Shortlist revealed for The Cateys 2025

Widely known as the Oscars of the hospitality world, the Cateys, which are held in partnership with Square, honour and celebrate the strongest performers, most inspirational brands and highest flyers in the sector, as determined by the industry itself.

Over 100 judges, chosen for their expertise and industry knowledge, came together at the Savoy hotel in London last week to debate the nominees and produce our shortlist.

Judge Dan Rose-Bristow, managing director at the Torridon in the Scottish Highlands, who was on the judging panel for Hotel of the Year – Independent, said winning a Catey is “a landmark achievement”.

He said the Torridon’s 2018 Hotel of the Year – Independent win “transformed our business in terms of recognition and standing in the market and brought a lot more business our way due to the press”.

Fellow judge Zoe Burgess, drinks consultant at Atelier Pip, said the entries for this year’s Wine and Spirit Ambassador award “was quite an amazing mix of people to run through”, and showed there are “a lot of very passionate and dedicated people working in the wine and spirits sector that really care about not only the commercials of their business, but sharing knowledge”.

The winners, representing British hospitality at its best, will be revealed at a glittering event on 7 July at JW Marriott Grosvenor House London in front of over 1,000 industry leaders, operators, investors and key suppliers.

To buy tickets for the event, visit the Cateys website

To explore sponsorship opportunities, contact rob.adam@thecaterer.com

The Cateys 2025 shortlist

Best Marketing Campaign Award

• The Grove, Herfordshire
• Kerb
• Northcote, Lancashire
• Rudy’s Pizza

Restaurateur of the Year – Independent

• Josh and Holly Eggleton, the Pony Group
• Richard Gladwin, Local & Wild
• Kirk and Keeley Haworth, Plates, London
• Jonathan MacDonald, Scoop Restaurants Group
• Stuart Ralston, Aizle, Noto, Tipo, Lyla, Edinburgh

Hotel of the Year – Group

Sponsored by Caterer.com

• Art’otel Battersea, London
• Brown’s Hotel, a Rocco Forte Hotel, London
• DoubleTree by Hilton Glasgow Central
• Hilton London Metropole
• Langdale Chase, Windermere

Restaurateur of the Year – Group

Sponsored by St Ewe Eggs

• Marcello Distefano, San Carlo Restaurant Group
• Thom and James Elliot, Pizza Pilgrims
• Jyotin, Karam and Sunaina Sethi, JKS Restaurants

Chef Award

Sponsored by Brakes

• Nieves Barragán Mohacho, Sabor, London
• Mark Birchall, Moor Hall, Lancashire
• Adam Byatt, Trinity, London
• Spencer Metzger, Row on 5, London
• Tom Sellers, Restaurant Story, London

Hotel of the Year – Independent

Sponsored by Miele

• The Belfry Hotel & Resort, Sutton Coldfield
• Lympstone Manor, Exmouth
• The Nici, Bournemouth
• Swinton Estate, Ripon
• Wildhive Callow Hall, Ashbourne

Manager of the Year Award

• Chris Eigelaar, the Belfry Hotel & Resort, Sutton Coldfield
• Damien Martin, the Parkgate hotel, Cardiff
• Michael Voigt, the Goring, London
• Mark Whelan, Eurest

Newcomer Award

• Pignut, York
• Skof, Manchester
• Sonnet Restaurant, Alnwick
• Sune, London

Pub and Bar Award

• Chestnut
• JKS Restaurants (pubs)
• The Loch & the Tyne by Adam Handling, Windsor
• The Three Horseshoes, Essex

Education and Training Award

• Wade Dutton, Sodexo Live!
• Edward Gallier, Leonardo Hotels
• Samantha Hockey and Duncan Limbert, Sodexo

Public Sector Caterer Award

Sponsored by Bidfood

• ESS
• Tom Pass, Culinera
• Sarah Wren, Health & Independent Living Support

Foodservice Caterer Award

• Simon Houston and Dave Hawkes, Houston & Hawkes
• Paul Jackson, Searcys
• Matt Wood, Lexington Catering

Wine and Spirit Ambassador Award

• Vincenzo Arnese, Raffles London at the OWO, London
• Nina Basset, Gérard Basset Foundation
• Emily Jago, JKS Restaurants
• Honey Spencer, Sune, London
• Agnieszka Swiecka, Mount St Restaurant, London

Sustainable Business Award

Sponsored by Unox

• The Hari, London
• Houston & Hawkes 
• Sodexo
• The University of Manchester
• Wahaca

Sustainable Business Award (SME)

Sponsored by Tork

• Calcot & Spa, Tetbury, Gloucestershire
• FarmED, Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire
• Lamington Group
• Pignut, York

Best Use of Innovative Technology Award

Sponsored by Sona

• Delaware North UK
• Levy UK & Ireland at Birmingham City FC
• Point A Hotels
• The Swan Hotel & Spa, Ulverston

Menu of the Year Award - the shortlist for this award will be revealed in May

Best Employer Award -  the shortlist for this award will be revealed at the People Summit on 15 May

There is no shortlist for the International Outstanding Achievement Award, sponsored by Sodexo, the Special Award, sponsored by Compass, or the Lifetime Achievement Award, sponsored by Square.

The Caterer would like to thank all those who sponsor the awards. The wine sponsor is Matthew Clark and soft drinks sponsor is Carlsberg Britvic. The supporting partners are Johnsons Stalbridge, Montgomery Events, Quadrant, Sky Business, Venners and Winterhalter.