A LIVERPOOL man who started out washing dishes has been crowned the UK’s top restaurant manager.
Peter Avis, who runs the award- winning Babylon Restaurant, in London’s plush Roof Gardens, collected the award from the Academy of Food and Wine.
The 33-year-old clinched victory over two other Merseyside finalists, Mark Bevan, of the Chester Grosvenor, who was runner-up, and Liverpool Community College’s Christopher Noone.
Everton-born Mr Avis said: “I’m absolutely over the moon and delighted that three Liverpudlians made it to the finals.”
Mr Avis started out in the restaurant trade at the age of 17 when he moved to America.
He started washing dishes at an Italian in West Palm Beach, before returning to Liverpool.
He said: “I always wanted to be the best I could be and I knew when I came back to Liverpool that I wanted to manage restaurants and make them a success.
“In those days, there weren’t many opportunities in Liverpool so I headed to London and took on a trainee manager job at The Royal Garden Hotel.
