Cateys 2026 winners to be revealed tonight

With just under 12 hours until the winners are revealed, the countdown is on for the Cateys 2026, in partnership with Square.

More than 1,000 of the industry’s finest from across the country will gather at the JW Marriott Grosvenor House London tonight where The Caterer will honour and recognise another collection of high achievers in the industry.

Top gongs of the night include the Lifetime Achievement Award, International Outstanding Achievement Award and the Chef Award, which has been bestowed to the likes of Mark Birchall of Moor Hall (2025), Aktar Islam of Opheem (2024), Gareth Ward of Ynyshir (2023) and Lisa Goodwin-Allen of Northcote (2022).

‘An unforgettable experience’

Winning a Catey is a milestone achievement for individuals and businesses as Gary McDermott, owner and chef of Sonnet in Alnwick, Northumberland, found when his restaurant won the Newcomer Award last year. He described the experience as “unforgettable”.

McDermott said: “Winning the Catey Newcomer Award was an incredibly special moment for us and something we remain deeply grateful for. At such an early stage it felt like a real vote of confidence from the industry and a reminder that all the hard work, risks and long hours were worth it. 

“To be recognised by the industry and to be mentioned alongside the past winners was genuinely a dream come true for us. For the team, it was a chance to pause, celebrate together and feel proud of what we’d built. The recognition gave us renewed energy and belief, and it’s a moment that continues to motivate us every day.”

Two new awards to celebrate

This year, there are 24 categories, including two brand new awards: the Pastry Chef of the Year and The Caterer’s This Is Hospitality Award to complement its year-long This Is Hospitality campaign. The This Is Hospitality Award recognises businesses that have gone the extra mile for their community and demonstrated the enormous positive impact that hospitality can have on people’s lives.

And alongside the incredible line up of awards and winners, the food is also set to be exceptional. 

This year, we are proud to be working with our event partner Exclusive Collection to create this year’s Best of British menu, with chefs enlisted from across the Collection’s destination restaurants, including Rob Potter from the Michelin-starred Bybrook at the Manor House, Ben Wilkinson from the Michelin-starred Pass at South Lodge and Steve Smith from Latymer at Pennyhill Park, which has held a Michelin star for 25 years. 

Keep an eye on The Caterer’s social media pages for updates and a full list of winners will be published after the awards.

If you’re joining us at the awards tonight, tag us on Instagram @thecaterermag and on LinkedIn @The Caterer.