Paul Heathcote gets MBE

Paul Heathcote, celebratory chef and entrepreneur who owns the Olive Press chain and The Longridge Restaurant has been awarded an MBE in this year’s Queen’s Birthday Honours list for services to the North West hospitality industry.

He said he was “a bit shocked” when he received the award which acknowledges his work with regional catering associations and boosting training programmes in the area.

The restaurateur said: “My wife, Gabbi, had opened it and she waited until we were all sat down around the dinner table before she read it out.

“My kids, Sam, 10, and Georgia, 12, were delighted but I thought she was winding me up, to be honest, she had to show me the letter to prove it. I am still a bit shocked now.”