The UK’s most sustainable food service businesses will be honoured at the Sustainable Restaurant Awards next month, with two new awards on offer recognising the significant growth in the sector.
The new awards, for most sustainable global restaurant, and most sustainable caterer, mark the continued expansion of the Sustainable Restaurant Association (SRA), which will be presenting the awards for the third year.
The awards, sponsored by Unilever Food Solutions, will be presented by SRA President Raymond Blanc OBE (pictured above), at Roast, in London’s Borough Market on 17 February.
New Global + Caterer Awards
The global award comes less than a year after the SRA made its Sustainability Rating available to restaurants worldwide. Restaurants from Asia, North and South America and Australia, as well as Europe, have all put their sustainability credentials to the test over the last 12 months.
The introduction of the Sustainable Caterer of the Year award reflects a rapid growth in the number of caterers joining the SRA and completing the Sustainability Rating tailored for the sector.
Scottish flavour
Three top chefs from north of the border and a number of their suppliers will give the event a distinctly Scottish flavour. With the independence vote, Commonwealth Games and Ryder Cup, all taking place in Scotland in 2014, the SRA has invited Neil Forbes, of Cafe St Honoré in Edinburgh, Calum Richardson, of The Bay Fish and Chips, Stonehaven, both former award winners, and Carina Contini, of the Scottish Cafe and Restaurant, to serve guests a menu of classic Scottish dishes including haggis and Arbroath Smokies.
19 awards to be won
The SRA will recognise 19 food service businesses in total, and all but three of the awards are decided on the basis of businesses’ scores in the SRA Sustainability Rating in 2013.
The Sustainable Innovation Award is judged by an SRA appointed panel of experts. The Best Food Waste Strategy Award, sponsored by Unilever Food Solutions, is open to all food service businesses, including non-SRA Members.
The final award will be chosen and presented by Raymond Blanc to his Sustainability Hero, who last year was Sheila Dillon.
Full list of Sustainable Restaurant Awards categories:
Sustainable Restaurant of the Year – sponsored by Kingfisher Brixham
Sustainable Small Group of the Year
Sustainable Large Group of the Year – Chapman Ventilation
SRA Award for Sourcing – Reynolds
SRA Award for Environment – SWR
SRA Award for Society – Steelite
SRA Innovation Award – Eureka
SRA Award for Best Food Waste Strategy – Unilever Food Solutions
Scottish Sustainable Restaurant of the Year
Northern Irish Restaurant of the Year
Welsh Sustainable Restaurant of the Year
English Sustainable Restaurant of the Year
London Sustainable Restaurant of the Year – Paper Round
Most Improved
Sustainable Pub of the Year – Aspall Cyder
Sustainable Hotel Restaurant of the Year
Sustainable Caterer of the Year
Sustainable Global Restaurant of the Year
Raymond Blanc Sustainability Hero
For more information about the Sustainable Restaurant Awards 2014 click here. To enter the Best Food Waste Strategy award click here