Richard Buckley, chef-proprietor of Bath vegan restaurant Acorn has been named as the UK’s leading ‘veggie pioneer’ in the Chef Awards.
Staged by olive, the upmarket food magazine, the inaugural awards recognise the “unheralded chefs who have been quietly excelling in the background”.
Olive praises Richard, pictured, for cooking “good food that just so happens to be vegan, rather than be defined by it. Its vibrant food keeps diners interested to the last bite, with a balanced combination of flavours and textures.”
‘Veggie pioneer’ was one of seven categories in the awards, nominees for which were voted for by the public, with the winners being chosen by panel of experts, including, olive editor Laura Rowe, Bristol-based journalist and restaurant inspector Mark Taylor, award-winning food author and Guardian food columnist Felicity Cloake and social media foodie influencer Clerkenwell Boy.
Head judge Laura Rowe added: “Richard’s food has continued to improve and improve over the years and it’s little surprise to us at olive that he’s won this award. He impressed our judges with his approach to plant-based cookery, shunning easy wins from carbs or cheese, and instead displaying the true versatility and ingenuity that can be achieved with vegetables alone.”
The Chef Awards were staged in association with Dark Horse Wine.
Richard, a lifelong vegetarian, worked at some of the UK’s country’s top vegan and vegetarian restaurants before opening Acorn in 2013.
The restaurant, in North Parade Passage, has rapidly established itself as one of the country’s top plant-based eateries achieving a prestigious listing in the Good Food Guide every year since opening and winning the Viva Best Restaurant award.
