The awards celebrate people and food providers who inspire others through sustainable catering frameworks.
There are 11 categories including Food for Life Served Here Further and Higher Education Champion Award, Food for Life Served Here Independent School Champion Award and the Food for Life Supplier Scheme Champion.
The winners will be announced at the awards ceremony on 15 November at London’s Living Room, City Hall. Prue Leith will be attending to deliver a welcome speech and assist with the presentation of the awards.
An independent judging panel including professor Tim Lang professor of food policy at City University of London, Bee Wilson food writer and Stephen Forster national LACA chair, will select the 11 winners.
Judge Wilson said: “A good caterer can make all the difference to a person's day, and we don't celebrate their work anything like enough. School chefs, nursery cooks, hospital caterers and other workplace and university food providers are among the great-unsung heroes.
“I'm excited to join this judging panel and to have the chance to recognise some of the excellent food being served up and down the country by FFL kitchens and suppliers.”
Food for Life Served Here (formerly Catering Mark) is celebrating its tenth anniversary of sourcing and serving ‘fresh, honest and local food.’
Ian Nutt, associate director at Food for Life, added: “Food for Life’s frameworks positively impact customers, businesses and the environment. I am thrilled to be celebrating those who really are pushing the boundaries, improving standards in food service, and who share our values of good food for all.”
The finalists are:
Food for Life Served Here Further and Higher Education Champion Award
- Ivan Hopkins at Nottingham Trent University
- Ewa Rolek at LSE
Food for Life Served Here Healthcare Champion Award
- Carl Stevenson at Bondcare – Summerfield House Nursing Home
- Gary Wilkins at North Bristol NHS Trust – Southmead Hospital
- Neil Thompson at Abbeyfield Society
Food for Life Served Here Independent School Champion Award
- Steve Brown at Monkton Combe School
- Debby Staples at Oakhyrst Grange School
- Simon Blackwood at King’s House School
Food for Life Served Here Restaurants, Events and Leisure Champion Award
- Leila Lakeland at Marwell Wildlife
- Tomas Jelinek at Chester Zoo
- Beverley Edwards at Shakespeare Birthplace Trust
Food for Life Served Here Workplace Champion Award
- Louis Wood at CH&Co – Crawley
- Dan Blackburn at John Lewis Partnership, Victoria Head Office Campus
Food for Life Served Here Schools Champion Award
- Marie Bridge at GS Plus – Christ Church Primary
- Amanda Whatley at Hampshire County Council Catering Services (HC3S)
- Jackie Manship at Leicestershire Traded Services
- Fiona Murray at East Ayrshire Council – Shortlees Primary and Early Childhood Centre
Food for Life Served Here Early Years Champion Award
- Tracy Miller & Olivia Cherry at Childbase Partnership - Woodlands Day Nursery
- Antonia Mazaar at Montys Nursery and Pre-School -Thompson Avenue
Food for Life Served Here Excellence at Silver and Gold Award
- North Bristol NHS Trust Southmead Hospital
- Harrison Catering Services
- RSPB Wetlands Reserve
- Tall Trees Kindergarten
- Oldham Council
Food for Life Served Here Innovation in Customer Engagement Award
- National Trust
- East Renfrewshire Council
- Leicestershire Traded Services Catering
- John Lewis Partnership, Victoria head Office Campus.
Food for Life Supplier Scheme Champion
- Yeo Valley
- Creed Foodservice
- Young’s Seafood
- Pip Organic
Green Kitchen Standard Champion
- Food @ Edgehill University
- Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
- Aramark Ltd University of Westminster