From a Michelin-Starred Restaurant to Mighty Independents and Rising Stars: BIH Spotlight Awards Reveal 2026 Winners
Fifth annual Be Inclusive Hospitality Spotlight Awards celebrate the Black and ethnic minority talent shaping the future of UK hospitality
London, 13 October 2026: Be Inclusive Hospitality (BIH) has announced the winners of its BIH Spotlight Awards 2026, showcasing the exceptional people and businesses making a stir in the UK’s hospitality sector.
Among the winners are:
A double-gong for Nathaniel Mortley (NattyCanCook) - one of the most powerful redemption stories in hospitality, SE London chef Nathaniel rebuilt his life through food after a prison sentence. He has been recognised for raising the profile of Caribbean cuisine, winning both the People’s Choice Person of the Year Award and the Best Caribbean Food category.
The world’s first Nigerian tapas restaurant - Chuku’s voted People’s Choice Restaurant of the Year, with Tottenham sibling duo Emeka and Ifeyinwa Frederick celebrated for their innovative concept and authentic cuisine
One of the UK’s first accredited female beer sommeliers - Birmingham beer writer, journalist and broadcaster Marverine Cole wins Beverage Professional of the Year
Glastonbury’s ‘Queen’ crowned Chef of the Year - Welsh-Jordanian Ayesha Kalaji has been recognised for her unique style of Middle Eastern cuisine at Queen of Cups
Gluten-free chef founder named Rising Star - self-taught Londoner Dijön Bascombe has built one of the UK’s most respected gluten-free brands with his 100% coeliac-safe pizza Good F’ing Pizza
Chef changing how Britain sees Pakistani food and flavours - Saliha Khan has won the South Asian Award, celebrated for championing modern Pakistani cooking through her unique storytelling and culinary offerings
Now in their fifth year, with OpenTable as returning Headline Sponsor, the awards on Monday 12 October brought together 300 industry professionals at Quaglino’s in London to celebrate the achievements of the sector’s Black and ethnic minority talent. The award winners were announced across 16 categories, spanning chefs, restaurants, pubs, drinks professionals, brands, cuisines, people leaders and writers.
The awards recognise talent at every stage of their journey, from emerging individuals and independent operators to established experts, brands and businesses; with the 2026 finalists representing seven regions of the UK and more than 10 cuisines. This breadth truly highlights the diversity, passion, creativity and ambition driving the industry forward today.
Lorraine Copes, Founder and CEO of Be Inclusive Hospitality, said: “Every year, these awards bring new stories, journeys and ambitions from 60 finalists. What has remained constant over the past five years is the exhilaration, celebration and connections forged between our community and partners, a reminder of hospitality’s bright future.
“Recognition and visibility for deserving people and businesses matter more than ever. Hospitality is a tough industry to navigate, and my hope is that these awards continue to give our finalists the encouragement and momentum to keep moving forward.”
Laure Bornet, SVP International Growth at OpenTable, said: “Five years in, these awards keep proving a crucial point: hospitality’s future is as diverse as it is talented. This year’s finalists represent seven UK regions and more than 10 cuisines, reflecting the creativity, ambition and breadth that make the industry so exciting. We’re proud to continue to partner with Be Inclusive Hospitality in celebrating their achievements.”
The winners of the 2026 BIH Spotlight Awards are:
INDIVIDUAL CATEGORIES
Chef of the Year - Sponsored by Caterer.com
Ayesha Kalaji - Queen of Cups
Rising Star - Sponsored by Matthew Clark Bibendum
Dijön Bascombe, Chef & Founder - Dijön Cafe, London
Writer of the Year - Sponsored by Mentzendorff
Safiya Robinson - Sisterwoman
Wine Professional of the Year - Sponsored by Decanter
Emmanuel Mireku - Manny Does Wine
Beverage Professional of the Year - Sponsored by Moët Hennessy U.K
Marverine Cole - Accredited Beer Sommelier
Head Office Impact - Sponsored by Unox
Priya Narain, Head of Purpose & Programmes - KERB+
CUISINE CATEGORIES
African Food - Sponsored by The Voice
Chishuru
Caribbean Food - Sponsored by The Voice
2210 by NattyCanCook
East and Southeast Asian Food
Liu Xiaomian
South Asian Food
Third Culture Kat
Middle Eastern Food
Mouna's Kitchen
PEOPLE'S CHOICE CATEGORIES
People's Choice Person of the Year - Sponsored by Deliveroo
Nathaniel Mortley - 2210 by NattyCanCook
People's Choice Restaurant of the Year - Sponsored by OpenTable
Chuku's
BUSINESS CATEGORIES
Bar/Pub of the Year - Sponsored by OpenTable
House of MOBO
Brand of the Year - Sponsored by Electrolux Professional
Flake Bake
This year’s BIH Spotlight Icon Award was awarded to the late chef Dominic Taylor, who sadly passed away earlier this year. Honouring his outstanding talent and contribution to hospitality and Caribbean fine dining, entrepreneur, celebrity chef and musician Levi Roots presented the award to Dominic’s family on the night. Dominic’s creativity, skill and ambition brought the richness of Caribbean flavours to a wider audience, and his culinary legacy will live on.
The BIH Spotlight Awards were established to recognise outstanding Black and ethnic minority talent across hospitality, food and drink, while creating opportunities to connect, inspire and help shape the future of the industry.
This year’s winners were selected following a rigorous judging process by an independent panel of leading hospitality figures, with judges including Shereen Ritchie, Managing Director of Kuvi Hospitality; Clement Ogbonnaya MBE, Founder of the Village People Pub Company; Laure Bornet, SVP of International Growth at OpenTable; and Junior Lewis, Global Hospitality Client Consultant at Caterer.com.
The People's Choice awards were voted for by the public, allowing them to champion their favourite restaurant and hospitality professional from the shortlisted finalists.
Hospitality veteran Lorraine Copes, Founder & CEO of Be Inclusive Hospitality and the BIH Spotlight Awards, is available for further comment and interviews.
Notes to Editors:
About Be Inclusive Hospitality (BIH): Be Inclusive Hospitality is a not-for-profit social enterprise with a mission to accelerate inclusion and belonging across the hospitality industry. Specialising in race and ethnicity, BIH supports a community of over 1,000 hospitality professionals across the UK. Founded by Lorraine Copes in 2020, BIH was born out of a clear need to address the underrepresentation of ethnic minority talent within leadership roles and across the supply chain, and the organisation builds on her distinguished career spanning over 20 years in the industry. BIH drives action through research, empowers its community through funded initiatives, and partners with organisations committed to fostering inclusion www.bihospitality.co.uk / @beinclusivehospitality
About Lorraine Copes: Lorraine Copes is a multi-award-winning social entrepreneur, executive coach, speaker and strategic adviser with more than two decades of experience in hospitality, food and drink. She is the founder of Be Inclusive Hospitality CIC and serves as a Non-Executive Director at the Wine and Spirit Trade Association.
Recognised by GQ, Condé Nast Traveller and NatWest WISE100, Lorraine is regarded as one of the UK’s leading voices on leadership, inclusion and entrepreneurship. Her previous leadership experience includes executive board roles at Gordon Ramsay Restaurants, Shake Shack and The Wolseley Group.
About OpenTable: OpenTable, a global leader in restaurant tech and part of Booking Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:BKNG), helps more than 70,000 restaurants worldwide fill 2 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 please contact Claire Felstead via CFelstead@bihospitality.co.uk.
Third-party news items are published as received for informational purposes. Publication does not imply endorsement by the Guild. Please use the contact details within the post for any enquiries.
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