British Kebab Awards return for their eleventh year

AVRUPA TIMES- 28th February- the British Kebab Awards, long-revered industry event for kebab restaurants across the country, and sleeper hit amongst Westminster regulars, roared into it's eleventh year in the Park Plaza Hotel, Westminster.Spotted on the night were MPs Angela Rayner, Nadhim Zahawi, Paul Scully, Steve Baker, Sajid Javid, and a whole host of other journalists, parliamentarians and members of the kebab loving public.As a nation we’re proud of our locals. Our local kebab takeaways and restaurants are the beating hearts of our high streets and now, more than ever, kebabs are becoming part of our daily lives. From once being seen as a humble late-night snack after a night out in town, they are now enjoying a glow-up and revolution as part of a sit-down meal with family and friends, as a quick healthy lunch or delicious takeaway on the way home from work. This year the Kebab Awards raised money for the Donate a Doner Campaign, providing relief after the tragic earthquakes in Turkey and Syria. [Further info below]

 

The Winners of the British Kebab Awards 2023 are:

Best Greek restaurant and/or takeaway
Fig Tree Grill Tony's Pita
Best Kebab House in Northern Ireland
The Sphinx Glengormley
Best Kebab House in Scotland
Shawarma King Mr Chef
Best Kebab House in Wales
Wales Kebab
 
 

Best Kebab Restaurant in North and West London
Divan Restaurant Ocakbasi WINNER
Yaprak Eastcote HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
Cobra Best Kebab Restaurant in South and East London
Cyprus Mangal Lara Grill
Best Kebab Restaurant Regional
Pasha Turkish Grill Restaurant (Milton Keynes)
 

Sark Restaurant HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
Jewish News Best Kosher Shawarma restaurant and/or takeaway
Reubens Restaurant WINNER
Best Lebanese restaurant and/or takeaway
Beit El Zaytoun WINNER
Best Newcomer Restaurant in London/Outside London
Cappadocia Restaurant - Epsom Kaya Meze bar
Anar Turkish BBQ Restaurant
Best Takeaway in London
Kervan Saray
Best Takeaway Regional
Zem Kebab
Master Kebabs
Irmak BBQ Dunstable
Best Value Restaurant
Alacati Grill - Turkish & Mediterranean Cuisine
 
EATPLANTED Best Vegan Kebab Restaurant or Takeaway
Beelzebab WINNER

Chef of the Year
Fatma Gungor/ Fatma's Kitchen
Kemal Coskuncay/ Private delicacies ltd

Customer Satisfaction
La'De Kitchen Pangbourne Turkuaz
Toast Fine Dining Restaurant
Paparazzi
Dem Shish Restaurant & Cocktail Bar
Just Eat Best Delivery
Millennium Pizza and Kebab
Kebab Van of the Year
Gourmet kebab
Supplier and Manufacturer Award

 
AVANT Natural Mineral Water Navson Limited)WINNER
Directors Award
Cafe Istanbul WINNER Charcoal Grill Winner
The awards, run in association with JUST EAT and supported by the Kebab Alliance, the sector’s trade body, are in their eleventh year and this year have attracted record breaking numbers of entries. They recognise and champion the efforts of local kebab takeaways andrestaurants across the UK.

Other sponsors also include major players in the kebab industry such as Kraft Heinz, Cobra Beer, Eatplanted, Cobra Beer, Toast Inc, Kismet Kebabs, and Navson, to name a few.
Over 1,200 guests, including Cabinet ministers and Shadow Cabinet members, usually attend the VIP-studded ceremony. Judges of the illustrious Awards this year will include, LBC Broadcaster James O’Brien, Labour MP Carolyn Harris, Assistant General Secretary of Unite Steve Turner, SNP MP Angus Brendan MacNeil, Star of ‘Citizen Khan’ Adil Ray, and David Galman from Galliard Homes.
The Donate a Doner Campaign
Guests donated in droves to the newly-launched Donate a Doner Campaign, which is sponsored by the kebab awards. Donate A Doner is a fundraising campaign to encourage the British public to give that extra support by donating the cost of a doner kebab to the British Red Cross, via the Donate a Doner fundraiser.
We eat a staggering 1.3m doners a day in the UK, and the average price of one starts at £5. If we all bought an extra doner, we would raise over £45 million in a week!
Donate a Doner are working with CEFTUS (Centre for Turkey Studies) and the British Kebab Awards on the fundraiser. Via the British Kebab relationships, they are connected with 20,000 kebab shops in the UK who will be encouraging their customers to donate too from next late next week onwards, creating an on the ground and in real life mechanic to donations.

