The second Golden Chopstick Awards took place last night with the aim of celebrating the enormous contribution of Oriental cuisine to the UK catering industry as well as recognising those who work within it. The evening aimed to build upon the successes of last year’s first ever awards to recognise Oriental cuisine. Check out what happened last year with our blog post, The Golden Chopsticks Awards 2018. Whether an establishment is a family-favourite Chinese takeaway or an exquisite fine-dining restaurant, all aspects of the industry were celebrated on what turned out to be a fantastic evening for all who attended. We’ve created a run-down of all the winners so you can catch up with what happened if you weren’t able to make it, or you’re interested in learning more about the leading oriental businesses in the UK of the moment.

Best Sweet Treat Award – Mamasons Dirty Ice Cream

Competition for the best dessert-based cuisine was tough, with fantastic companies Cuppacha, Tsuiiri Matcha House and Yolkin all in the running. However, it was Mamasons Dirty Ice Cream who took home the award in the end. Head to Kentish Town or China Town to sample their diverse and extensive menu, which includes signature dishes of Halo Halo Shake and Ubo Brownie Sundae, as well as an array of vegan options.

Best Restaurant in Wales – The Dragon Place

Wales is home to many fantastic oriental restaurants, but it was The Dragon Place in Saundersfoot who reigned champion in the end. The West Wales establishment has a varied menu, with 185 dishes to choose from, including chicken, beef, pork, seafood and vegetarian options. Other finalists that narrowly missed out, including Gigi Gao’s Favourite Authentic Chinese, Sushi Life and Zi’s Café.

Best Restaurant in Northern Ireland – House of Zen

Out of four fantastic Belfast establishments including Abacus Restaurant, Jumon and The Welcome Restaurant, it was House of Zen who took home the trophy at the end of the evening’s festivities. The five Asian cuisine eatery is located in the heart of the Cathedral Quarter and has provided high-quality oriental cuisine to locals and visitors for seven years.

Best Restaurant in Scotland – Harajuku Kitchen

With two finalists from Edinburgh and two from Glasgow, tensions were running high in this category, but it was Harajuku Kitchen in Edinburgh who took the crown. The Japanese and Sushi restaurant fuses traditional family recipes that have been passed down the generations to bring an explosion of flavour to the streets of Edinburgh. Owners are passionate about the fundamentals of Japanese cooking and respect the ingredients and their natural flavours which is perhaps why the dishes are so delicious.

Best Restaurant in London – Little Viet Kitchen

The four fantastic finalists consisted of some of the best oriental eateries and given the cultural diversity of the capital, it’s no surprise that they were all located in London. Dragon Inn Club, Duck and Rice and Jinli Newport Place were all pipped to the post by Little Viet Kitchen, a trendy spot in Angel Islington. The mouth-watering dishes are cooked to perfection and beautifully presented for any Instagram food bloggers looking for their next post.

The Golden Chef Award – Tong Chee Hwee

Some of the most talented oriental chefs in the UK were up against each other in the hope to take home the Golden Chef Award. Andrew Wong of A Wong and Kyms, Mark Edwards of Nobu and Shuko Oda of Koya all narrowly missed out to Tong Chee Hwee of Hakkasan. Of all the London-based chefs, it was Tong who impressed the most, who was originally inspired by his grandmother’s cooking and is now renowned in the UK and beyond for offering the very best in premium Cantonese Cuisine.

Fine Dining Award – The Araki

Four fabulous fine-dining establishments were up for this award, but it was The Araki in London that beat off the competition to take home the trophy. Since opening in 2014, this brilliant eatery serves only one set menu of sushi, meaning diners must put their trust in those that know best: the chefs. The restaurant provides an intimate and luxury setting for you enjoy the fine dishes, and a visit here is an experience you’ll remember for years to come.

Best Restaurant Chain – Cosmo

Chain restaurants and their contribution to the oriental scene were not forgotten, with Cosmo triumphing in the end. Itsu, Rosa’s Thai Café and Wagamama were all worthy finalists, with many transforming the oriental scene in the UK on a larger scale. Cosmo is a world buffet restaurant and celebrates cuisines from every corner of the world, including various regions of Asia.

Other winners on the night included:

The Ken Hom Lifetime Achievement Award - To Ming Lam

Community Award - Dr Stephen Ng

Founders' Food Forward Award - Guirong Wei

Ching-He Huang Innovation Award - Kiln & Sambal Shiok Laksa Bar

Best Fusion Award - Sticky Mango

Best National Retailer's Oriental Range Award – Tesco

Best Noodle Award - Peking Garden

Best Street Food Award - Little Somboon Kitchen

Best Takeaway - Golden Dragon

Best Vegetarian Dish – Phung Kay

Best Dumpling Award - Din Tai FungBest Food Influencer Award - Ping CoombesBest Newcomer Award - Mizu Pan Asian Restaurant

We hope you’ve enjoyed our run-down of the Golden Chopsticks Awards – we already can’t wait for next year. Congratulations to all the winners and finalists, all of whom curate culinary delights and revolutionise the way in which people in the UK engage with oriental food. If you’ve been inspired by some of the winners here, check out our oriental supermarket for all the ingredients you’ll need to create some delicious dishes at home.