View source for Robert Walton (restaurateur)

{{Short description|British restaurateur}}
'''Robert Walton''' MBE is a British [[restaurateur]]<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Robert Walton MBE becomes a Great Ambassador |url=https://catererlicensee.com/robert-walton-mbe-becomes-a-great-ambassador/ |access-date=2022-08-30 |website=CLH News: Caterer, Licensee and Hotelier News |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Robert Walton MBE, Ambassador {{!}} GS Magazine |url=https://www.gsmagazine.co.uk/peoples/robert-walton-mbe-ambassador/ |access-date=2022-08-30 |language=en-US}}</ref> who is currently{{as of?|date=August 2023}} serving as the president of the [[British Hospitality Association|Restaurant Association]].<ref name="auto">{{Cite web |date=2022-01-27 |title=Robert Walton appointed ambassador to promote... |url=https://thecaterer.com/news/robert-walton-appointed-ambassador-promote-uk-hospitality-sector-internationally-great |access-date=2022-08-30 |website=The Caterer |language=en}}</ref>
== Early hospitality career ==
Walton attended the [[Ealing Art College]] under the tutelage of [[Victor Ceserani]],<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |date=2021-07-18 |title=Robert Walton MBE - opportunities still knock! |url=http://spicebusiness.co.uk/robert-walton-mbe-opportunities-still-knock/ |access-date=2022-08-30 |website=Spice Business |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2009-10-28 |title=Victor Ceserani |url=https://www.thecaterer.com/news/foodservice/victor-ceserani |access-date=2022-08-30 |website=The Caterer |language=en}}</ref> whilst working as a trainee manager in a London restaurant.
He started his first restaurant, ''Petit Village'', aged 24, located in [[Caversham, Reading|Caversham]], near [[Sonning Common]]. Later endeavours included ''The Elm Tree'' in [[Beech Hill, Berkshire|Beech Hill]], ''Tamarind Tree'' in [[Lower Basildon]] and ''Trunkwell Mansion House'' in Beech Hill.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |title=Restaurant owner Robert is royally chuffed |url=https://www.readingchronicle.co.uk/news/13384108.restaurant-owner-robert-is-royally-chuffed/ |access-date=2022-08-30 |website=Reading Chronicle |language=en}}</ref>
Walton first joined the Restaurant Association in 1992.<ref name=":1" />
== Ventures ==
After serving as the vice chairman and later chairman, Walton became the president of the Restaurant Association in 2008.<ref name=":1" />
In 2007, Walton received an MBE in the Queen's New Year honours list in recognition of his services to the hospitality industry.<ref name=":2" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=bighospitality.co.uk |title=Restaurant Association Chairman collects his MBE |url=https://www.bighospitality.co.uk/Article/2008/07/15/Restaurant-Association-Chairman-collects-his-MBE |access-date=2022-08-30 |website=bighospitality.co.uk |language=en-GB}}</ref>
Walton founded the Nth Degree Club in 2013, a [[fine dining]] members club<ref>{{Cite news |date=2013-01-11 |title=Power dressing: Robert Walton |work=Financial Times |url=https://www.ft.com/content/7d4d01d0-4936-11e2-9225-00144feab49a |access-date=2022-08-30}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2013-05-01 |title=Robert Walton: the power of private dining |url=https://www.fcsi.org/foodservice-consultant/eame/the-power-of-private-dining/ |access-date=2022-08-30 |website=Foodservice Consultants Society International |language=en}}</ref> that works in close association with the [[Michelin Guide]].<ref name=":0"/><ref name="auto"/> In 2019, the club hosted the Restaurant Association’s 50th Anniversary at [[Savoy Hotel|The Savoy]]. The event saw [[Albert Roux|Albert Roux OBE]], [[Michel Roux (chef, born 1960)|Michel Roux Jr]]. and Emily Roux receive the Restaurant Association Award for Services to Hospitality, an award designed and sponsored by [[House of Fabergé|Faberge]].<ref name=":1" />
In 2019, Walton was instrumental in reviving the [[Young Chef, Young Waiter]] competition.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-07-29 |title=Prestigious Young Chef Young Waiter... |url=https://thecaterer.com/news/restaurant/prestigious-young-chef-young-waiter-competition-returns-after-seven-years |access-date=2022-08-30 |website=The Caterer |language=en}}</ref> Originally founded in 1979,<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-07-23 |title=The Young Chef Young Waiter Competition winners crowned |url=https://www.tatler.com/article/the-2019-young-chef-young-waiter-competition |access-date=2022-08-30 |website=Tatler |language=en-GB}}</ref> the global competition is open to chefs and waiters under the age of 26. Walton currently serves as the chairman of the competition, with [[Adam Handling]] currently serving as the Head Judge Chef.<ref>{{Cite web |title=YCYW 2021 final to be hosted by UK at Expo 2020 Dubai {{!}} Craft Guild of Chefs |url=https://craftguildofchefs.org/news/ycyw-2021-final-be-hosted-uk-expo-2020-dubai |access-date=2022-08-30 |website=craftguildofchefs.org}}</ref>
In 2022, Walton became an ambassador for the Great Britain and Northern Ireland campaign to promote the UK hospitality sector internationally.<ref name=":0" />
== Personal life ==
Walton is married to Australian jeans designer [[Donna Ida Thornton]], founder of the [[Donna Ida|DONNA IDA]] brand. The wedding ceremony took place at [[St Paul's Cathedral]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Five Minutes with Robert Walton MBE |url=https://www.thepemberleygroup.com/blog/robert-walton-mbe |access-date=2022-08-30 |website=The Pemberley |language=en-US}}</ref>
The couple purchased the 16th-century grade II listed [[Langdon Court, Devon|Langdon Court Hotel]] in 2021.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-09-09 |title=Robert Walton MBE & Donna Ida Thornton Are The New Owners Of Langdon Court |url=https://www.luxuriousmagazine.com/langdon-court-new-owners/ |access-date=2022-08-30 |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Sale of Langdon Court Hotel to Robert Walton MBE and Donna Ida Thornton |url=https://www.rpbi-openings.co.uk/news/summary/hotel/sale-of-langdon-court-hotel-to-robert-walton-mbe-and-donna-ida-thornton/61e9c3d217b9189f9df6981ea73575b4 |access-date=2022-08-30 |website=www.rpbi-openings.co.uk}}</ref>
Following a personal health battle against head and neck cancer in 2018, Walton held a virtual cook-along that raised over £3,000 for Oracle Cancer Trust.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bender |first=Sarah |date=2020-09-16 |title=Virtual Cookalong raises over £3k for Oracle |url=https://oraclecancertrust.org/virtual-cookalong-raises-over-3k-for-oracle |access-date=2022-08-30 |website=Oracle Cancer Trust |language=en-GB}}</ref>
== References ==
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[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:British restaurateurs]]
[[Category:British chefs]]
[[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]]