Hospitality Awards

Entries close Monday 30 March 2026.

The Hospitality Awards are open to all Hospitality establishments based in Devon. All entries will be confirmed by email and an invoice issued if applicable.

Entry Fee

  • Food Drink Devon Members – Entry is free for 1 category per business. Then £60+VAT per additional category.
  • Non-Members – Entry is £80+VAT per category (if you sign up for Food Drink Devon membership before 30 March 2026, any awards entry fees will be deducted from your first year’s membership costs).

All businesses submitting an entry agree to provide a voucher for a 2 or 3 course meal with a drink each for 2 people which will be given to the judges.

If you are entering the Bar category, you will need to transfer funds to us to cover the costs of 4 judges buying a drink each.

For Training School entrants - all businesses submitting an entry agree to provide a voucher for a course for 1 judge.

Categories

  • Fine Dining – Full table service restaurants with specific dedicated meal courses often taster menus or canapés and/or amuse bouche are included in the meal. The waiting staff should be highly trained and knowledgeable. Food portions are visually appealing with a huge emphasis on presentation. Décor and furnishings feature high quality materials and tables are dressed in high quality linen, crockery, cutlery and glasses.
  • Hotel Restaurant – Full table service establishments with specific dedicated meal courses. Service is less formal than fine dining but still delivered by well-trained professional staff. Food is freshly prepared to order using quality local ingredients.
  • Restaurant – Full table service establishments with specific dedicated meal courses. Service is less formal than fine dining but still delivered by well-trained professional staff. Food is freshly prepared to order using quality local ingredients.
  • Casual Dining – Full table service establishments. Service and the ambience are more relaxed and less formal than a restaurant but still delivered by well-trained professional staff. Food is freshly prepared to order using quality local ingredients but more moderately priced.
  • Pub – Commonly a restaurant area within a pub serving moderately priced meals in an atmospheric setting. Still full table service and delivered by well-trained professional staff but more informal than the restaurant category. Smaller wine list but probably a full bar.
  • Bar – Wet sales only, the emphasis is on the drinks - could be the Bar area in a Pub or a dedicated Wine or Gin Bar or a Beer, Cider or Coffee area at a Producers premises.
  • Café – An informal food establishment selling a variety of foods, usually breakfast, lunch, afternoon teas, cakes, snacks and drinks. Service is friendly, ordering and paying could be at the counter. Often self-service and unlicensed for alcohol. Cafes are open all day and often not open at night.
  • Takeaway / Street Food – A takeaway from a premises or a mobile food business or stall located in a high pedestrian area which serves to customers outside of a building and doesn’t provide a dedicated area to sit and dine. The food is served in disposable packaging which is designed to be eaten directly from. Fast, friendly and informal service.
  • Training School – This could be a training school or learning experience but must be based in Devon and can be a half or full day experience.

Judging

All businesses will be mystery shopped and you won’t know who the judge is until the end of the visit. All judges will have the same detailed report to complete with an independent adjudica-tor verifying the results and winners. Our judges are looking for establishments that provide cuisine of a truly excellent standard and champion Devon produce as well as demonstrating innovation, ambience and customer service at a high level, to create a top-quality food and drink experience.

All entrants will be visited by independent and unbiased expert judge between 13 April to 13 July 2026. Outstanding entrants will be awarded Bronze, Silver or Gold Awards, plus Awards will be given to the Best Overall Business in each category.

How to Enter

You can enter by clicking on the buttons below:

HOSPITALITY AWARDS ENTRY FORM
TRAINING SCHOOL AWARDS ENTRY FORM

Jack Pickering and Susy Atkins, Food Drink Devon directors and Head Judges, would like to remind all entrants to take time and consideration in completing the entry forms as your comments will form part of the judging process.

For all queries, please contact Ali Neagle on ali@fooddrinkdevon.co.uk or call 07789 666 064.