Ruth Rogers and David Cochrane recognised in Queen’s Birthday Honours

River Cafe co-founder Ruth Rogers has been awarded a CBE in the Queen’s 2020 Birthday Honours.

 

The chef, who was made an MBE in 2010, is recognised for her services to the culinary arts and charity.

 

Rogers launched River Cafe in London in 1987. The restaurant has held a Michelin star since 1997 and saw chefs such as Jamie Oliver cut their teeth in its kitchen.

 

A total of 1,495 people were recognised in this year’s honours list, which was to have been announced on the Queen’s official birthday in June, but was delayed due to coronavirus.

 

David Cochrane, chief executive HIT Scotland, has been awarded an MBE. He has worked with the charity, which offers education and training to those in the hospitality industry, since 2005.

 

There was also an MBE for chef Oli Khan, who has worked with the Bangladeshi Caterers Association and was recognised for services to the hospitality industry and charity in the UK and abroad.

 

Many in the industry have been specifically recognised for their work during the coronavirus lockdown. There were MBEs for Hospitality for Heroes founder Oliver Miles Coles, NHS Trust catering manager Geoffrey Moyle, and Maciel Pestana Vinagre, assistant manager of hotel services at Ashford and St Peter’s Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

 

Kay Johnson, who runs the Larder café and food hub in Preston, was awarded an OBE after setting up a service to provide home-cooked meals to vulnerable people during lockdown.

 

Footballer Marcus Rashford also received an OBE after his successful campaign to extend free school meals for vulnerable children throughout the summer holidays; while TV cook Mary Berry has been made a dame.

 

Scottish chef Mary Contini, who is director of Edinburgh’s Valvona and Crolla deli and wine merchants, has been awarded an OBE for services to the Scottish food industry and Scottish-Italian relations.

 

There was also a CBE each for Zuber and Mohsin Issa, the billionaire brothers who own the Stanley House hotel in Lancashire. The pair recently bought Asda in a £6.8b deal.

 

David William Crutis-Brignell, deputy chief executive of Go to Places, has received an MBE for services to tourism.

 

Surrey chef Ching-He Huang has been awarded an MBE for services to the culinary arts, while the Normandy hotel’s Parminder Singh Purewal was recognised for services to hospitality.

 

Rhian and Dan Livingstone, operators of the Buck hotel, on Market Place in Driffield, Yorkshire, have been awarded the British Empire Medal for their work supporting their community during lockdown. They organised and coordinated 150 volunteers in Driffield Town who helped them deliver 6,728 prescriptions to vulnerable people, carry out 600 shopping trips, conduct more than 30 dog walks a week, and source 120 emergency care packages for people running low on supplies.

 

The Livingstones also raised more than £6,600 for the local community, as well as donating PPE, including visors, masks and hand sanitiser, to the NHS and other frontline staff.

 

Amolak Dhariwal, Sodexo’s vice president finance - global supply management and service operations, was also awarded a British Empire Medal for his services to business.