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INTERNATIONAL/THAILAND. The judging is done, the scores are in. Now it’s a matter of awaiting the results of The Airport Food & Beverage (FAB) + Hospitality Awards to be revealed at a glittering Gala Dinner to be hosted by Airports of Thailand on 13 September.

The dinner forms the culmination of The FAB + Hospitality Conference & Awards 2023, an event making a welcome return in physical format for the first time since pre-pandemic 2019. For details on how to register for FAB and an exciting programme line-up, click here.

As reported, Airports of Thailand Public Company Limited (AOT) is the Gala Dinner Partner.

This week we are revealing (on a phased basis) the respective short-lists across the 20 award categories. We continue today with a diverse line-up of finalists in the Airport Food to Go Offer of the Year category (scroll down). More shortlists to follow soon. 

The Moodie Davitt Report Founder & Chairman Martin Moodie said, “As always, Food to Go was one of our most popular categories, reflecting the importance of the sector to a fast-paced, time-short consumer environment. The role of Food to Go was actually accentuated during the pandemic and it’s been interesting to watch not only the growth of the category but also the increased and sometimes compelling specialisation within it. We had multiple great entries, some of which brought a new dimension every bit as fresh as the food they offer.”

The nine judges (see below) have worked assiduously since nominations closed, carefully evaluating almost 250 top-class entries from around the world. Scroll down for all the shortlists to date. ✈

FAB + HOSPITALITY AWARDS 2023 FINALISTS

AIRPORT FOOD TO GO OFFER OF THE YEAR

Beecher’s Handmade Cheese – SSP, LaGuardia International Airport

Bubby’s – OTG, LaGuardia International Airport

Deli&Cia – Areas, Multiple Airports

The Dirty Apron – SSP Vancouver International Airport

The Farmers Market – Indianapolis International Airport

Food For Flight (Food to Go) – SSP Eastern Europe and the Middle East, Larnaca International Airport

Kirei – Areas, Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport

Koulurades – Dufry-Autogrill, Athens International Airport

Le Croque Monsieur – Lagardère Travel Retail, Sofia International Airport

1 Minute Smacznego! – Lagardère Travel Retail, Multiple Polish Airports

Oreo Café – Qatar Duty Free Hamad International Airport

Purebread – Purebread, Vancouver International Airport

TGI Fridays – Dallas Fort Worth International Airport

The following shortlists were revealed earlier

AIRPORT SUSTAINABILITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL INITIATIVE OF THE YEAR

Airport Authority Hong Kong – Food TranSmarter Treatment Process

Allresto Flughafen München Hotel und Gaststätten – ‘Rethink’ campaign

Areas For Change – Areas

Autogrill Group – Green Store Guidelines

Dallas Fort Worth Airport – Waste composting initiative

HMS Host – ‘Make it Happen’ ESG Strategy, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport

HMSHost The Netherlands partnership with Schiphol Airport

Lagardère Travel Retail – PEPS Program

SSP Bahrain Sustainability Team – Bahrain International Airport

SSP Group – Reimagining Food for People and the Planet

AIRPORT FOOD HALL OF THE YEAR

The Food Hall at Helsinki Airport Arrivals Hall – Finavia Corporation

Food Hall at Fiumicino Airport Terminal 1 – Dufry-Autogrill

Rome Mezzanine Food Hall – Lagardère Travel Retail

Food Market (Free flow concept) – SSP Eastern Europe and the Middle East

Food Court –  Airport Authority Hong Kong

Food Market at HIA – Qatar Duty Free at Hamad International Airport

OTG Global Bazaar – New York and New Jersey airports

Zone F Food Hall Suvarnabhumi Airport – SSP Asia Pacific

Sangster International Airport Food Hall – MBJ Airports

La Place by Areas – Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport

Food Village DXB – HMSHost International, Dubai International Airport

Boston Public Market – HMSHost, Boston Logan International Airport

AIRPORT HEALTH & WELLBEING INITIATIVE OF THE YEAR

Free food for Heathrow employees – Eurest

Wellness Wednesday – Travel Food Services

OTG Crewmember Wellness Program – OTG

SSP Group Global Safety Governance and Framework – SSP

AIRPORT CHEF OF THE YEAR 

Sudhir Arora – Travel Food Services

Charlotte Boothby – HMSHost UK

Keyon Coleman – Kitchen Step, Newark Liberty Airport International Airport, Master ConcessionAir

