Michele Caggianese wins AFWS 'Restaurant Manager of the Year'

Published: 20 May, 2011

Michele Caggianese, restaurant and bar manager of London's Jumeirah Carlton Tower has been awarded the Academy of Food and Wine Service's AFWS, UK Restaurant Manager of the Year 2011.

Seven finalists attended the day-long competition completing a wine and food matching exercise, a wine knowledge test and a training scenario in which they were asked to demonstrate the correct way to lay a restaurant table to a new member of staff.

The finalists also had to present a business plan for their own restaurant concept to a Dragon's Den-style panel of judges, which included the marketing plan, profit and loss account for the first three years and a proposal for staffing and training.

This was the second year of trying for Italian-born Caggianese who impressed a panel of judges that included: Peter Avis of Babylon restaurant, Silvano Giraldin, formerly of Le Gavroche and now director of Roux Consulting and and Ronan Sayburn, director of wine at Hotel du Vin.

Chairman of the judges Conor O'Leary, said: "Michele has great food & beverage experience, is larger than life and will be a good role model for other restaurant managers.

"He has a real edge and a confidence that is inspiring to others."

The UK Restaurant Manager of the Year competition, is supported by Hospitality Benchmark through the National Skills Academy for Hospitality, the Savoy Educational Trust and is sponsored by OpenTable.com,

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