Finalists Announced for The 2026 Be Inclusive Hospitality Spotlight Awards
Be Inclusive Hospitality (BIH) has announced the finalists for the fifth annual BIH Spotlight Awards, recognising exceptional Black and ethnic minority talent across hospitality, food and drink in the UK.
This year’s finalists include Michelin-starred West African restaurant Chishuru, a Cantonese institution in Blackpool, Michael Wan’s Mandarin, a MasterChef champion Jhané Gibson, and professionals from some of the UK’s leading hospitality businesses, reflecting the diversity and breadth of the UK hospitality sector.
Following a rigorous judging process, an independent panel of hospitality leaders selected finalists recognised for their accomplishments, leadership, and innovation. This year’s judges included Shereen Ritchie, Managing Director of Kuvi Hospitality; Clement Ogbonnaya MBE, Founder of the Village People Pub Company; Laure Bornet, SVP of International Growth at OpenTable; and Junior Lewis, Global Hospitality Client Consultant at Caterer.com, alongside other senior industry leaders.
The shortlist comprises 60 finalists across 15 categories, representing seven regions of the UK and more than ten cuisines. It brings together talent from major restaurant and hotel groups alongside independent restaurants, bars and hospitality businesses, celebrating established leaders, emerging professionals and the next generation of industry talent.
Founder of Be Inclusive Hospitality, Lorraine Copes, said: “The BIH Spotlight Awards celebrate some of the very best talent in our sector, but they also shine a light on the breadth of opportunities that hospitality offers. This year’s finalists demonstrate that there is no single route into our industry or to success. Whether you aspire to be a chef, restaurateur, general manager, people professional, or drinks expert, hospitality offers rewarding careers for people with a wide range of skills, ambitions and backgrounds. I hope these finalists inspire the next generation to see what is possible.”
Laure Bornet, SVP International Growth at OpenTable, said: “Hospitality is at its best when every kind of talent can be seen, celebrated and championed, and that’s exactly what the BIH Spotlight Awards do. This year’s finalists showcase the creativity, leadership and ambition driving our sector forward, and at a time of real pressure for the industry, backing them matters more than ever. That’s why we’re proud to return to partner with Be Inclusive Hospitality in building a more representative and inclusive future for hospitality.”
The 2026 Finalists
INDIVIDUAL CATEGORIES
Chef of the Year —
• Kareem Roberts — The Burleigh Arms
• Chinelo Awa — Good Cake Day
• Kanthi Thamma — The Spice Circuit/Tiger Eats
• Ayesha Kalaji — Queen of Cups
Rising Star —
• N’jhell Wilson, General Manager — Bleecker
• Natalia Middleton, Head of Food Education — Food Behind Bars
• Dijön Bascombe, Chef & Founder — Dijön Cafe, London
• Jhané Gibson — Chef
Writer of the Year
• Ankita Neotia — Crispy Compass
• Safiya Robinson — Sisterwoman
• Anna Ansari
• Ruchira Neotia — Ruchira’s Table
Wine Professional of the Year —
• Anoushica Matthews — MJ Wine Cellars & Sweet Spice
• Shehnaz Hansraj — Presenter of A–Z of Wine with Shehnaz
• Emmanuel Mireku — Manny Does Wine
• Toni Osoba — Toni’s Wine Club
Beverage Professional of the Year —
• Eron Mibo — Tales & Tails
• Marverine Cole — Accredited Beer Sommelier
• Ruchira Neotia — Drinks Consultant
• Marcy Ecoue — Marcy’s Mixes
Head Office Impact —
• Kethi Taitt, Senior Human Resources Officer — The Park Tower Knightsbridge
• Patsy Ankrah, Inclusion and Diversity Lead — Nando’s UK & Ireland
• Bertha Dewi, People & Culture Manager — The Wolseley Hospitality Group
• Priya Narain, Head of Purpose & Programmes — KERB+
CUISINE CATEGORIES
African Food —
• Chishuru
• Gwafu Vegan
• Shwen Shwen
• The Flygerians
Caribbean Food —
• 2210 by NattyCanCook
• Paradise Cove
• Windrush Cuisine
• Jam Delish
East and Southeast Asian Food
• Michael Wan’s Mandarin
• Poon’s London
• Namo
• Liu Xiaomian
South Asian Food
• Bindas Eatery
• Darjeeling Express
• Rinku Dutt
• Third Culture Kat
Middle Eastern Food
• Queen of Cups
• Fattoush, Leicester
• Mouna’s Kitchen
• Samarkand Palav
BUSINESS CATEGORIES
Bar/Pub of the Year —
• House of MOBO
• Bar Lotus
• The Regency Club
• Tiki Bar Restaurant
Brand of the Year —
• Borough 22 Doughnuts
• Flake Bake
• Chaps
• 2210 by NattyCanCook
PEOPLE’S CHOICE CATEGORIES
Voting for the People’s Choice awards is now open via the link, allowing the public to champion their favourite restaurant and hospitality professional from the finalist shortlists.
People’s Choice Person of the Year —
• Nathaniel Mortley — 2210 by NattyCanCook
• Chris Ilankovan — MOTHER Canteen
• Sting Khumalo — The Biltmore Mayfair
• Jocelyn Wong — Canopy by Hilton London City
People’s Choice Restaurant of the Year —
• Darjeeling Express
• Chuku’s
• Cavita Restaurant
• Chishuru
Voting for the People’s Choice awards closes on 14th August at 11:59pm.