Vladimir Drietomsky – SSP Deutschland

Rahul Khosla – Lagardère Travel Retail, UAE

Roy Limpag – Emirates Leisure Retail & MMI

Robert Maluso – SSP America

Aarón Mizrahi – Areas Mexico

Ahmad Farhan Noorzali – Sama-Sama Hotel Kuala Lumpur International Airport

David Sosson – Qatar Duty Free, Hamad International Airport

Marcel Tauschek – Allresto Flughafen München Hotel und Gaststätten, Hilton Munich Airport

AIRPORT CUSTOMER/HOSPITALITY INITIATIVE OF THE YEAR

Amore – Dufry-Autogrill, Athens and Düsseldorf airports

Breaking Bread – Travel Food Services, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport and Kempegowda International Airport

High Tide Bar – Dufry-Autogrill, I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport, Bali

iCoupon Global – Multiple airports

James Beard Foundation at Chicago O’Hare International Airport – Dufry-Autogrill

Kepler Club – Kepler Club, Sabiha Gökçen International Airport

AIRPORT DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION INITIATIVE OF THE YEAR

Empowering Voices: Embracing Diversity through Inclusion – Travel Food Services

Homeboy – Areas

OTG Pride Initiative – OTG

SSP DE&I Framework – SSP

SSP Hellas HR Team – SSP Catering Cyprus

Women in Leadership – Tastes on the Fly

AIRPORT FOOD & BEVERAGE MARKETING CAMPAIGN OF THE YEAR

Brisbane’s Best Bites – Brisbane Airport Corporation

Path Water – Dufry-Autogrill, Multiple US airports

The Gallery at Zurich Airport – Dufry-Autogrill

AIRPORT FOOD & BEVERAGE OFFER OF THE YEAR

Qatar Duty Free, Hamad International Airport

Singapore Changi Airport

Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport

AIRPORT HEALTH-CENTRED OFFER OF THE YEAR

Exki – Autogrill Europe, Brussels Airport

Deli&Cia – Areas, Multiple airports

Liv Eat – SSP Asia Pacific, Hobart International Airport

Haferkater – Lagardère Travel Retail, Berlin Airport

Nourish the Dirty Apron – SSP America, Vancouver International Airport

Sambazon Açaí Bowls – Charlotte Douglas International Airport

Gully Kitchen – Travel Food Services, Kempegowda International Airport

Leon – HMSHost International, London Stansted Airport

AIRPORT HOTEL OF THE YEAR

Calgary Airport Marriott In-terminal Hotel – Calgary Airport Authority

Sama-Sama Hotel Kuala Lumpur International Airport

080 Transit Hotel – Travel Food Services, Kempegowda International Airport

Hilton Munich Airport – Allresto Flughafen München Hotel und Gaststätten

AIRPORT LOUNGE OF THE YEAR

Louis Vuitton Lounge – Qatar Duty Free, Hamad International Airport

Muscat Primeclass Lounge – TAV Operation Services, Muscat International Airport

1903 Lounge – Manchester Airport Terminal 2, CAVU

The Club CLT – Airport Dimensions, Charlotte Douglas International Airport

080 Lounge by TFS – Travel Food Services, Kempegowda International Airport Terminal 1

Bodrum Primeclass Lounge Domestic Terminal, TAV Operation Services

AIRPORT LOUNGE FOOD & BEVERAGE OFFER OF THE YEAR

Louis Vuitton Lounge – Qatar Duty Free, Hamad International Airport

Muscat Primeclass Lounge – TAV Operation Services, Muscat International Airport

080 Lounge by TFS – Travel Food Services, Kempegowda International Airport Terminal 1

[The shortlists continue under the panel below]

