Chef Jono at V&V: Leeds restaurant celebrates double win at national food award as it's crowned best fine dining eatery for the second year running

Chef Jono at V&V is celebrating big as the Leeds restaurant took home a double win at the Food Awards England 2023. The Briggate restaurant, run by Masterchef: The Professionals star Jono Hawthorne, won Restaurant of the Year Yorkshire as well as Fine Dining Restaurant of the Year.

The Food Awards England 2023 ceremony took place at the Holiday Inn Birmingham City Centre on Monday October 9, and saw Chef Jono up against Yorkshire restaurants including Melton’s Restaurant and Arras in York and The Box Tree Restaurant in Ilkley for Restaurant of the Year Yorkshire.

They also claimed the award for Fine Dining Restaurant of the Year for the second year running, in which they were shortlisted alongside prestigious restaurants across England such as Birmingham’s Midsummer House, Turmeric Gold in Coventry and Michelin Star London restaurant Pied a Terre.

Jono told the Yorkshire Evening Post: “It’s an amazing achievement for Leeds. All I’ve ever wanted to do is have a restaurant the city can be proud of.”

A professional chef for more than 16 years, Jono has trained at some of the best restaurants in the world. He opened his first solo venture in 2021, taking on the former Vice and Virtue where he had previously been head chef, and Chef Jono at V&V quickly scooped a number of accolades.

The restaurant recently launched their new five-course tasting menu, giving diners the opportunity to try chef patron Jono’s creative dishes with a shorter experience and lower price at £45.

On launching the menu, Jono told the YEP in August: “We are accessible, but we wanted to tap into the pre-theatre shows and that clientele. The five-course experience lasts around an hour and 15 minutes, so if you’re going to the O2 or the theatres, you can still come in, have the experience and be on your way.

"We open early, at 5pm, which not many fine-dining restaurants do. We want to make people aware that it doesn’t have to be such a long period.”