Liverpool's Art School restaurant raises the bar
LIVERPOOL'S Art School Restaurant has
received the highest award from 1 of the Country's leading food and drink
quality assessment schemes.
The restaurant; which was launched less than a year ago; scored a prestigious
94% to achieve the 'Highest Quality Assured VisitEngland Taste
Accreditation'
from Taste Northwest; which promotes the national quality assessment scheme
throughout the region.
The Art School Restaurant is among only 8 eating places across the city area to
have this formal recognition of quality. Now chef patron Paul Askew has joined
Marketing Liverpool in a call for others to team up and raise the bar even
further for Liverpool's growing food and drink culture.
Taste accreditation is independently assessed for VisitEngland by Quality in
Tourism. The criteria is based on quality of food, use of locally and regionally
sourced seasonal produce and ingredients, as well as excellent customer service.
The Art School Restaurant was also scored on exterior impressions, interior
facilities and décor, cleanliness, hospitality and service efficiency, food
presentation and imaginative creative dishes. "We're pleased to showcase eating places, like the Art School Restaurant,
that offer great food combined with an inviting environment and a commitment to
excellent customer service; an all round winner for food lovers. The Art School
Restaurant represents all of this and we are excited about adding our mark of
food and service quality to Paul Askew's already recognised achievements. It
encompasses everything that Paul is about as an outstanding champion of North
West produce and a benchmark for the current generation of chefs." says
Mark Loynton, managing director of Taste Northwest.
Paul Askew, a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Culinary Arts and chair of the
Liverpool Restaurant Association, launched the 50 cover Art School Restaurant
last September after building a reputation as head chef and catering manager for
the Liverpool Philharmonic and chef director at Liverpool's 'hope street
hotel'
and 'The London Carriage Works'.
He is renowned for his commitment to using North West produce and suppliers. His
insistence on the finest high quality, locally sourced ingredients forms a key
element of his menus.
Paul's commitment to food tourism earned him last year's 'Outstanding
Champion and Pioneer' title from the Liverpool Food and Drink Awards as well
as a special industry achievement award from 'Northern Restaurant and
Bar'.
Paul said:- "This newest accreditation is an honour that reflects the pride we take in
our craft. People can easily underestimate what is
produced in our region, but we have world class ingredients to work with and,
coupled with great service, these help us to deliver a quality dining experience
with absolute confidence."
Chris Brown, chief executive of Marketing Liverpool, presented the award and
called for their 'city region' to team up and build on the recognition of
the1st 8 'highest quality assured' accreditations.
"Paul's early influences were in South East Asia, the Middle East and
United States, but his total belief in the North West
now showcases the best that this region has to offer and illustrates his
approach to real food, integrity of ingredients, flavours and presentation.
The VisitEngland Taste Accreditation Scheme is extremely useful for consumers to
identify restaurants, cafés and pubs that promote quality. I hope that others
will support it and share our enthusiasm to drive up standards even further
across the region."
