The Guardian's Marina O'Loughlin has been named restaurant reviewer of the year at the prestigious Fortnum & Mason food awards. The judges, who included the BBC Food Programme's Sheila Dillon and broadcaster Valentine Warner, said: "The panel were unanimous in their decision. Marina's writing is well-informed, illuminating and entertaining – and more often than not outstandingly accurate."
O'Loughlin, who has been writing for the Guardian's Weekend magazine since 2012, visits restaurants incognito, and so did not attend the ceremony. The award was instead accepted on her behalf by fellow nominees, the Observer's Jay Rayner and the Times's Giles Coren.
Tim Hayward of the Financial Times was named food writer of the year, while Rose Prince of the Telegraph won the award for cookery writing. Alex Renton was shortlisted for the food writer of the year award for his work for the Observer Food Magazine.
