The nominees for the second annual World Food Awards have been announced, with two of London’s most high profile Japanese restaurants set to go head for head for the title of Restaurant of the Year.
Zuma, which operates its London outlet in Knightsbridge, and Mayfair-based Umu are up for the award alongside Docklands Caribbean restaurant Chef Colin Brown.
The winners will be announced on 23 October at the Park Lane Hilton, a stone’s throw from the Japanese restaurants.
Nominees
Meanwhile, Dragon’s Den entrepreneur Levi Roots is up for two awards, for Best New Product and Best Packaging.
Vita Coco coconut water, believed to be a favourite of Madonna and Gwyneth Paltrow, will go up against Roots in the Best New Product category.
The entries will be judged by a panel comprising celebrity chefs Anjum Anand and Ravinder Bhogal; Simon Numphud, head of AA Services; Tony Matharu, managing director of Grange Hotels; Bob Fox, managing director of Nationwide Caterers Association; Humayun Hussain, editor of Tandoori Magazine; David Jago of Mintel; Adam Leyland, editor of The Grocer and Sheel Gill of KPMG.
Neeraj Arora, executive vice president of Sony Entertainment which is supporting the awards, said: “With a big name line up of nominees like Walkers, Pataks, Zuma, Vita Coco and Levi Roots, we hope to drive world food further into the mainstream and celebrate the people who have worked so hard to help it evolve into a thriving and compelling industry.”
The full list of nominees:
ASDA Best New Product
Samai Plaintain Chips
Vita Coco
Levi Roots Reggae Reggae Chilled Caribbean Ready Meals
Best Packaging
Devnaa LLP - Indian Sweets | Indian Inspired Chocolate | Cakes & Desserts
World Foods Frozen & Chilled - Cofresh Finger Food Line
Levi Roots Reggae Reggae Chilled Caribbean Ready Meals
Best Marketing Campaign
Elephant Chakki Gold Atta '45 Years of Tradition Enjoyed Daily'
Patak’s 'Why Britain Loves Curry'
Walkers Sensations 'Let Flavour Unfold'
Shazans Best Wholesaler
Beveylnn
East End Foods
TRS
Best Catering Supplier
Euro Foods Group
Gandhi Oriental
JJ Food Service
Restaurant of the Year
Umu
Chef Colin Brown
Zuma
Rajah Best Independent Retailer
Loon Fung
Quality Foods
Turkish Food Centres
Humza Best National Retailer
ASDA
Sainsbury's
Tesco
Entrepreneur of the Year
Shahid Sheikh, Managing Director of Clifton Packaging
Wade Lyn, Managing Director of Cleone Foods Ltd
Fukhera Khalid, Managing Director of Elbrook & CHAK89
Patak’s Lifetime Achievement – to be announced on the evening