Be Inclusive Hospitality is delighted to announce that nominations for the BIH Spotlight Awards 2025 are now open. Returning for a fourth year, the awards proudly welcome OpenTable as headline sponsor for the first time.
These awards are designed to recognise and celebrate the exceptional achievements of individuals and businesses from Black, Asian, and ethnic minority backgrounds working within the hospitality, food, and drink sectors.
The prestigious awards will be held at Quaglino’s, London and are set to attract diverse hospitality professionals, brands and employers, encouraging recognition and celebration of a truly diverse workforce.
As in previous years, there will be a total of 15 award categories. All winners will be announced at the awards ceremony on Monday 13th October 2025.
Returning sponsors include Decanter, Caterer.com and Moët Hennessy UK.
Nominations open today, providing an opportunity to amplify the visibility of individuals and businesses across the UK who truly deserve recognition.
Lorraine Copes, founder of Be Inclusive Hospitality, says, ‘It is an honour to bring the BIH Spotlight Awards back for a fourth year. Recognition matters, and these awards exist to shine a light on the incredible talent and achievements within our industry’s ethnically diverse communities. Visibility is powerful, and by celebrating these role models, we not only acknowledge their excellence but also inspire the next generation to see what’s possible.’
“Being the headline sponsor of this year’s BIH Spotlight Awards is a very proud moment for OpenTable. This event shines a well-deserved light on the extraordinary talent and impact of hospitality professionals across the UK,” says Sasha Shaker, UK and Ireland’s Senior Director at OpenTable. “We’ve been working with Be Inclusive Hospitality for a few years now and our ongoing partnership reflects our shared commitment to advancing inclusivity and representation in the industry, while empowering restaurateurs to thrive.”
The award categories for the 2025 BIH Spotlight Awards are as follows:
Individual:
Chef of the Year
Rising star
Writer of the Year
Wine Professional of the Year
Beverage Innovator of the Year
Head Office Impact
Cuisine:
African Food
Caribbean Food
East and Southeast Asian Food
South Asian Food
Middle Eastern Food
Business:
Bar/Pub of the Year
Brand of the Year
The two People’s Choice Awards will be decided based on the highest number of votes received for an individual and a restaurant, respectively, following a shortlist selected by the judges.
People’s Choice:
The People’s Choice Person of the Year
The People’s Choice Restaurant of the Year
Employers and employees are encouraged to actively participate in the awards process by submitting nominations across all categories. Self-nominations are also welcome.
The expert judging panel, which is a long list of esteemed hospitality leaders, will evaluate the submissions and determine the shortlist and ultimate winners. Judges include Chef & Author, Shelina Permalloo, TV & Radio Presenter and Landlady Jaega Wise, Founder and Director of Peach2020, Peter Martin, and Owner of Happy Endings London LDN, Terri Mercieca.
Nomination submissions will close at 23:59pm on Friday 18th July 2025, and the finalists will be published in the week commencing Monday 18th August 2025.
The winners will be announced at the live ceremony on Monday 13th October 2025, at Quaglino’s, London.
Nominations can be submitted here.
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Images can be found here.
For further information, imagery, or quotes, please contact: community@bihospitality.co.uk
Notes to Editor
About Be Inclusive Hospitality
Be Inclusive Hospitality is a not-for-profit social enterprise building a thriving community to accelerate race equity within hospitality, food and drink. It drives action through research, empowering its community with funded initiatives and partnering with organisations committed to fostering inclusion. Founded by Lorraine Copes in 2020, she has held an illustrious career in the industry for over 20 years and worked for Gordon Ramsay, The Wolseley Hospitality Group, and Shake Shack.
About OpenTable
OpenTable, a global leader in restaurant tech and part of Booking Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:BKNG), helps more than 60,000 restaurants worldwide fill 1.8 billion seats a year. OpenTable’s world-class technology empowers restaurants to focus on what matters most – their team, their guests, and their bottom line – while enabling diners to discover and book the perfect restaurant for every occasion.
For further information, imagery, or quotes, please contact: community@bihospitality.co.uk
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