How to Donate
Four ways we would like people to get involved
1. Donate online via either at www.donateadoner.com or to The Sun appeal with the British Red Cross
2. Purchase a doner kebab from one of our kebab shops involved in the fundraiser and donate while you wait using the in-store QR code
3. Share on social media using @donateadoner and #donateadoner.
4. Spread the word!

Spotted that evening:

Angela Rayner MP, Deputy Leader of the Labour Party
Kate Nicholls, CEO of UK Hospitality
Nadhim Zahawi MP
Chris Heaton Harris MP, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Lord Karan Bilimoria, Founder of Cobra Beer
JustEat Account Management Director Mark Finch
Ed Davey MP, Leader of the Liberal Democrats
Paul Scully MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Tech and the Digital Economy of the United Kingdom
Gagan Mohindra MP, PPS to the Foreign Secretary
Brendan Clarke-Smith MP, Parliamentary Secretary for the Cabinet Office
    
Craig Williams MP, PPS to the Prime Minister
The Donate a Doner Campaign
With messages coming in from across the political spectrum, Kebab restaurants across the country were celebrated for the colour and energy they bring to local economies and culture.

MESSAGES

Mark Finch, Director, UK Account Management, Just Eat, headline sponsors of the
awards said: "It's a real honour for Just Eat to once again support the British Kebab Awards. After an undeniably difficult time for the hospitality sector, there’s never been a better time to recognise and celebrate the resilient and hard working individuals across the kebab industry, who are making an invaluable contribution to both their local community and the UK economy. Huge congratulations to all the winners and finalists on their incredible achievements."
Lord Karan Bilimoria, Chair of Cobra Beer, said the following:
“I congratulate all the nominees and winners of the Kebab Awards.
They are an inspiration to us all and particularly to the younger members of the kebab industry families, who I am sure will be inspired by these awards and will aspire to achieve themselves in the future.
On behalf of everyone here at Cobra, I would like to thank you all for your years of support. With many thanks and congratulations to Ibrahim Dogus and all the Kebab awards team.
The kebab industry is one which is close to our hearts, and I look forward to celebrating our future success, together.”

Eatplanted, Sponsors of the British Kebab Awards’ first ever Best Vegan Kebab Category, said:
“We’d like to congratulate all winners and nominees for this year’s British Kebab Awards. It’s been a wonderful opportunity for us to sponsor the first ever plant-based kebab category and we really enjoyed giving out samples to all the entrants.
With plant-based kebabs peaking in popularity, we’re hoping to become the brand of choice when it comes to plant-based kebabs and appeal to a wider flexitarian fan base. You may even see us soon in Beelzebab... watch this space!”

The Prime Minister, The Rt Hon Rishi Sunak, left the following message for the awards:
“I am delighted to extend my best wishes for the 11th British Kebab Awards, taking place on 28 February.
Hospitality in all its forms plays a critical role in supporting our economy as well as communities and high streets right across the UK. Kebabs are as much a part of our culture and heritage as fish and chips and curries, reflecting our broad diversity and our nation’s love of food.

I know it has been a very difficult few years, but I am confident that the sector can and will play a leading role in the UK’s recovery, and help us deliver the growth we want to see right across the country.
I hope that this year’s event provides an excellent opportunity to build on collective expertise and passion, and to honour those who continue to work hard within the food industry.
I would like to pay tribute to the excellent British Kebab Awards winners and nominees and wish them, and the entire industry, my warm congratulations and every success for 2023.”

The Leader of the opposition, Sir Keir Starmer, left the following message:

““Best of luck to everyone competing in this year’s Kebab Awards, it is one of the most celebrated, and popular events in the industry calendar!
Contributing over £2.8 billion annually to the British economy and supporting around 200,000 jobs within the restaurant, suppliers, and food industry in the UK, it is a truly British institution.
I know that those working in the service and catering industry are facing tough times particularly during this cost-of-living crisis. The increases to energy costs, rising food prices and staff shortages are testing your businesses’ resilience, and highlighting your ingenuity.
We’ve seen how 12 years of chronic low economic growth has left us exposed, meaning that businesses of all sizes are having to adapt, when you want to thrive.
My Labour Party is a pro-business and pro worker party. We have a plan to back British business and get our economy growing again. I know, that a stable and secure economy is built by championing the talent and efforts of millions of hard working people and thousands of businesses like yours.
A Labour Government will replace business rates with a system that is fairer and will cut business rates for small businesses. Our plans will save the average high street independent thousands of pounds.
During this time of economic uncertainty, I want to thank the tens of thousands of restaurateurs contributing greatly to their local community and the fabric of British society, providing a valued service to communities up and down the country.
I hope you have a fantastic evening and congratulations to the winners.
Keir Starmer”

