Cateys 2021: Now open for nominations
The search has begun for the biggest talents and most innovative brands in the hospitality industry with this week's launch of the 2021 Cateys.
The most prestigious awards in the hospitality industry will be presented across 22 categories at a glittering ceremony at Grosvenor House, a JW Marriott hotel, in London on 7 September.
The winners in each category of the awards represent the finest that the hotel, restaurant, foodservice and pub and bar sectors have to offer. This year they will be examples of the resilience and creativity that has been on show in the hospitality industry.
Since their inception in 1984, the Cateys have cast a spotlight on the industry's highest flyers, strongest performers and hottest brands. Winning a Catey is significant because recipients are nominated, selected and rewarded by their peers. They are a byword for quality, class and achievement; the awards that everybody wants to win.
Only those who are nominated go forward to be judged by our panel of past winners and experts from across the industry, so please submit your entries here before 19 May 2021.
The Caterer editor James Stagg said: "We can't wait to welcome the industry back to Grosvenor House in September for what will be a real milestone in the industry's return to fitness. We're expecting this year's event to be a real ‘we were there' moment, when the great and the good gather once again to celebrate the both the industry's resilience and those striving for excellence.
"So if you know of an individual, business or organisation worthy of these prestigious awards, we want to hear from you."
The Cateys 2021 are sponsored by Britvic, Nescafé, Bidfood, PHS, Brakes, Unilever and CH&Co.
The categories
Restaurateur of the Year - Independent
Restaurateur of the Year - Group
Wine and Spirit Ambassador Award
Hotel of the Year - Independent
International Outstanding Achievement Award
Best Marketing Campaign Award - Judges' Criteria
The Best Marketing Campaign Award is open to hotel, restaurant, leisure or foodservice 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 goals, 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.
Accessibility Award - Judges' Criteria
This award recognises the operators going above and beyond the requirements of the Equality Act in accommodating and catering for people with disabilities and special needs. The winner will be an individual hotel, pub, restaurant, foodservice contract or other hospitality operation offering equal levels of customer service to customers with and without disabilities. This category is not open to groups but is open to an individual establishment within a group. All entrants must confirm that they comply with all aspects of the Equality Act. They must produce accessibility statements for both their business and their website. They must also clearly demonstrate that they have understood the business case of providing excellent customer service for a wide range of people with disabilities.
Best Use of Technology - Judges' Criteria
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.
Manager of the Year - Judges' Criteria
The winning candidate will have demonstrated proven success in managing and leading a team in what was a challenging year. They will have proved their worth over and above their job description, particularly with regard to people management and dealing with tough decisions pragmatically and with compassion. Nominations are invited from all sectors of the industry and from all managerial levels.
Sustainable Business Award - Judges' Criteria**
This award is open for submissions based on option 1 or option 2 below.
- Continuous improvement over a maximum five-year period.
- Individual project, innovation or achievement over the past 12 months.
This award will recognise the hospitality operator that has taken the most innovative steps to embed sustainability into their business. Success can be determined by, but is not limited to, mitigating environmental impact, promoting social value though community and stakeholder engagement, and enhancing the business's commerciality through sound sustainable business activity. The award is open to any hotel, restaurant, pub, leisure foodservice business or other hospitality operation, regardless of size.
Newcomer Award - Judges' Criteria
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 7 September 2021 and will have established a reputation for quality and service despite the significant challenges of the past year. This will be their first owner-operator hospitality-based business. Candidates can be from any sector of the industry.
Menu of the Year - Judges' Criteria
This award is open to restaurants whose menu has been featured on the Menuwatch page of the Chef section of The Caterer within a 12-month period ahead of the awards. Nominees are judged on innovation within the price bracket of that particular establishment or contract; good use of seasonal produce on the menu; creativity of the dishes being served; careful marrying of textures and flavours of the component ingredients; value for money; and whether after seeing the menu or selection of dishes, you would be tempted to eat there.
Pub and Bar Award - Judges' Criteria
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 and customer service and show involvement in the community.
Restaurateur of the Year - Independent - Judges' Criteria
Candidates must demonstrate the ability to combine flair and innovation with good business acumen. They must set 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 business plan and will take on board creativity employed in the last year to attempt to alleviate the detrimental impact of Covid-19 trading restrictions. Please provide any relevant financial information.
Restaurateur of the Year - Group - Judges' Criteria
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 business plan and will take on board creativity employed in the last year to attempt to alleviate the detrimental impact of Covid-19 trading restrictions. Please provide any relevant financial information.
Health and Nutrition Award - Judges' Criteria
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.
Best Employer Award - Judges' Criteria
This year's Best Employer Award will recognise those many brilliant businesses that have best handled the pandemic with kindness, bravery and grace, putting their people first and dealing with tough decisions pragmatically. The shortlist will be selected from entrants into The Caterer's Best Places to Work in Hospitality awards.
How to nominate
Nominees must first enter the Best Places to Work in Hospitality awards, which recognise 30 of the best hospitality employers who have supported their staff through lockdowns, furloughs and health concerns. The Best Employer will be chosen from this shortlist. Registration closes on 16 April. All surveys must be completed and returned by 30 April. To enter, visit click here.
Wine and Spirit Ambassador - Judges' Criteria
This award honours an individual who has made a major contribution to the knowledge, understanding and promotion of wines, Champagnes 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.
Education and Training Award - Judges' Criteria
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 hospitality.
Public Sector Award - Judges' Criteria
The Public Sector Award will go to an individual or organisation that has made an outstanding contribution to the sector over a difficult year. 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 sector in the areas of healthcare, education or institutional catering.
Foodservice Caterer Award - Judges' Criteria
The Foodservice Caterer Award will go to an individual working within the private or event sector who has made an outstanding contribution to their business and the sector. The winner will have demonstrated innovation and leadership in an unprecedented year for hospitality, with evidence of clear achievements along with sound financial management.
Hotel of the Year - Group - Judges' Criteria
The Hotel of the Year – Group category is open to any group hotel of any size and at any market level that demonstrates excellence in its chosen market, consistency of product and service, and success as a business. Judges will be looking for a solid business plan that helped the group react to the continued pace of change over the last year. Please provide any relevant financial information.
Hotel of the Year - Independent - Judges' Criteria
The Hotel of the Year – Independent will be a business of three units or fewer under a brand or owner. It will be a business of any size, category or market level; show excellence in its chosen market; offer an example to which others can aspire; and be able to demonstrate achievements over the last year in spite of difficulties faced. Please provide any relevant financial information.
Chef Award - Judges' Criteria
This award is open to chefs from all sectors of 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 their 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.
International Outstanding Achievement Award - Judges' Criteria
This award recognises an individual who has had a profound impact upon 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.
Special Award - Judges' Criteria
There are no set criteria for this award. It can recognise someone from any sector of the catering or hospitality industry. The person you nominate will have made a significant contribution to their sector – but this contribution may not by any means be over. The award may come early in a career, or as recognition of original or creative ideas, or later when someone has established a consistently outstanding record.
Lifetime Achievement Award - Judges' Criteria
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.
