Lifestyle: Opus director lands top hospitality award

A BIRMINGHAM restaurateur has become only the fifth hospitality professional in the city to be was awarded the prestigious role of academician at the Royal Academy of Culinary Arts (RAOCA).

Irene Allan, director at Opus at Cornwall Street, Cafe Opus at Ikon and Bar Opus at One Snowhill, is also the first non-Michelin starred restaurateur from the city to receive the award.

Other recipients include Glynn Purnell from Purnell’s and Luke Tipping and Andreas Antona from Simpsons.

With an aim of raising the standard of the hospitality industry as well as inspiring the future generation of restaurant professionals through education, training and recognising and rewarding talent, the RAOCA is the UK’s best and leading professional association, whose members include the country’s top head chefs and restaurant managers.

To achieve the esteemed role of academician within the association, applicants must first be nominated by three current RAOCA members, before completing an application stating the unique attributions they can bring to the association as well as partaking in an intensive interview.

Initiatives such as working with the University College Birmingham to offer the ‘Opus Scholarship’ programme, achieving the highest possible accolade from the Sustainable Restaurant Association, and adopting a school to educate pupils of the importance of food knowledge, are all thought to have swayed the academy in its decision.

Ms Allen has also has mentored a number of her staff through to achieving awards of excellence in their careers.

She said: “Opus is having a tremendous year so far, what with celebrating our 10th year in business and recently being named the most sustainable restaurant in the Midlands, so to also achieve the role of academician at the RAOCA is another brilliant achievement for us.

“From a personal level, I’m thrilled to have been given this added responsibility and with it, I hope to inspire and mentor the next generation, as well as highlight our fantastic industry within the West Midlands.”