26th September 2026
Open Kitchen MCR has won the food waste initiative prize at the 2026 Food and Drink Federation Industry Awards.
We were delighted to be recognised for combining our surplus-led catering model with education, using profits to fund hands-on community cooking programmes that teach people how to maximise food ingredients and reduce household waste.
David Amesbury, CEO, said: “Winning this award is a really proud moment for the Open Kitchen team and a testament to everyone’s hard work over the past year, in particular to bring the Food Education Programme to life.
“Ultimately, our aim is to tackle both food waste and food insecurity, as well as to redefine how people view surplus.
“The work we do in partnership with community groups and schools to that end is already rewarding, and it’s great to receive this national recognition from industry peers for the part we are playing in building long-term solutions.
“However, there is still a lot to be done to ensure nutrition and food security for current and future generations.”
Six hundred people attended the awards ceremony, which was held at The Troxy in East London and hosted by cookbook author and TV star Ravneet Gill.
The judging panel brought together leading experts from across the food and drink manufacturing sector, including senior business leaders, government representatives and technical and policy specialists.
The judges said of Open Kitchen: “The team’s ambition and commitment to sharing their objectives and impact across the supply chain was evident. This is a small project making a big difference, both in resourcing surplus food and educating others.”
