British chefs scoop London awards

The awards ceremony is considered the industry's most prestigious event

British chefs and restaurants have gained the top awards at the 10th London Restaurant Awards.

Le Cafe Anglais, in Bayswater, west London, took the top title of London Restaurant of the Year.

Jason Atherton, head chef of Maze, part of the Gordon Ramsay stable of restaurants, took the award for Outstanding London Chef.

Critics said this year's winners and shortlisted restaurants reflected a new "maturity" for the industry in London.

Restaurant critic Fay Maschler, who chaired the judging panel, said: "The fact that so many of our winning chefs and restaurateurs are British born and bred gives a lot of hope for the future.

"The winners this year, and the shortlisted restaurants, reflect a new dignity, maturity and appropriateness in what is happening in London restaurants."

Others winners included Michael Belben, considered the founder of gastropub dining, who won Restaurateur of the Year.

He was also awarded British Restaurant of the Year for his latest venture Great Queen Street in London's Covent Garden.