Awards to recognise food heroes of lockdown

THE FULL SHORTLIST FOR MANCHESTER FOOD AND DRINK FESTIVAL AWARDS REVEALED

THE restaurants, bars and industry heroes in the running for this year’s Manchester Food and Drink Festival Awards have been named.

The festival returns in September in a new socially-distanced format in Cathedral Gardens - and the annual awards look a little different this year too in light of the huge impact the coronavirus lockdown has had on the hospitality sector.

A number of new categories have been created, celebrating the innovation, resilience, altruism and successes that have taken place in the last year - and particularly in the difficult months since March.

New prizes for 2020 include best DIY delivery food offering, best food and drink box delivery, best innovation and lockdown heroes.

Shortlists have been compiled by a judging panel made up of the city’s leading food and drink critics and industry experts.

The winners will be decided entirely by a public vote for the first time, before being crowned at a livestreamed virtual ceremony on October 5.

MFDF founding director Phil Jones said: “This year’s festival awards are taking place at an extraordinary time - the most difficult period yet for our industry, and against the backdrop of a global crisis.

“It’s been a very tough year for restaurants, bars, pubs and cafes but we’ve also seen a huge amount of innovation, creativity and community focused altruism from the hospitality industry.

“While it is not possible to run the awards in the usual way this year, we felt it was more important than ever to recognise and celebrate our hospitality sector.

“This year’s awards, delivered with the help of our sponsor Just Eat, are designed to celebrate, showcase and support our brilliant dining community in 2020 and beyond.”

Manchester Food and Drink Festival returns for its 23rd year from September 24 to October 5.

The festival hub will be based at Cathedral Gardens again, with a new, council-approved and Covidsecure layout and operational systems.

Voting is open now on the MFDF website and the brand new MFDF app.

The closing date for votes is midnight on September 26.

THE MANCHESTER FOOD AND DRINK FESTIVAL AWARDS 2020 SHORTLIST IN FULL Best online ‘at home’ food and drink content

Sponsored by Moda Angel Gardens

Recognising the best online food and drink content shared during lockdown.

■ Andrew Nutter - For his online cookery videos broadcast via social media

■ Cork of the North - For their live wine tasting masterclasses broadcast via social media

■ Higher Ground - For their live cook-alongs broadcast via social media

■ Manchester Gin For their live gin masterclasses broadcast via social media

■ Rachel Stockley/Baratxuri For her online cookery videos broadcast via social media

■Sienna & Maurizio Cecco from Salvi’s - For their live cook-alongs and online cookery videos all broadcast via social media

■ Simon Wood - For his online cookery videos broadcast via social media

■ Six By Nico - For their Now Cooking series broadcast via social media

Best restaurant takeaway adaptation

Sponsored by Just Eat

Recognising restaurants who have adapted their business model, menus and offering to provide a takeaway/ delivery service during lockdown.

■ Bundobust

■ Elnecot

■ Hip Hop Chip Shop

■ Mughli Charcoal Pit

■ Rudy’s Pizza

■ Six by Nico

■ Wolf at The Door

■ Yang Sing

Best DIY delivery food offering

Sponsored by Roomzzz Aparthotels

Recognising the restaurants, chefs and businesses who have created ‘do it yourself’ recipe delivery meal kits for people to create their own restaurant quality meals at home.

■ Adam Reid - Great British Menu Box

■ Baratxuri - Menu Delivery Boxes

■ DD’s Burgers at The Koffee Pot The Lockdown DIY Burger Kit

■ Elite Bistros at Home

■ Hawksmoor at Home

■ Northern Soul - Grill it Yourself Kit

■ Wood at Home

■ Yao Yao Noodles - Ramen Kit Delivery

Best food and drink box delivery

Recognising the best food and drink delivery boxes created to serve the community during lockdown.

■ Grandad Sausages - “The Sausage Hotline”- Delivering BBQ Kits and Breakfast Packs

■ Great North Pie Co - Pie Box Delivery

■ Lupo Caffe Italiano - Italian Treats and Veg Boxes

■ R Noone and Son- Fruit and Veg boxes

■ Reserve Wines - Wine Box Deliveries

■ ShinDigger Brewing Co - Beer Delivery Boxes In Under 3 Hours

■ The Crafty Cheese Man - Cheese Board Delivery Boxes

■ Zouk - BBQ Boxes

Best innovation

Recognising the most impressive business innovations by food and drink operators during the crisis.

■ Grub-E-Mart

■ Levenshulme Market

■ Andrew Nutter - Nutter’s Cheese and Wine Boutique

■ Cloudwater

■ Didsbury Gin

■ Manchester Union Lager

■ House of Hops

■ Stretford Foodhall

Newcomer of the year

Recognising the best new food and drink operations to open in Greater Manchester since the last awards decision period.

■ The Bull & Bear

■ The Edinburgh Castle Pub

■ Escape to Freight Island

■ Six By Nico

■ Higher Ground

■ Perfect Match

■ Street Urchin

■ Stretford Food Hall

Best online veggie/vegan offering

■ Wholesome Junkies

■ Blue Caribou Canteen

■ Yao Yao Noodles

■ Vaso Indian Kitchen

■ The Walled Gardens by Eddie

Shepherd

■ Herbivorous

■ The Ottomen

■ Pasta Factory

Artisan drinks producer of the year

■ Didsbury Gin

■ Four Sisters

■ Manchester Gin

■ Diablesse Rum

■ Manchester Union Lager

■ Cloudwater Brewing

■ ShinDigger Brewing Co

■ Track Brew Co

Takeaway Coffee Experience of the Year

An adaptation of The Coffee Shop of the year award.

■ Just Between Friends

■ Federal Cafe Bar

■ Foundation Coffee House

■ Ancoats General Store

■ Grindsmith

■ Heart & Graft Coffee

■ Another Heart to Feed

■ Manchester Coffee Co

Street Food Trader of the Year

■ The Ottomen

■ Oh Mei Dumpling

■ Ginger’s Comfort Emporium

■ Nasi Lemak

■ Herbivorous

■ Abeja Tapas Bar

■ I Knead Pizza

■ Jerk Shack

Howard and Ruth Outstanding Achievement Award

Recognising someone who has contributed something outstanding to the food and drink industry in Greater Manchester. This award will be decided by the judging panel.