Britain’s most talented young mixologists are being sought as part of this year’s Young British Foodies (YBF) awards.
The organisers are calling for entries to the YBFs across a range of categories including The Rising Star of Mixology. Judging for this will be led by Tony Conigliaro (pictured) of London bars 69 Colebrooke Row and Zetter Townhouse.
He judged the award in 2012, which was won by Geoff Robinson, bar manager at Happiness Forgets in Hoxton, London.
Tony said: “The YBFs was a great event, really well organised and in a great venue. I think in the coming years it will be one of the most important industry awards in the UK.”
The YBF awards aim to “embrace and celebrate the unsung heroes who are set to shake up the food and drink world and become the faces of the future”.
Other categories include top “mobile mover & shaker”, best food experience artist, new best alchemist of the oven, charcuterie personality, coffee king or queen and most irreverent young chef.
Co-founder and food journalist Chloe Scott-Moncrieff said: “We’ve so much recognition of established talent in the food and drink world it’s about time we championed the new.
“The YBFs 2013 is about celebrating the next generation of people in food and drink, often with little revenue, who are going out on their own and boldly breaking boundaries, despite the economic climate.
“Not for decades has food and drink in the UK been so creative and so fresh at a grass roots level, it’s exciting times.”
Other judges will include chef Nuno Mendes of London restaurant Viajante, restaurant critic Marina O’Loughlin, street food pioneer Petra Barran of London’s Kerb market, Yianni Papoutsis of London eateries Meat Liquor and epicurean experimentalists Bompas and Parr.
Anyone can apply, including “food and drink lovers who act on their passion and who believe they encompass the YBF spirit of originality and passion”. The winners will show off their skills on the awards evenings at an “exhibition” to herald the YBF movement.
Entry closes on April 20. Visit www.the-ybfs.com for entry details.
Chloe founded the YBFs with two other food and drink pioneers who believe there is a new movement making food and drink the new art. The others are Lily Jones, creative baker and founder of Lily Vanilli, and Amy Thorne of Taste PR.
