Raw talent and culinary treats on the menu as Scotsman launches Food and Drink Awards

● Categories to include beer, street food, eateries and produce ● Readers invited to nominate favourites for panel’s scrutiny

The Scotsman is delighted to announce the launch of our first ever Food and Drink Awards, which will aim to highlight the cream of the crop of Scotland’s Food and Drink industry, and will take place in the capital this November.

They will feature 13 specially chosen categories across a broad range of subjects which will seek to recognise those businesses and individuals who have, in the eyes of our readers, helped to make a huge success of the country’s food and drink sector.

These awards will be your chance, as Scotsman readers, to shout about, and reward, those people who you feel deserve to be recognised for their hard work and dedication within the industry. To nominate, all you have to do is head along to The Scotsman Food and Drink Awards website (www.scotsmanfoodanddrinkawards.co.uk), choose the category you wish to submit your chosen person or company to and give us your reasons as to why you believe we should choose them for that award.

Your nominee could be a food blogger who inspires you, your favourite place to grab a cocktail, your favourite local or the chef who always creates innovative dishes.

The list of categories include Best Use of Scottish Produce, Best Scottish Spirit, Your Hidden Gem, Most Dedicated Food Blogger and Best Street Food.

Each nominee, and your reason for choosing them, will be read and judged by a panel comprising of Scotsman staff and representatives from Scotland’s Food & Drink industry, following the nomination deadline on Friday 29 September, with the finalists being announced a few weeks later.

The ceremony will take place on Wednesday, 1 November, at Edinburgh’s Corn Exchange and in a departure from the usual sit-down meal, the Awards will have a Scottish Street food theme, giving finalists, guests and sponsors the opportunity to better connect on the night.

The Scotsman editor Frank O’donnell, who was delighted to be able to announce the launch of the new awards, said: “The Scotsman is proud to be able to highlight the success that is being made of Scotland’s vibrant food and drink scene by hard-working producers up and down the country. We believe that the industry is key to helping Scotland’s reputation grow not just in the UK and Europe but around the world, and it is our desire to recognise those producers, chefs, companies, restaurateurs and bar owners who are true ambassadors for Scotland and its wonderful natural larder.

He added: “These new awards are part of the Scotsman’s continuing commitment to giving as much coverage as possible to this vital industry, and will join our existing food and drink website and weekly food and drink section in our newspaper in showcasing this vital sector.”

0 Readers are being given the chance to vote for their favourite food, drink and dining experience