Chefs inspiring positive change beyond the pass and across the wider food system, foodservice operators introducing an array of creative initiatives to meet the urgent need to serve more plant-based dishes and reduce meat consumption, and suppliers designing new products to help hospitality fight climate change, all feature among the 45 finalists on the shortlist for the Food Made Good Awards 2019, published today.
With the climate crisis accelerating and diner demand for an eating out experience with a minimal impact, the Food Made Good Awards 2019 are a showcase for those businesses making it possible for consumers to use the power of their appetites wisely.
Raymond Blanc, OBE, President of the SRA, said “The whole world and kitchens across the UK are waking up to the climate threat. The Food Made Good Awards are the perfect platform for shining a light on those kitchens and the teams working in them, that are using incredible creativity and taking risks to help their customers make food choices that are good for them and the planet. Every chef and restaurateur will take inspiration from this shortlist of dozens of inspiring ideas and initiatives successfully implemented by their industry colleagues.”
Of the 45 businesses shortlisted for the Food Made Good Awards 2019, 32 are independent restaurants, pubs or cafés, while six of the UK’s best-known restaurant, café and pub brands also demonstrate that size is no barrier to sustainability.
Young’s Pubs has been shortlisted for the Celebrate Local and Seasonal and the Source Fish Responsibly categories. The latter also includes YO!, which features among the final three for the Treat Staff Fairly and Feed People Well categories too. The shortlist for the Support Global Farmers award includes Nando’s UK & Ireland and The Restaurant Group, which is also in the running for the Value Natural Resources award. JD Wetherspoon is in the final three in two categories; Treat Staff Fairly and Feed People Well. Costa Coffee is among the finalists for the Support the Community award.
There are six pub businesses (The Buxton, The Roebuck, The Wheatsheaf Chilton Foliat, Young’s, JD Wetherspoon, and National Trust Sticklebarn) and three caterers, FoodSpace, CH&CO and Vacherin) on the shortlist, as well as two UK universities; Lakeside Restaurant and Coffee Shop, University of Surrey, University of Edinburgh,
In another new category for 2019, Belu, Oatly and Too Good To Go, make up the shortlist for Product of the Year. Between them they are helping operators reduce single-use, make dairy alternatives cool and save a million meals from the bin.
The winners of the 20 Food Made Good Awards will be revealed at a special ceremony hosted by Melissa Hemsley, at Troxy, London, on 5th November. Melissa said: “I am excited about presenting the Food Made Good Awards and I can’t wait to discover, and of course reveal, all of the incredible winners when it comes to the big night on 5th November.”
Ten of the categories align with the ten key themes of the SRA’s Food Made Good sustainability framework. Operators fulfilling all ten are the very definition of a good restaurant or foodservice business.
In addition to the ten themed awards, there are a further ten categories including the People’s Favourite Restaurant. Readers of delicious. magazine have been voting for the five restaurants on the shortlist: café-ODE, Fodder, Poco Tapas Bar, SpiceBox and Yeo Valley Canteen.
Raymond Blanc’s Sustainability Hero 2019, will also be revealed at the ceremony, following in the footsteps of the likes of Jamie Oliver, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and Tim Lang.
