It’s one of the most eagerly awaited dates in the food writing & broadcasting calendar.  Recognising excellence in food and drink writing, broadcasting and photography, for thirteen years, The Fortnum & Mason Food & Drink Awards have championed those who help others to enjoy, explore, experiment, and discover more about food and drink, through their writing, photography, and commentary.  It’s an area that women do very well in and this year is no exception. Meet those shortlisted for 2025.

This year Plates became the first UK plant-based restaurant to be awarded a Michelin star, after siblings Kirk and Keeley Haworth opened in July 2024 in Old Street, East London. Together they’ve built up Plates into an award-winning restaurant with a sustainable, dynamic, innovation business model at its core. Women In the Food Industry Ambassador & Writer, Antonia Lloyd, interviews Keeley on how they’ve built their success, their summer launch of Plates farm and retreat in the south west of France.

The shortlist for the Claire Aho Award for Women Photographers 2025 was announced on 3rd April 2025. Part of the global World Food Photography Awards, this award aims to encourage and celebrate women photographers.  This year Women In The Food Industry were delighted to be involved in the judging advisory panel.  We are particular fans of the Claire Aho Award and are delighted to share the photos by UK photographers shortlisted in this category.

The cuisine of Eastern Europe is, increasingly, receiving the recognition it deserves thanks to passionate cooks and authors eager to share their ancestry, culinary traditions and love for this biodiverse landscape. Several cookbooks published this spring – Alissa Timoshkina’s Kapusta, Irina Georgescu’s Danube, and Caroline Eden’s Green Mountains out this April – have caught the eye of our Ambassador of Women In the Food Industry and Writer, Antonia Lloyd, because they shine a light on its diverse peoples, their stories and the eclectic heritage of their food.

We are delighted that Great British Menu (GBM) is returning to our screens on 28 January 2025 for series 20 – its 20th anniversary year. The BBC Two show puts the nation’s most talented chefs to the test. It will air weekly, Tuesdays to Thursdays, 8pm on BBC Two for eight weeks. The theme for 2025 will be Great Britons. Women in the Food Industry will be interviewing all of the female chefs competing. Congratulations to Sally Abé who made the starter and to Amber Francis who made the dessert and was also crowned Champion of Champions!

For the first time ever, the national final of The Roux Scholarship  sees gender parity in its chefs. Nikoletta Theofylaktidou, Erin Jackson Yates and Katherine Altham all qualified thanks to the high standard of their dishes – which used red gurnard, mussels, dulse and parsnips – that they cooked in the regional finals on 6th March.

On March 5th, the Grand Hotel in York played host to the first-ever Women in the Food Industry Yorkshire event – a landmark gathering that brought together some of the region’s most accomplished women in food, drink, and hospitality. This inspiring and empowering event, provided a platform to celebrate achievements, discuss challenges, and build a stronger network of industry professionals. Cara Houchen – Director of Spotty Media (who chaired the panel event) reports on the afternoon.

LUGMA, meaning ‘a bite’ in Arabic, is an utterly inviting new cookbook from Bahraini-British chef and author Noor Murad.  Our Ambassador of Women In the Food Industry and Writer, Antonia Lloyd, reviews a book filled with evocative recipes that transport you to a haven of dried limes, spice, chilli heat, steaming rice, and the aromatic scent of incense.

Great British Menu (GBM) returned to our screens in January for season 20. The BBC2 show puts the nation’s most talented chefs to the test. At Women in the Food Industry we are continuing our series of interviews with the strong female line-up of chefs from across Britain competing to serve their dish at the final banquet. Our co-founder, Mecca Ibrahim, interviewed Eve Seemann, Head Chef at Green Michelin Starred Apricity in Mayfair.

Our March 2025 newsletter from Women in The Food Industry has a recap of all of our events for International Women’s Day  – our biggest programme of events ever including our first event in Yorkshire.  Plus  a roundup of upcoming panel talks and seminars for Food, Drink and Hospitality Week  & discounted tickets for a Fermentation event at Cookery School at Little Portland Street.  

This February Emily Roux was awarded her first Michelin star for her Notting Hill restaurant Caractère with her husband, Diego Ferrari, where they serve a menu taking influence from Diego’s Italian and Emily’s French heritage with an emphasis on relaxed dining.  Women In the Food Industry Ambassador, Antonia Lloyd, interviewed trailblazer Emily to find out more about her road to success, future ambitions, and what’s coming up this spring.

Great British Menu (GBM) returned to our screens in January for season 20. The BBC2 show puts the nation’s most talented chefs to the test. At Women in the Food Industry we are continuing our series of interviews with the strong female line-up of chefs from across Britain competing to serve their dish at the final banquet. Our co-founder, Mecca Ibrahim, interviewed Sally Abé, chef consultant at The Pem Restaurant in the Conrad London Hotel in St. James’s.