Top chef raised in Mansfield wins 'trailblazing' award

Sally Abé has been named female chef of the year at the 2021 AYALA Square Meal Awards in London.

The 34-year-old, a former pupil at Mansfield’s The Brunts School, now The Brunts Academy, studied hospitality business management and culinary arts at Sheffield Hallam University.

She went on to gain a placement at The Savoy in London, which forged her passion for cooking.

Her gourmet career has seen her working at Gordon Ramsay at Claridge’s and the Ledbury, with Brett Graham. She later joined The Harwood Arms, co-owned by Mr Graham, which earned a Michelin Star while she was head chef.

In 2020, she became a consultant chef for the Conrad London St James, operating four food and beverage outlets at the hotel, including her flagship restaurant The Pem.

It is named after leading suffragette Emily Wilding Davidson – Pem was her family’s nickname for her – and boasts a largely female kitchen team.

Contribution

The Square Meal awards celebrate the contribution female chefs make to the UK restaurant industry. The female chef of the tear spotlights ‘trailblazing’ women whose achievements are considered ‘an inspiration’.

Caroline Latrive, cellar master at Champagne Ayala, said: “We are so proud to be part of the female chefs award. We want to shine a light on the outstanding work female chefs are doing both in their kitchens and in the community.

“We are delighted to congratulate Sally for winning the award, not just for her superb work at The Harwood Arms and now The Pem, but also for her charity work, support for the NHS and commitment to increasing the number of women in her team.

Caroline Hendry, SquareMeal head of content, said: “Sally has been the name on everybody’s lips in 2021, with The Pem proving one of London’s most hotly anticipated new restaurants.

“Both her commitment to serving quality ingredients from sustainable sources and her pledge to showcase female talent within her team are admirable and inspiring, making Sally a thoroughly deserving winner.”

Support your Chad by becoming a digital subscriber. You will see 70 per cent fewer ads on stories, meaning faster load times and an overall enhanced user experience. Click here to subscribe.