsley.

Using tongs, lift the cooked spaghetti from its pan and into the sauce (or drain in a colander, then tip into the sauce). Combine the spaghetti with the sauce and add the lemon juice.

Divide among four bowls and dress each with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.