PRESS RELEASE
Issued: 23 February 2017
For Immediate Release
Casual Dining Restaurant & Pub Awards 2017: winners announced
Casual dining sector honoured at national awards
The UK’s best casual dining operators were revealed last night at the Casual Dining Restaurant & Pub Awards
2017, organised by Diversified Communications UK.
wagamama, Las Iguanas, ASK Italian, The Breakfast Club, Peach Pub Company, and Levi Roots all took home
awards. While wagamama’s chief executive David Campbell was also named ‘Trailblazer of the year’.
The 2017 winners were presented their awards by Matt Dawson MBE at a prestigious ceremony on
Wednesday 22 February at the Marriot London Grosvenor Square, following the first day of the Casual Dining
show.
Over 400 industry professionals – including senior representatives from Casual Dining Group, Living
Ventures, Las Iguanas, Nando’s, Bill’s Restaurants, Marston’s, The New World Trading Co, Revolution Bars
Group, Mitchells & Butlers, PizzaExpress, Carluccio's, Prezzo, MEATliquor, Giggling Squid, Cabana, and The
Breakfast Club – were in attendance to recognise and celebrate the standout brands of the year across the
multi-billion pound casual dining sector.
Casual Dining’s group event director, Chris Brazier, says: “Once again the sheer quality of this year’s awards
entries has been outstanding and sends a strong signal that the casual dining restaurant and pub sector is
getting stronger and more innovative every year.
“The Casual Dining Restaurant & Pub Awards is a fantastic way to celebrate and reward those companies –
from the big names to the emerging brands - who are making a real difference to the growth of this sector.
Congratulations to each of our winners – the casual dining market is thriving, thanks in large part to your
continuing innovations and dedication to offering an incredible dining experience.”
Casual Dining Restaurant & Pub Awards 2017 winners
Trailblazer of the Year (sponsored by Lamb Weston)
– David Campbell, chief executive of wagamama
New Casual Dining Concept of the Year (sponsored by Fresh Direct)
– Levi Roots Caribbean Smokehouse, Westfield Stratford City, London
Casual Dining Community Award (sponsored by Casual Dining show)
– The Breakfast Club: Multiple volunteering initiatives
Casual Dining Marketing Campaign (sponsored by Chef Direct)
– Las Iguanas: Summer 2016 Championsheeps Family Dining Campaign
Best Designed Independent Casual Dining Restaurant (sponsored by Commercial Kitchen show)
– The Vincent Café & Cocktail Bar, Liverpool (designed by DesignLSM)
Best Designed Multiple Casual Dining Restaurant (sponsored by Commercial Kitchen show)
– ASK Italian: Gloucester Road, London (designed by Gundry & Ducker)
Best Designed Casual Dining Pub or Bar (sponsored by Commercial Kitchen show)
– Galvin HOP: Spitalfields, London (designed by DesignLSM)
Independent Casual Dining Restaurant of the Year (sponsored by GetWaiter)
– Jack & Alice, Gerrards Cross
Independent Casual Dining Pub of the Year (sponsored by Budweiser Budvar)
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– The Malt House, London
Small Casual Dining Employer of the Year (sponsored by COREcruitment)
– Jack & Alice
Large Casual Dining Employer of the Year (sponsored by Reynolds)
– Peach Pub Company
Menu Innovation Award (sponsored by Eurilait)
– KuPP
Multiple Casual Dining Pub Brand of the Year (sponsored by McCain Foodservice)
– The Draft House
Multiple Casual Dining Restaurant of the Year (sponsored by Bar Foods)
– wagamama
For further information, including a full list of finalists and the judging panel, please visit
www.cdawards.co.uk.
The second day of Casual Dining 2017 is open from 10am to 5pm today (Thursday 23 February) at the
Business Design Centre, Islington, London.
The Keynote Theatre line-up includes Karen Forrester, CEO of TGI Friday’s UK, Andrew Gallagher, group
marketing director at Côte Restaurants; James Douglas, co-founder & director at Red’s True Barbecue; Chris
Knights, group executive chef at Geronimo & Young’s; Paul Dickinson, head of food at Fuller’s; Tim Foster,
head of being awesome at The Yummy Pub Co; David Pellow, area vice president – Europe at Hard Rock
International; Rupert and Jo Clevely (founders of Hippo Inns, in partnership with Enterprise Inns), and Bob
Ivell, non-exec chairman of Mitchells & Butlers (in conversation with Propel’s Paul Charity).
For more information, please visit www.casualdiningshow.co.uk.
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Media enquiries & photography requests to:
Emma-Louise Jones, Head of PR
t: +44 (0)1273 645134
e: [email protected]
Website: www.divcom.co.uk
Twitter: www.twitter.com/DiversifiedUK
Awards enquiries to:
Louisa Pope, Awards Manager
t: +44 (0)1273 645140
e: [email protected]
Website: www.cdawards.co.uk
Twitter: www.twitter.com/casdiningawards
Chris Brazier, Group Event Director
t: +44 (0)1273 645123
e: [email protected]
Notes:
Casual Dining is a two-time winner of ‘Best Tradeshow Exhibition under 2,000sq.m’ at the Association of Event
Organisers’ Excellence Awards. It was the first launch show (UK and international) in over five years to win
‘Best Tradeshow Exhibition under 2,000sq.m’ in 2014. In 2015, it successfully defended its title and won the
category for a second time.
High res images available upon request:
Logo dates: http://www.casualdiningshow.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/CDA17_logo_dates.jpg
Diversified Communications UK (Diversified UK) is a fast growing trade event organiser and publisher based in
Brighton, Peterborough and Nailsworth. In addition to Casual Dining, Diversified UK’s event portfolio includes
lunch!; Commercial Kitchen; Natural Food Show at Natural & Organic Products Europe; Nordic Organic Food
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Fair in Malmö, Sweden (co–located with Natural Products Scandinavia); Natural and Organic Awards;
camexpo; office*; Accountex; SITS – The IT Service Management Show; GEO Business; Ocean Business; MARELEC
Marine Electromagnetics conference; Euro Bus Expo; Coach & Bus UK; British Tourism & Travel Show; The
Route One Operator Excellence Awards; and National Coach Tourism Awards. For more information, visit:
www.divcom.co.uk.
Diversified UK is part of Diversified Communications, a leading international media company providing market
access, education and information through global, national and regional face–to–face events, digital and print
publications and television stations. Diversified serves a number of industries including: seafood, food service,
natural and organic, healthcare, commercial marine, and business management. Based in Portland, Maine,
USA, Diversified employs over 850 staff, across eight divisions in seven countries. For more information, visit:
www.divcom.com.
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