*Pride of Kent honour for **Eddie Gilbert’s *

*Fourth award in three months for Ramsgate gourmet restaurant/fish monger/chippie*
Ramsgate’s gourmet fish restaurant, Eddie Gilbert's has scooped yet another award – its third this year. Restaurant Manager Nick MacAskill was declared overall winner in the 2010 Pride of Thanet Awards organised by Thanet Council and Visit Kent. The awards are designed to “recognise employees who go that extra mile, ensuring customers are happy, and …proud to live in and to visit Kent.”
In February Eddie Gilbert’s wet fish shop again won the prestigious Taste of Kent Award for ‘Best Fish Retailer’ - a feat it first achieved within six months of opening in 2007. In January this year the new restaurant that opened in October, was awarded ‘Best Newcomer’ at the Kent Restaurant Awards. The downstairs take away fish and chip shop was nominated for the Potato Council’s ‘Perfect Portion’ awards during the National Chip Week in February when it was recognised as serving the best chips in Thanet by the local press.
Significantly Eddie Gilbert’s has caught the attention of leading restaurant inspectors and national food writers. The Observer, Sunday Times, Olive magazine and Waitrose Food Illustrated have all featured the restaurant, which will be included in the next Michelin Guide
“It’s been a lot of hard work and word has got round locally about, our philosophy of selling the finest quality food sourced as locally as possible, with a commitment to customer satisfaction,” said owner Jonny Dunhill, adding “But I never believed we’d get such national recognition so quickly.”
For Dunhill, who ran a wholesale shellfish business in London for 12 years, opening the restaurant was the fulfilment of a long-held ambition. Whilst supplying top London establishments such as Le Gavroche, Harrods, The Ivy and Conran Restaurants, Jonny became inspired by the motivation of the talented chefs he met, many of who are now household names.