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Andrew Kay is delighted to announce the expansion of The Brighton & Hove Food & Drink Awards

The Brighton & Hove Food & Drink Awards – affectionately known as The Foodies – have been, for the last few years, a high point in the food and service industry calendar, respected and enjoyed by many. So loved in fact that in 2013 the event will be fully embraced by Brighton & Hove Food & Drink Festival and built into a much larger event with a much broader spread of categories.

Festival managing director Nick Mosley and I have since met and after much debate decided that the event will now have 12 categories and that the voting system will change. The public will still be massively involved with an online nomination system where people can name their choices in each of the categories. These votes will create the final shortlist that will be judged by a panel of professionals. Using this system we hope that we can improve the nature of the awards and satisfy the varying needs and hopes of both entrants and the public.

Having decided on the eight new categories Nick and I made a shortlist of preferred judges, local people who would bring to the process a level of professionalism that would give the awards a real credibility and value. We looked at local politicians, Food Festival Sponsors, industry professionals and media personalities, and having made our list sent out invitations to our top choices. We are delighted to say that not one person turned down our invitation, even though for each it will require a reasonable amount –of often pleasurable – work and commitment.

Supported by The Montefiore Hospital, the new award categories are as follows and the start of online voting will be announced here very soon.

Best Café
Judged by Hanna Neter & Dan Gasser (Juice FM Breakfast Show presenters).

Best Chain Food and/or Drink Retailer
Judged by Soozie Campbell (Brighton & Hove Tourism Alliance) and Dave Moon-Watson (PHS Wastetech).

Best Family Dining Venue
Judged by Shoshana Plail (ChildFriendlyBrighton.co.uk) and Rachel Lampen (festival committee member).

Best Fish & Chip Shop
Judged by Simon Kirby MP and Mike Weatherly MP.

Best Food Pub
Judged by Mark Ansell (Brighton & Hove Independent) and Adam Style (festival director).

Best Independent Food and/or Drink Retailer
Judged by Zoe Cunliffe (Mixology Group) and Caroline Williams (PHS Wastetech).

Best Newcomer
Judged by John Keenan (The Argus) and Paul Lenik (Ritter Courivaud).

Best Pub or Bar
Judged by James Dempster (Montefiore Hospital) and Gary Peters (Brighton & Hove Jobs).

Best Restaurant
Judged by Andrew Kay (festival director) and Nick Mosley (festival director).

Best Takeaway
Judged by Angi Mariani (Latest Media) and Ian Miller (Brighton & Hove Buses).

Best Sustainable Food Business
Judged by Caroline Lucas MP and Jess Crocker (Brighton & Hove Food Partnership).

Brighton & Hove Food Hero
Judged by Ryan Heal (Rockinghorse) and Nathalie Gomez de Vera (Brighton Visitor)

The Chair of the Judges will be Roger Marlowe (festival director) and the Awards presenters will be Andrea Fox and Andrew Kay at a venue to be announced at the launch of the Brighton and Hove Food And Drink Festival Spring Harvest events.