The Rt Hon Ed Davey, Leader of the Liberal Democrats, left the following message:
I’m delighted to be supporting the 2023 British Kebab Awards. I feel incredibly fortunate to have so many brilliant kebab shops in my constituency of Kingston and Surbiton where I can pick up one of my favourite doner kebabs.
Kebab shops and takeaways are a vibrant and long-standing feature of British culture - and

I’m so pleased that these awards allow us to recognise excellence across the industry.
Small businesses like yours are a crucial part of us building both a growing economy and thriving communities. They create good jobs for local people and bustling town centres - and they deserve far more support.
I’d like to thank all of you celebrating this year for your hard work and dedication to providing great food to your customers - and congratulate you on all your successes.
Ibrahim Dogus, founder of the British Kebab Awards and Director of the recently formed Kebab Alliance, commented: “Kebab eateries are a key part of the local community and it’s great to see so many entries at the end of a year that has tested every business operating in the hospitality sector. Winning the Kebab Awards is a huge achievement given the competition across the country and all outlets should be rightly proud.
Further endorsements from high profile figures can be seen at
https://britishkebabawards.co.uk/category/endorsements/
To view the full list of winners see https://britishkebabawards.co.uk/winners-of-the-11th- british-kebab-awards-announced

• There are currently around 20,000 kebab outlets in the UK, supporting around 200,000 jobs. The kebab industry is one of the most inclusive food sectors in the UK, with many employees of Turkish, Kurdish, Greek, Lebanese, Armenian and other backgrounds.
• The kebab industry normally brings in more than £2.8 billion a year to the British economy, with more than 1.5m kebabs sold across Britain every day. There are also approximately 200 doner kebab manufacturers in the UK, with an annual turnover in excess of £750m.
• The Kebab Awards categories range from Best Newcomer and Chef of the Year to Best Kebab Van and Customer Satisfaction. Additionally, there are also nine awards to celebrate the best kebab restaurants in different regions of the UK. Longlisted businesses will compete against each other and a shortlist of 10 businesses for each category will be announced by the beginning of December 2022.
• For more information please visit: britishkebabawards.co.uk or follow us on Twitter @KebabAwards.
• For further information please contact +44 7468 517578, or [email protected]
Information on the Donate a Doner Campaign:

Campaign Overview
Recent reports suggest that over 45,000 people have lost their lives following the earthquake
  
in Turkey and Syria, with thousands more injured, missing or left with nothing.
As the devastation grows, the world's governments have responded with aid and emergency support, however, the people of Turkey and Syria need more help.
Donate A Doner is a fundraising campaign to encourage the British public to give that extra support by donating the cost of a doner kebab to the British Red Cross, via the Donate a Doner fundraiser.
An icon of Turkish cuisine, the doner kebab is a mainstay of the British food scene, available on every high street. With over 20,000 kebab shops in the UK, many with strong links to Turkey, we’re calling on UK citizens to do something simple and Donate a Doner to raise much needed funds.
We eat a staggering 1.3m doners a day in the UK, and the average price of one starts at £5. If we all bought an extra doner, we would raise over £45 million in a week!
Partners
We are working with CEFTUS (Centre for Turkey Studies) and the British Kebab Awards on the fundraiser. Via the British Kebab relationships, we will be connected with 20,000 kebab shops in the UK who will be encouraging their customers to donate too from next late next week onwards, creating an on the ground and in real life mechanic to donations.

How to Donate

Four ways we would like people to get involved
1. Donate online via either at www.donateadoner.com or to The Sun appeal with the British Red Cross
2. Purchase a doner kebab from one of our kebab shops involved in the fundraiser and donate while you wait using the in-store QR code
3. Share on social media using @donateadoner and #donateadoner.
4. Spread the word!
Website & Socials:
www.donateadoner.com
Instagram: @donateadoner Twitter: @donateadoner Hashtag: #donateadoner