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Angela Hartnett rode to the rescue of her boss Gordon Ramsay today as her new restaurant was named best newcomer in a guide which slates his other venues.
Murano in Mayfair, which Hartnett opened last year as part of Ramsay's empire, was hailed in the new edition of Harden's London Restaurants.
The one-Michelin-starred Mayfair venue was named London's best new restaurant in a survey of more than 8,000 diners for the latest edition of Harden's London Restaurants.
Head chef Hartnett produced "simple Italian dishes, beautifully executed," according to the guide.
Another former Ramsay protégé Marcus Wareing's restaurant at the Berkeley Hotel has maintained its position as London's overall top restaurant, which it first gained last year.
But Hartnett's restaurant was the only Ramsay venues to gain any praise in the survey.
His flagship restaurant Gordon Ramsay, in Royal Hospital Road, Chelsea experienced an "unprecedented slide" in ratings.
One customer told the guide standards "went down faster than the stock market" this year.
Royal Hospital Road featured alongside three of Ramsay's other venues - Gordon Ramsay at Claridge's, The Warrington pub in Maida Vale and Maze in Mayfair - in the top ten "most disappointing" restaurants in which to eat in London.
Customers said "Claridge's deserves better".
His Royal Hospital Road, Claridge's and Maze restaurants were also in a top ten of "most overpriced" restaurants.
More diners were also unimpressed with his gastropubs, The Devonshire in Chiswick and The Narrow in Limehouse, Harden's said.
Ramsay's empire has seen profits crash by almost 90 per cent in a year.
Guide co-editor Peter Harden said: "Angela Hartnett is to be congratulated, and Murano's success show the Ramsay group still has what it takes.
"The year's results, though, confirm some very deep-seated problems in the group."
Ms Hartnett said: "I'm thrilled. We have had a fantastic first year."
Other notable successes include a fifth consecutive year as Londoners' favourite restaurant for Bruce Poole's Wandsworth venture Chez Bruce.
La Poule au Pot, in Pimlico, was voted the capital's "most romantic" restaurant for the 14th consecutive year and The Wolseley was again top of the "best for business" category.
The survey, in association with Remy Martin, is based on 85,000 reports.
BEST NEWCOMER
Murano, Mayfair
Runners-up:
Min Jiang, Kensington
Soseki, City
Bull & Last, Highgate
Trishna, Marylebone
BEST ALL ROUND
Marcus Wareing at The Berkeley, Knightsbridge
Runners-up:
Chez Bruce, Wandsworth
Le Gavroche, Mayfair
The Ledbury, Notting Hill
La Trompette, Chiswick
The Landau, Fitzrovia
L'Aventure, St John's Wood
Clos Maggiore, Covent Garden
J Sheekey, Covent Garden
Barrafina, Soho
Reader views (4)
I've eaten at Murano, its absolutley fantastic
Service is impeccable, food out of this world
Well done Angela!
- Eddy, Hackney
Good to see that the place where Ramsey started - Chez Bruce is still at the top of the list though.
- Bob, Cheam
Full marks to Murano. My two 17-year old kids went there with a similar aged friend on the £25 for three courses deal and were treated just as well as the dowager duchesses.
- Paul, London
I went to the Devonshire with colleagues and I can confirm it was dreadful. We asked our waitress which cheeses were on the cheeseboard, she looked confused, but then said that she would check with the kitchen. She came back a few minutes later and said "There is a yellow one and a white one". We skipped the cheese.
- Nick S, London
