Enter the Cateys 2026
Select an award and create an account to complete your nomination. If you need help creating an account, please click here.
You can enter multiple awards, nominate yourself and there is no fee to enter.
Nominations close on Wednesday 4 March 2026 at 5pm.
If you need help getting started, please download the entry kit. You can find out what makes an outstanding nomination here.
For any other questions about the nomination process or the awards, please contact Sophie at Sophie.Woodhams@jacobsmediagroup.com or call +44 7709 839428.
Winners will be announced at the awards ceremony on Tuesday 7 July 2026, you can book your ticket here.
Best Employer Award
Only companies that have entered the Best Places to Work in Hospitality 2026 and have been ranked as the top six entrants will be eligible to enter the Best Employer Award. Click here for more information on the Best Places to Work in Hospitality. Please note that all surveys must have passed the completion threshold for your respective category by 13 February 2026. Only companies based in the United Kingdom are eligible for entry.
Best Marketing Campaign Award
The Best Marketing Campaign award is open to hotel, restaurant, leisure or food service operators that have launched innovative, creative and effective campaigns to promote their products and drive custom and business. Entrants will need to submit details of their campaign's strategic goal, deliverables and success criteria. Judges will be looking for clear and quantifiable campaign goals, measurable objectives, implementation details and evidence of return on investment. Entries in this category may be for an independent business, a single unit within a group or an entire group.
Best Use of Technology Award
The Best Use of Technology Award is open to hotel, restaurant, leisure or foodservice operators that have realised efficiencies or driven new business through the development or deployment of innovative and creative information, engineering or equipment technologies. Entries can be for a single business or a group of units. They will be accepted from executives responsible for managing or employing the technology described. Entries must be for project live dates or equipment specification undertaken no more than one year before the closing date of entries.
Chef Award
This award is open to chefs from all sectors of the industry. It recognises individuals who have made an outstanding contribution to the industry. The recipient must have made a major contribution through innovation in cooking techniques, styles of cuisine and the understanding of culinary processes. The award recognises a wider contribution to the trade, through significant and effective involvement in the fields of education, charity or the general promotion of the industry's interests. Although the award winner may not be an ever-present figure in his or her own kitchen, it is expected that the recipient will be taking a strong and significant role in the day-to-day operations of an outlet or outlets.
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Education and Training Award
This award will go to someone who has demonstrated an innovative approach to continuous learning with particular regard to the needs of the hospitality industry in the UK. They will have developed initiatives in training that have added value and demonstrated an ability to adapt to the changing needs of the market. They may come from any area of the hospitality industry.
Foodservice Caterer Award
The Foodservice Caterer Award will go to an individual working within the private or event sector who has made an outstanding contribution. The winner will possess the ability to combine innovation with sound financial performance as well as being able to demonstrate clear achievements.
2025 winner: Paul Jackson, Searcys
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Health and Nutrition Award
This award will recognise the hospitality business that has shown the greatest commitment and taken the most innovative steps to developing a food offering that caters for the growing demand for healthier and more nutritious eating options in the past 12 months. The award is open to any hotel, restaurant, pub, leisure or foodservice business, regardless of size. Entries can be for a single-unit business or for a group of units.
Hotel of the Year – Group
The Hotel of the Year - Group category is open to any hotel that is operated as part of a branded group with four or more units. It will be a successful business of any size and at any market level; show excellence in its chosen market; consistency of product and service; present a healthy balance sheet and be able to demonstrate particular achievements in the past year.
Hotel of the Year – Independent
The Hotel of the Year - Independent will be a business of three units or fewer under a brand or owner. It will be a successful business of any size, category or market level; show excellence in its chosen market; offer an example to which others can aspire; present a healthy balance sheet and be able to demonstrate particular achievements in the past year.
International Outstanding Achievement Award
This award recognises an individual who has had a profound impact on the global hospitality industry, whether that is in the field of cheffing, restaurants, hotels or foodservice. They may be a British national or from overseas. There are no formal criteria, and the award is given at the discretion of The Caterer team.
Lifetime Achievement Award
There are no formal criteria for this award, although the winner is likely to have enjoyed success over a prolonged period. All of the past recipients have worked in hospitality for more than 30 years and, in addition to their core business, have contributed to the industry in a considerable way.
