The seventeenth year of the Weetabix Northamptonshire Food and Drink Awards is sizzling into full swing, with entries closing soon for some of the most popular categories.
From the highly-anticipated Booker Young Chef of the Year, to the Booker Gastro Pub of the Year, Community Café, Restaurant, and World Cuisine Restaurant of the Year, the competition is heating up, and the closing date for entries is fast approaching.
As the spotlight shines on the stars of the culinary world – talented young chefs, and treasured eateries, using top-notch local produce – these annual awards are proving to mean much more than welcome recognition. Each year, local hospitality professionals are recognising the value of a ‘Gold’ win in these respected awards. For even the most seasoned chef, café, gastro pub, or restaurant, winning is a boost for business – adding a perfect garnish to their reputation – something truly worth celebrating.
Rachel Mallows MBE DL, Awards Director, said: “These categories highlight a strong commitment to supporting and serving the Northamptonshire community, and celebrate standout businesses and chefs delivering great experiences. As Kate Nicholls, CEO of UK Hospitality, recently noted during our Q&A with previous winners and finalists; managing staff well to ensure quality experiences is essential – and our awards recognise that. They also play a vital role in attracting both customers and staff, which is especially important amid ongoing recruitment and financial pressures.”
Stuart Hyslop, Catering Managing Director at Booker, category sponsor of the Young Chef and Gastro Pub categories said: “We are incredibly proud to sponsor the Booker Gastro Pub of the Year and Booker Young Chef of the Year categories in the Weetabix Northamptonshire Food & Drink Awards. These awards provide a unique platform to celebrate the incredible talent, creativity, and hard work that shape Northamptonshire’s vibrant food and drink scene. As a longstanding supporter of the hospitality industry, we recognise the importance of fostering local talent and helping to build the future of food and drink in our county. We look forward to seeing the next generation of culinary stars shine through in this year’s competition.”
Richard Gordon, Director at Greedy Gordons Pub Group, category sponsor of the Chef of the Year category added: “Over the years it has been fantastic for us to win several awards. We want to help support and celebrate the brilliant venues, suppliers and home-grown stars of hospitality here in our own county, so this year we are incredibly proud to sponsor the Chef of the Year category.
“We provide exceptional career opportunities, from front of house to our incredible kitchens, where our inspiring, creative chefs work their menu magic. So, sponsoring the Chef of the Year category was an obvious choice for us, as it helps shine a spotlight on the talent that exists right here on our doorstep.”
The Tamarind, Northampton was a Gold winner in last year’s World Cuisine Restaurant of the Year category. Owners Omi and Rafi Rahman commented: “For an independent business like ours, winning a prestigious award like this has been amazing. It’s something we wear with pride. It’s brought us new customers, and given our team and our loyal customers the recognition we all deserve.
“We were so proud to bring the award home. Letting everyone hold it and share in the moment was a milestone we’ll never forget.”
The free-to-enter categories in the 2025/26 Awards (with their respective sponsors) are:
Artisan Local Drink of the Year (Wharf Distillery)
Artisan Local Product of the Year (Heygates Flour and Animal Feed Millers)
Artisan Local Vegetarian / Vegan Product of the Year
Booker Gastro Pub of the Year (Booker)
Booker Young Chef of the Year (Booker)
Canapé competition (Portfolio Events)
Chef of the Year (Greedy Gordons)
Community Café of the Year (West Northamptonshire Council Public Health)
Farming Environment Award (Weetabix)
F&B Achiever of the Year (J Sweeney Accountants)
Food and Drink College Student of the Year (University of Northampton)
Healthy Food and Wellbeing Award (Delapré Abbey Preservation Trust)
Local Food Hero of the Year (Howes Percival)
One to Watch (Whitworth Bros. Ltd Flour Millers)
Outstanding Contribution to Food & Drink (All Things Business)
Restaurant of the Year (Whitco Catering & Bakery Equipment Limited)
Weetabix Sustainability Award (Weetabix)
World Cuisine Restaurant of the Year (British Pepper & Spice Co. Ltd)
The results of the competition, which will again see finalists awarded Gold, Silver or Bronze, will be announced at the Awards celebrations taking place on 16 October 2025 at The Royal & Derngate Theatre, supported again by national catering awards winners Portfolio Events.
For more details on all the categories in the Weetabix Northamptonshire Food and Drink Awards 2025/26, including entry and nomination forms, please visit the Awards’ website – www.northamptonshirefoodanddrink.co.uk – or call the Awards team on 01933 664437 or email awards@northamptonshirefoodanddrink.co.uk
You can also follow the Awards on Facebook at @foodawards or X and Instagram at @foodawardsHQ or LinkedIn at @weetabixnfadawards
