13th Dec 2011 - 00:00
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With a glittering Going for Gold theme, organisers of the 2012 Craft Guild of Chefs Awards have confirmed that the prestigious awards ceremony will take place at Wembley Stadium to fit in with the London Olympics.
The annual celebration of chefs across the foodservice industry will also feature a new accolade to recognise those who feed our Armed Forces. This year's ceremony on Wednesday, June 13 2012, will celebrate the Armed Forces Chef of the Year, bumping up the number of awards presented to the cream of UK chefs to 16, which includes the Craft Guild's Special Award. Craft Guild vice president Steve Munkley said feeding the country's military personnel was a demanding and varied occupation that deserved to be recognised. "We are looking for someone who has had an outstanding career and achieved excellence over many years of service, or has shown dedication over and above the call of duty in a situation," he said. "If you know of a military chef that fits this bill who you believe should be held up as a shining example, we are now inviting nominations for this overdue award." The awards aim to reward leading lights from across the industry, whether they work in a village pub, fine dining restaurant, city university, a military unit or in contract catering. They might even be development chefs for national retailers. For a chance to win an award, candidates must first be nominated by a peer or mentor. They are then scrutinised by a panel of judges comprising experts from various sectors. Every year the Special Award is reserved for an exceptional personality who has made an outstanding contribution to the industry as a whole, and a special team of Craft Guild members judge it. Last year's award went to Philip Howard, who has cooked at the two Michelin starred The Square restaurant for more than 20 years and has become a hugely respected chef in the industry. There will also be nominations for the People's Choice Award, which made its debut last year to recognise the industry's unsung heroes. While online voting is not exclusive to the Craft Guild's 1,500 members, it is an invaluable way for the association's membership to become more interactive. From the nominations received for the People's Choice Award, three will be selected and supporters will be allowed one online vote for their chosen hero. Last year the chairman of the Vice Presidents Council, John Retallick, won the award. • To view the categories, visit http://www.craftguildofchefs.org/competitions/craft-guild-of- chefs-awards-2010/3. The nomination form and online nomination facility for the 2012 Craft Guild of Chefs Awards will be launched early in the New Year. To request a copy of the nomination form, please email lauras@dewberryredpoint.co.uk with your postal address or email address and a copy will be sent as soon as it's available. The deadline for nominations is March 9 2012.