Kitchen team, plus Sat and Amanda Bains and Uwe Ellinghaus of BMW with award.

“I was very surprised to get a call from the editor of Square Meal because I've always seen it as so Londoncentric. It was even more astonishing in view of the category which we won and the great restaurants across the nation that we were up against - the competition was phenomenal.

It's a real honour for our team because team effort drives our operation and it's great for our business. I’ve been cooking now for 20 years in the East Midlands and our mantra is ‘we’re only as good as today.’ Amanda, my wife, manages front of house and thrives on it because she's passionate about detail.

We want to restore the word ‘hospitality’ both our eight-bedroomed hotel and in the restaurant. Amanda delivers the courtesy and product knowledge that ourl customers expect and I will stay in the kitchen leaving the frontline to do their job. Customers have come to switch off and we want them to leave their bags and stresses at the door. The objectives are simple; to entertain people who come here with fantastic, creative dining in an atmosphere of attentive service.

We thank Square Mile for recognising our aims and I hope we will see guests from London and elsewhere so that they can share the experience."
Sat Bains, Owner, Restaurant Sat Bains with Rooms

Gaby Huddart, Editor, Square Meal;

"It is always difficult to choose the best restaurant in Londonbut when we’re looking at the entire country it's even more challenging. Our summer award always goes to a UK restaurant rather than just a London one.

Sat Bains has been on our radar for a long time but both the Square Meal team (me, an in-house team of 5 editorial and 20 freelance reviewers) and our readers (who write in during the year with comments) felt that the restaurant has really been raising its game over the past year. In terms of the food, service and ambience, it ticks all the right boxes for our audience of business professionals.

We were very impressed with newcomers Fifteen Cornwall, Bordeaux Quay in Bristol and Edinburgh’s The Kitchin, and more established restaurants such as The Vineyard at Stockcross. Ultimately, Restaurant Sat Bains with Rooms shone above the rest and clinched the 2007 title. It's Nottingham’s only restaurant with a Michelin Star and the recent addition of eight stylish bedrooms means given diners can fully explore the wonderful wine cellar. Here is a worthy winner indeed and our heartiest congratulations go to Sat and his team."

RK