The Food Porn Awards have now released this year’s winners, announced at the awards presentation during the Northern Restaurant and Bar exhibition in Manchester.
Now in its third year, the coveted awards are a celebration of the best-looking dishes from restaurants, bars, pubs and eateries across the North. The awards give chefs in the region an opportunity to enter images of their most stunning and mouth-watering dishes to win the esteemed 2018 award.
This year has seen a record number of entries, with over 350 chefs and restaurants across the North of England submitting their creations. The public vote allowed consumers to get involved this year and a record number of over 4,500 foodies voted for their favourite to win the People’s Choice Award.
The awards ceremony saw Peace & Loaf crowned champion of the Fine Dining Category with their Hanger Steak dish, created by MasterChef: The Professionals finalist, Dave Coulson. Hospitality college, L20, won the Casual Dining Category Award with their signature fish pie dish and former MasterChef winner, Simon Wood’s restaurant, Wood Manchester, was voted in as the People’s Choice Award winner. The three Fine Dining Runner-Up certificates went to Simon Wood for the same dish, David Ormsby from York restaurant, Cut & Chase and Bartosz Szynaka who is cooking up a storm at Podium restaurant, located at the Hilton Deansgate.
The Casual Dining Runner-Up were awarded to both Chris Evans at Wes Adnerson themed Alabama’s All-American Eatery in Manchester and Pavlos Stafford from Greek restaurant, Kafeneon, located in Newcastle city centre.
The winning dishes were reviewed by a panel of expert judges, including recipe developers, food bloggers and industry journalists, to select the final winner for each category, before being announced at the Northern Restaurant and Bar Show on the 21st March 2018 by awards host, Matt White.
Over the last two years the competition has seen more than 600 entries, among them Manchester hot spots Menagerie and Iberica, The Grand Hotel and Spa in York, Cumbria’s The Gilpin Hotel and Lake House, as well as restaurants from well-known groups, including The Botanist and Blackhouse. Previous winners include chef Simon Rimmer and his restaurant Earle Restaurant, Hale.
Phil Marshall, Managing Director of creative agency Shoot the Moon and curator of the Food Porn Awards, said: “Run purely on mutual PR, the past two years of the awards have been hugely successful and showcased the wide range of talent in the North. After extending the reach of the awards last year, we had to ensure 2018 was even bigger and better. We’re thrilled to have such top talent involved in the awards, from seasoned professionals and renowned establishments to many up-and-coming chefs and restaurants.”
“After a successful year with the expansion of the awards and receiving a record number of entries, we can’t wait to see what the Food Porn Awards 2019 will reveal.”
Sponsors and partners for this year’s awards include catering equipment supplier, Stephensons; specialist food photographers, STM Photography and social media agency, STM Social.