The Public Sector Catering Awards will return to the Hilton London Metropole on Thursday 9th April 2026. There are 18 award categories, that represent all areas of the sector including education, healthcare, care homes, prisons, universities, the armed forces and catering colleges. In addition a Lifetime Achievement Award will be given out on the night.
If you are interested in booking a place at the awards ceremony, visit here. Tickets include a pre-dinner drinks reception on arrival (6.45pm), a three-course dinner (7.30pm), awards ceremony and after dinner entertainment until 1am.
The Public Sector Catering Awards sponsors are apetito, Cereal Partners, Essential Cuisine, Rational, Wafflemeister, Middleton Foods, Brakes, the Public Sector Catering Alliance, Premier Foods Foodservice, Bidfood and TUCO.
The full shortlisted finalists for the 2026 Public Sector Catering Awards are:
Armed Forces Caterer of the Year Award
- SSgt (Staff Sergent) Daniel Butler
- AS1 (Air Specialist) Anthony Morris
- LCS (Leading Catering Services) Thomas Simpson
Care Catering Award
- Anas al Saadi – Macc Care
- Hospitality Team, Country Court Care Homes
- Meallmore
- Nigel Cook – Eastcote Park Care Home
- PJ Care Catering Team
- Sanctuary Care
Catering College Award
- Graham Taylor - Cambridge Regional College
- Paul Carne - Exeter College
Catering Manager of the Year Award
- Darren Klein – PJ Care
- Francesco Fiore – Milton Keynes University Hospital
- Jody Marshall -Meallmore
- Mark Lawrence – Chartwells Universities
- Robert Cormack – Guy’s & S Thomas’ Hospital
- Sgt Amee Lovely, RAF Wittering
Chef of the Year Award
- Andrew Bedwell – Peverel Court
- Darren Neal – White Oaks
- Karolina Morawiec – GMMH NHS FT
- Marius Toma – Signature Dining
- Michael King – Chartwells Universities
- Nedko Rusev – Guy’s & St Thomas NHS Trust
- Ronnel Nulud – ISS
- Stuart Fildes – Aramark
Contract Caterer of the Year Award
- Nourish Contract Catering
- ESS
- Olive Dining
Education Catering Award
- Blackpool Council Catering Services
- Bury Council - School Catering
- Catering Team - East Renfrewshire Council
- Citywide Services - Salford City Council
- Juniper Ventures
- NYES Catering - North Yorkshire Council
- Stir Food
- Scott Graham - Education Authority Northern Ireland
Health and Nutrition Award
- Catering Team - East Renfrewshire Council
- Education Catering - Cardiff Council
- Health & Independent Living Support
- Jody Marshall - Meallmore
- Valentina de Pascale - Palmer & Howells
Hospital Catering Award
- Catering Department - Stepping Hill Hospital
- Francesco Fiore - Milton Keynes University Hospital
- Hampshire Hospitals Head Chefs
- Nedko Rusev - Guy's & St Thomas' NHS Trust
- Raouf Mansour - Ashford & St Peter's Hospitals
- RFL Property Service
Innovation Award
- Angel Hill Food Co
- David Fradgley, Aramark
- Education Catering – Cardiff Council
- ESS Wild Venison Project
- Field to Fork Academy
- ISS Education & apetito
- Michael Clark & Connect DPS Team
- SchoolGrid
- University of Strathclyde
Marketing Award
- Love British Food
- Aramark
- Elygra / Knowsley Council
- LSE
- Juniper
- Signature Dining
- HCL
- ISS
Prison Catering Award
- HMP Portland Catering Team
- Ian Moore - HMP North Sea Camp
- Nigel Pitcher - HMP Bristol
- Roland Ward - HMPPS
- Steve Johnson - HMP Ranby
- Victoria Nettleship - Hull Catering Team
Special Contribution Award
- Andrew Knight – MoJ
- The Food Foundation as part of The School Food Review Coalition
- Teresa Pym – Simply Serve Yeovil
Sustainability Award
- Andrew Cowan – Bury Council
- Derek James – Simply Serve
- Dunsters Farm
- ESS
- Harper Adams University
- Impact Food Group
Team of the Year Award
- Catering Team@Ravenscliffe High School
- Chartwells Universities & University of Sussex
- Hospitality Team @ Country Court Care Homes
- Loughborough University
- Meallmore
- NHS Supply Chain
- NYES Catering
- Paige Ward & AIP Catering Team
- Royal Brompton & Harefield Hospitals Catering Team
Training and Apprenticeship Award
- Andy Cullum - The iddsi Guy
- Daniel Phillpott - Care UK
- Forward with Marcus Wareing
- Joshua Astall - Simply Serve
University Catering Award
- UAL/Baxter Storey
- Chartwells/University of Sussex
- Harper Adams
- University of Chester
- Loughborough University
- University of Brighton
Unsung Hero Award
- Andrew Knight - Ministry of Justice
- Jane Hindmarch & Liam Lane - ISS
- Jermaine Edwards - ISS Facility Services
- Keachan Hall - St Vincent's House
- Mathew Shropshall - UCB College of Food
- Mike Daley - Medirest