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Manager of the Year Award
The winning candidate will have demonstrated proven success in managing and developing a team in the workplace; established a good financial track record and proved their worth over and above the job description, particularly in the past year. Nominations are invited from all sectors of the industry and from all managerial levels.
Menu of the Year Award
The Menu of the Year shortlist is derived from Menuwatch articles which appear on www.thecaterer.com.
If you are interested in having your menu reviewed, please contact Caroline Baldwin.
Newcomer Award
The Newcomer Award is open to all people in the industry who have taken a risk and seized an opportunity and made a name for themselves. The winner will own a business that has been operating for less than three years on 6 July 2026 and have established a reputation for quality and service. This will be their first owner-operator hospitality-based business. Entrants can be from any sector of the industry.
Pastry Chef of the Year
This award is open to pastry chefs from all sectors of the industry. It recognises individuals who have made an outstanding contribution to the industry. The recipient must have made a major contribution through innovation in patisserie and the understanding of culinary processes. The award also recognises a wider contribution to the trade, through significant and effective involvement in the fields of education, charity or the general promotion of the industry’s interests.
Pub and Bar Award
The Pub and Bar Award is open to people who run, own or manage a pub or pub chain with a food element. The judges are looking for sound business planning and a good grasp of financial matters. Flair and innovation are also important. The winner must commit to staff training, customer service and show involvement in the community.
Public Sector Caterer Award
The Public Sector Caterer Award will go to an individual or organisation who has made an outstanding contribution to the cost sector. The winner will possess the ability to combine innovation with sound financial performance, as well as being able to demonstrate clear achievements. The individual or organisation will have contributed to the cost sector in the areas of healthcare, education or institutional catering.
2025 winner: Sarah Wren, Health & Independent Living Support
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Restaurateur of the Year – Group
This award is open to individuals who have made their mark in running system-led companies operating branded and themed food and drink outlets. They will operate three or more outlets. The judges will be looking for a solid and/or outstanding performance in the past financial year. Financial information must be provided in order to demonstrate business acumen.
Restaurateur of the Year – Independent
Entrants must demonstrate the ability to combine flair and innovation with good business acumen. They must be setting standards to which others can aspire. They may own and operate several establishments but they will not be themed or branded. The judges will be looking for a solid and/or outstanding performance in the past financial year. Financial information must be provided in order to demonstrate good business judgement.
Special Award
This award recognises an individual that has had a significant impact on any area of hospitality. They can be of any age and backgroups, but must have made a meaningful contribution beyond their own business. They may be a British national or from overseas. There are no formal criteria, which is given by discretion by The Caterer team.
Sustainable Business Award
Entries considered for the Sustainable Business Award will be any business with an annual turnover of more than £20m.
The Sustainable Business Award will recognise the hospitality business that has taken the most innovative steps to minimise its impact on the environment.
The award is open to any hotel, restaurant, pub, leisure or foodservice business or other hospitality operation.
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Sustainable Business Award (SME)
Entries considered for the Sustainable Business Award (SME) will be any business with an annual turnover of less than £20m.
The Sustainable Business Award (SME) will recognise the hospitality business that has taken the most innovative steps to minimise its impact on the environment.
The award is open to any hotel, restaurant, pub, leisure or foodservice business or other hospitality operation.
This is Hospitality Award
This new award that has been introduced to complement The Caterer’s This is Hospitality campaign will recognise a business that has gone the extra mile to engage with their community and showcase the great work that hospitality can do.
It is open to any hospitality business, whether an independent restaurant, group of hotels or contract catering operation that has made efforts beyond its traditional boundaries for the greater good.
We are looking for businesses that can demonstrate that they have made significant efforts to be a positive force, whether they are the cornerstone of their local community, or have made a contribution to wellbeing on a national level. This could be a project to support a good cause locally or nationally through financial or hands-on contributions, or going above and beyond to care for guests and colleagues. We are looking for examples of initiatives that have made real, positive change in people’s lives or contributed to a cause that itself brings about positive change.
Wine and Spirit Ambassador Award
This award honours an individual who has made a major contribution to the knowledge, understanding and promotion of wine, champagne and spirits in the UK hospitality industry. The recipient will display a proven track record for profiting from the sale of alcoholic beverages and training staff in effective wine service; and will demonstrate a wider commitment to their industry, through their involvement in the fields of education or charity. Our winner may work in any sector of the hospitality industry.