Moving from ‘Tinseltown’ to ‘Hospitality Land’, we have our own abundance of awards, celebrations and ceremonies. Perhaps not quite as glamorous as the Oscars admittedly, but I’ve been to some pretty swanky events with plenty of sequins and suits.
I never imagined that, as a chef, I’d need so many outfits – my evening dresses now match my knives in number. With so many awarding bodies and accolades, one must ask how useful are they all?
There are a multitude of awards and all manner of shiny trophies given throughout the year from numerous bodies. I have a few under my belt so I would say I am fairly qualified to talk on the matter. Are they just ways massage our egos? No. They certainly do give a little confidence boost but their value is so more pertinent than this.
They create publicity. Very few restaurants can truly succeed without it. In an age of digital lives and social media, along with rising costs and an increasingly inhospitable economic environment, regular custom is essential.
Quiet nights are the sounding of the death knell. Winning, or even being nominated, is guaranteed exposure, which brings customers to the door.
Quality and trust
There is a level of quality and trust implied when one is recognised as being top of the class and customers pay heed to that.
For small businesses, this limelight can bring people from further afield – an undeniable benefit.
There is also the sense of community that these events forge. The networking is excellent, especially for reps, but this extends to everyone in attendance.
To be among peers, to be alongside those who understand the highs and lows, it is truly wonderful. And, of course, the champagne helps.
I’ve met some astounding people who I am now lucky enough to call friends. Toasting together has led to collaborations and working together. I now have people I can call for advice or visit for an excellent meal. We gather, celebrate and lift each other.
As someone who has spent much of their life feeling like an outsider, to have found my community fills me with an overwhelming sense of gratitude and joy. It is glorious.
Gastronomic excellence
And finally, for the winners, it is an acknowledgment of the dedication to our craft. Not just for the individual, but the teams too. To be recognised by our peers or the public is ratifying and bolstering.
As chefs we spend countless hours devoted to the pursuit of gastronomic excellence and we are often consumed within the daily struggles – toiling over the perfect garnish or perfecting the texture of a sauce – that we lose sight of what we have achieved.
I often refer to myself as ‘just a girl making fancy hummus’ but this notion disparages the sheer volume of labour and frankly obsessive adoration for cooking from myself and my team.
To be recognised for this is to be seen. Yes, we should be proud of ourselves without external validation but we are also human. We are chefs, not zen masters and who thrive on positive feedback.
After all, our craft is feeding others with the aim that they like what we produce and want to eat more of it. We put ourselves into every plate we create – with vulnerability and hope.
Therefore, a pat on the back is the affirmation and validation we all sometimes need and it is even nicer when it comes with a trophy.
