Compass to the four at 2026 Contract Catering Awards
Compass Group brands Dine, Eurest, Medirest and Vacherin all won at last night’s awards.
The honours were fairly evenly allocated at the 14th annual Contract Catering Awards, which were held at the Park Plaza Westminster Bridge, London, last night. Compass Group ultimately led the way with four wins, which were spread across its Dine, Eurest, Medirest and Vacherin brands. Mellors Catering Services finished hot on their heels, claiming a hat-trick of awards.
Despite being in its 14th year, the event continues to evolve. This year saw the introduction of the Judges’ Choice Award, which was added due to our expert panel’s ongoing frustration at being unable to recognise some superb candidates who narrowly miss out in their nominated categories. Elisabeth Ortiz Kuefler from BM Caterers was decided to be the best of the bunch, taking home the inaugural award.
This was immediately followed by the traditional climax to the evening, the Lifetime Achievement Award. The popular recipient was Stephen Freeman, whose Freemans Event Partners has just celebrated its 50th anniversary. He received the award in front of his wife Karen, with whom he set up the still-family-run business back in 1975.
‘Love the industry’
He told the record-breaking audience of over 500: “You’ve got to love this industry. There are some long, unsociable hours – but special people make up this industry.”
The awards evening, which was hosted as ever by firm favourite Mark Durden-Smith (pictured), raised £4,560 for Only A Pavement Away and the Licensed Trade Charity. The sponsors were Anchor Sandwich, Bidfood, Essential Cuisine, Fox’s Burton’s Companies, Franke, Lolly, Middleton Foods, Options Greathire, Radnor, Red Bull, Restaurant Design Associates, Samworth Brothers, Scrocchiarella, Starbucks, Tofoo, Unilever and Unox.
It was officially announced on the evening that entries for the 2026 StrEATfood Awards have now opened. Go to streatfoodawards.co.uk if you would like to submit your signature street food dish or for more info.
The 2026 Contract Catering Awards winners
Area Manager of the Year
Milda Burn – BM Caterers
Business & Industry Award
Rhiannon Read – Lexington Catering
Contract Caterer of the Year
Mellors Catering Services
Development Chef of the Year
Steven Snowdon – Lexington Catering
Education Award
Arkadiusz Cembrzynski – TNS Catering
ESG Award
Houston & Hawkes
Healthcare Catering Award
Rhonda Gibson – Medirest
Innovation Award
Marco Galer-Reick – Delaware North
Judges’ Choice Award
Elisabeth Ortiz Kuefler – BM Caterers
Marketing Award
Mellors Catering Services
Operations Director of the Year
Emma Best – Eurest
People Development Award
Jenna Calderbank – Mellors Catering Services
Rising Star Award
Ellie Gray – Delaware North
Senior Executive of the Year
Phil Roker – Vacherin
Sports, Leisure and Event Catering
Matthew Gregoire – Aramark
Unit Hero of the Year
Katie Forsyth – Dine Contract Catering
Lifetime Achievement Award
Stephen Freeman – Freemans Event Partners
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