Northern Restaurant & Bar Top 50 Powerlist unveiled for 2014

Fifty of the top hospitality professionals have been honoured as the best in their industry in the North of England, as part of Northern Restaurant & Bar show held this week at Manchester Central.

The third annual NRB Top 50 list was chosen by the show organisers and a panel of industry experts from the Russell Partnership, a strategic consultancy specialising in the catering, conferencing, events and leisure markets.

The NRB Top 50 List includes individuals in hospitality operations who are based in the North who have excelled within their field within the last year either in commercial terms, critical terms (awards, reviews, positive trade and consumer press) or through their wider impact on the industry (mentoring, education, charity, tourism, external projects and CSR).

Tim Bacon and Jeremy Roberts of Living Ventures â€" for the development of a business model for success which has redefined the dining out landscape across the North. Marc Wilkinson, chef patron of Restaurant Fraiche was acknowledged for his relentless and single-minded pursuit of brilliance capable of matching the best that the UK has to offer.

Thom Hetherington, managing director of Northern Restaurant & Bar, said: “Many congratulations to our three special achievement winners and all those included in this year’s NRB Top 50. This year of improving economic conditions has seen ambition and innovation come to the fore, with a host of new launches from smaller entrepreneurial operators alongside the more established players.”

The complete NRB Top 50 are:

Paul Askew, chef patron, The London Carriageworks
Mohammed Aslam MBE, owner, Aagrah Group
Tim Bacon, managing director and Jeremy Roberts, commercial directors and co-founders, Living Ventures
Craig Bancroft, joint managing director and Nigel Haworth, chef patron, Northcote Manor
**John Benson-Smith, consultant chef, Manchester City Football Club
**Tim Bilton, chef patron, The Spiced Pear
Ken Buckley, managing director, Bravo Inns
**Mark Cain, owner, Velvet
Marie Carter and Beau Myers, owners, Beautiful Drinks
Morgan Davies, founder / joint CEO, Barburrito; Carlo Distefano, chairman and Marcello Distefano, managing director, San Carlo Group
**James Douglas and Scott Munro, co-owner / director, Reds
Mal Evans, director, MOJO Bar
Cleo Farman, owner, Odd Group
Ged Feltham, owner, Leelex; Jobe Ferguson and Ross Mckenzie, directors, Blackdog
Duncan Fisher, owner, Apartment Group
David Fox and Nick Jeffrey, owners, Tampopo
**Kevin Georgel, managing director, Admiral Taverns
**Alex Hannah, director, Lucha Libre; Jonny Heyes, owner, Port Street Beer House
**James and Karina Hitchen, managing director, Neighbourhood/Southern 11;
Terry Laybourne, chef patron, 21 Hospitality Group
William Lees Jones, managing director, JW Lees
**Mike Magrane, general manager, Q Hotels
Colin Manning, managing partner and Gary Manning, chef patron, 60 Hope St
**Gary McClarnan, co-owner / managing director, Teacup Kitchen & Teacup Bakery
**James Mackenzie, chef patron, Pipe and Glass
Stephen Miles, general manager, Radisson Blu Edwardian Manchester
Dave Mooney and Paul Newman, owners, New Moon Pub Company
**Joyceln Neve, managing director, Seafood Pub Company
**Andrew Nutter, chef patron, Nutters
Eamonn O'Loughlin, owner, Eclectic Hotels
Si Ord, owner, Sandinista
Andrew Pern, chef patron, The Star at Harome
**Steve Pilling, director & Simon Stanley, Director, Damson Group
**Simon Rimmer, chef patron, Greens/Flying Pig and Lobster
Oliver Robinson, managing director and Peter Robinson, chairman, Frederic Robinson
Simon Rogan, chef patron, L'Enclume & Roganic
Jonathan Slater, general manager, Chester Grosvenor
Richard Smith, chef patron, Relax, Eat & Drink
Nick Taplin, managing director, Sanguine Hospitality
Steven Walker, CEO, Individual Restaurant Company
**Jonathan Ward, director, Company Value; Roger Ward, owner, The Victorian Chop House Company
**Marc Wilkinson, chef Patron, Restaurant Fraiche
Joel Wilkinson, owner, Trof; Martin Wolstencraft, managing director, Arc Inspirations
**James Wrigley, managing director, Fluid Bars
Stewart Yip, Owner, Red Chilli

** New entries