For this year's awards, the freshly announced judging panel will be seeking those new venues, individuals and businesses that have been making a big impression in a relatively short space of time as part of the newly added Newcomer of the Year award.
To find them, we need you to tell us about those debutants who are shaking up the food and drink scene in your community, or even, nationwide – the only caveat being that they have to have been opened, launched or created, from January 2017 onwards.
Returning from last year, the Best Chef category will see both Nico Simeone and Gary MacLean casting their eyes over those cooks you have brought to our attention.
Last year, judge Nico, the innovative chef behind the Six By Nico restaurants in Edinburgh and Glasgow, took the prize after impressing judges with his innovative dining concepts, he said: “Having newly launched our Six by Nico restaurant in Glasgow in March 2017, I was over the moon to win the ‘Most Innovative Chef’ of the year at last year’s awards.
“Since then we have opened our second Six by Nico restaurant in Edinburgh and continue to drive exciting and innovative ideas for our evolving restaurant concept and as we introduce the new TRUST dining experience at 111 by Nico this summer, our team of talented chefs are constantly pushing the boundaries with food and produce when delivering unique experiences for all our customers.”
This year, we are looking to reward a chef who has shown inspiration and a desire to mould a restaurant in their form, going beyond mere cooking skills to a person who can add that extra ingredient to create a staggering menu and take a dining venue to the next level.
With three weeks until the deadline (23 July) there is still plenty of time to nominate for both of these categories, or indeed, any of the 13.
To do so, all you have to do is head over to our dedicated awards website: http://www.scotsmanfoodanddrinkawards.co.uk
