The Menu Food and Drink Awards will make a welcome return this year to celebrate the best of food and drink in Tayside and Fife.
After The Courier was forced to cancel the event in 2020 the day before it was set to take place at Dundee’s Apex Hotel, this year’s glittering awards ceremony will be held at The Old Course Hotel in St Andrews on Thursday October 6.
Celebrating and championing local food and drink and hospitality, the awards will shine a light on businesses across 15 different categories.
Four respected chefs from across Tayside and Fife, who will be announced in the coming weeks, will cook up a course each at the dinner.
The categories
This year two new categories have been added to the line-up of 15 awards up for grabs.
The Sustainability Award will recognise those stepping up to become more environmentally friendly and the Community Champion will showcase those in their area focused on helping those in their area.
The Courier readers will be invited to play a part in the judging process for the community award.
Mixologist of the Year has also made a welcome return and will highlight those who put hours into perfecting their drinks and boast incredible product knowledge.
Other categories include Bar of the Year, Brewer of the Year, Chef of the Year, Craft Distiller of the Year, Entrepreneur of the Year, Food/Drink Visitor Destination of the Year, Independent Cafe of the Year, Newcomer of the Year, Producer of the Year, Restaurant of the Yea, Street Vendor of the Year and Brand Ambassador.
The host for the awards is set to be announced in the coming weeks.
Julia Bryce, head of food and drink at DCT Media, said: “Courier country is bursting with talent. The awards not only recognsie the quality of businesses in the area, but the individuals behind them who put their blood, sweat and tears into making their companies a success.
“The past two years have been incredibly challenging and this will be a great way to raise a glass to all of those in food and drink and hospitality who continued to put food on our tables and keep us motivated.”
Brian Stormont, editor of The Menu magazine, agrees that the awards couldn’t have come at a better time.
He said: “It is fantastic to see the awards back after a two-year Covid-enforced hiatus.
“There is so much going on in the food and drink scene that it is only right and proper that we celebrate it.”
Bringing the awards to Fife
The Menu Awards 2020 winners were recognised at an event earlier in the week where they were presented with their trophies, two years after winning them.
Invest Fife, the public brand of Fife’s Council’s Economic Development team, and Altar Group have both pledged their support to the 2022 awards.
Pamela Stevenson, service manager in economic development at Fife Council, is delighted to see the awards being hosted in the Fife area again.
She said: “Fife has a strong reputation as a thriving producer of world-class quality food and drink. Invest Fife is delighted to sponsor The Menu Awards as it is a great opportunity to showcase that fantastic produce and praise those who make it.”
Scott McCallum, chief executive, of Altar Group is looking forward to being involved.
He added: “As leading communications consultants in the Scottish food and drink sector, Altar Group are delighted to sponsor the awards. We look forward to learning about, and supporting, the plethora of exciting new businesses operating in this market and geography.”
Tickets to the event are priced at £125 per person.
For more information about the awards and to enter visit www.themenufoodanddrinkawards.co.uk
Entries close on Sunday July 10.
