'Independent' is best for food

Three Independent writers have won Glenfiddich Food and Drink Awards, the most prestigious awards in the food industry. The chef Mark Hix won the newspaper cookery writer award for his weekly recipe column and Tracey MacLeod was named restaurant critic 2003 for her reviews in The Independent Magazine.

Richard Ehrlich, of The Independent on Sunday, was named bar writer 2003 for his column in the newspaper's magazine, the Sunday Review.

Hix won his Glenfiddich award with his first nomination. He joined The Independent about a year ago. His recipes are simple, yet sophisticated, and the judges were particularly impressed by his advocacy of seasonal produce.

Hix is the chef-director of Caprice Holdings, which owns Le Caprice, the Ivy and J Sheekey, and his columns typically include anecdotes about life in the kitchens of London's top restaurants, alongside childhood memories.