Tommy Banks and family are thrilled to announce the exceptional placing of their Michelin-starred restaurant with rooms, The Black Swan, in Tripadvisor’s 2020 Traveler’s Choice Best of the Best Awards. Within the Fine Dining category in the UK the restaurant came 1st, while securing 4th place in the world, accompanied by only two other UK restaurants in the list of 25, The Fat Duck and L’Enclume.
Commenting on the announcement, Tommy Banks said: “We’re thrilled to be named the best fine dining restaurant in the UK, and number four in the world. We work so hard to provide our customers with the best possible dining experience, and it’s always such an honour to be recognised for it. We’re now gearing up to re-open again on 12 August, and we really can’t wait to welcome back our wonderful guests.”
Kanika Soni, Chief Commercial Officer at Tripadvisor. Said: “Winners of the 2020 Travelers’ Choice Awards should be proud of this distinguished recognition. Although it’s been a challenging year for travel and hospitality, we want to celebrate our partners’ achievements. Award winners are beloved for their exceptional service and quality. Not only are these winners well deserving, they are also a great source of inspiration for travelers/diners as the world begins to venture out again.”
The results were based on a full year of Tripadvisor reviews, prior to any changes caused by the pandemic.
About The Black Swan
Taken over by the Banks in 2006, The Black Swan was the family’s first foray into the hospitality world, having farmed in and around Oldstead for generations. Over the years the family has transformed the site into the Michelin-starred destination restaurant with rooms that it is today. Its 160-acre farm and 3-acre kitchen garden, expertly managed by Tommy’s father Tom, drives everything that the restaurant serves.
The family is preparing for the reopening of The Black Swan on 12 August, having reopened their second restaurant, Roots, in York last week. The team launched nationwide delivery service, Made in Oldstead, at the outset of lockdown and has recently announced that the new business is now a permanent fixture. The premium boxes are inspired by the same ethos at the heart of both The Black Swan and Roots – a devotion to home-grown, local and seasonal produce – and offer customers across the country a chance to sample Tommy’s unique and globally-recognised culinary style and ideology.
Awards and accolades: One Michelin Star | Four AA Rosettes | World’s Best Rated Restaurant Trip Advisor Travellers Choice Award 2017 | AA 5 Stars | Placed No.29 in Top 100 National Restaurant Awards 2019 | Placed 28th in The Sunday Times Top 100 Restaurants | Voted The Best Restaurant in the UK 2018 by readers of Food and Travel Magazine | Achieved 88.50% score on La Liste 1000 2020 | Ranked 2nd in UK, 9th in Europe and 14th in the World in TripAdvisors Travellers Choice Awards 2019
About Tommy Banks
Champion of seasonal and sustainable food, Tommy was 24 when he became the youngest Michelin-starred chef in Britain when The Black Swan retained its star in September 2013. Tommy competed on BBC 2’s Great British Menu in both 2016 and 2017, with his fish dishes making it through to the banquet in both years. His debut book ‘Roots’ was published on 5th April 2018
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