FAB EZINE SET TO RETURN The Moodie Davitt Report is delighted to announce the return of the FAB eZine, a standalone digital magazine dedicated to airport and other travel-related food & beverage views, news, trends, tastes, people, product and principles. Initially quarterly, beginning in Q4 2023, The FAB eZine will devote year-round coverage to the burgeoning airport food & beverage sector, including broader hospitality services such as hotels and lounges. The FAB eZine will continue to explore the evolution of the travel-related F&B sector worldwide as we did back in 2019 in this on location report from Houston, Texas. Click on the image to read. The FAB eZine will complement the annual Airport Food & Beverage (FAB) Conference & Awards and our already extensive F&B and hospitality coverage on The Moodie Davitt Report.com and in The FAB Newsletter. Elişa pictured with Jamie Oliver Elişa Roche has been appointed Editor-in-Chief, bringing a rare combination of culinary and journalistic excellence and experience to the role. Elişa trained as a chef as part of ‘Jamie’s Kitchen’, a British TV show watched by millions and fronted by celebrity chef Jamie Oliver. She went on to work as Chef de Partie at some of London’s top Michelin-starred kitchens, e.g. Fino (now Barrafina), The Ivy and Bambou. Cooking later turned to food writing and presenting, most recently as overseeing editorial partnerships at Food Matters Live. Elişa was also Host and Producer of award-winning B2B podcast ‘Career Conversations’, encouraging young people into the food & drinks industry. *For editorial enquiries please contact Elişa Roche at Elisa@MoodieDavittReport.com. For advertising please reach out to Martin Moodie at Martin@MoodieDavittReport.com

AIRPORT SUSTAINABILITY & ENVIRONMENTAL INITIATIVE OF THE YEAR

PEPS Program – Lagardère Travel Retail

Make it Happen – HMSHost, Seattle-Tacoma Airport

Areas For Change – Areas

Allresto Rethink – Allresto Flughafen München Hotel und Gaststätten

Reimagining Food for People and the Planet – SSP Group

Green Store Guidelines – Autogrill Group

HMSHost The Netherlands partnership with Schiphol Airport – HMS The Netherlands & Schiphol Airport

Waste composting initiative – HMSHost, Dallas Fort Worth Airport

SSP Bahrain’s Sustainability Team – SSP EEME

Food TranSmarter – Airport Authority Hong Kong

An experienced and diverse line-up is judging the FAB Awards 2023. Click on images to expand.

Registration details

Click here to register for FAB 2023 or learn more.

For questions regarding the event or awards, contact The Moodie Davitt Report Asia Bureau Chief and Head of Marketing & Events Jeannie Wong at jeannie@moodiedavittreport.com.

Note: The Moodie Davitt Report publishes the FAB Newsletter, which features highlights of openings, events and campaigns from around the world of airport and travel dining. Please email Kristyn@moodiedavittreport.com to subscribe.

INTERNATIONAL. Entries for the Airport Food & Beverage (FAB) + Hospitality Awards will be invited soon, with the key awards categories for 2023 announced today. We also announce the third edition of the FAB Superstars Awards (see below), designed to recognise staff and teams across the sector.

As reported, the FAB Awards will be the culmination of the eagerly anticipated Airport FAB + Hospitality Conference, to be held in Bangkok, Thailand on 12-13 September. Notably, FAB’s remit has been extended to feature wider airport hospitality services, including hotels and lounges.

The Moodie Davitt Report event, created in 2011 and hosted annually until the pandemic, will be held at the Millennium Hilton Bangkok. An official FAB+ registration and information site, including details of partnership opportunities and preferential room rates, will go live shortly.

In advance of this, we are pleased to announce the list of awards categories for this year. They include:

Airport Coffee or Tea Shop of the Year

Airport ‘Food to Go’ Offer of the Year

Airport Health-Centred Offer of the Year

Airport Bar or Pub of the Year

Airport Casual Dining Restaurant of the Year

Airport Food Hall of the Year

New Food & Beverage Opening of the Year

Food & Beverage Marketing Campaign of the Year

Airport Food & Beverage Offer Best Representing Sense of Place

Airport Restaurant Design of the Year

Airport Chef of the Year

To reflect the event’s wider focus on hospitality, some new categories are also being introduced:

Airport Lounge Food & Beverage Offering of the Year

Airport Lounge of the Year

Airport Customer/ Hospitality Initiative of the Year

Airport Hotel of the Year

And reflecting the importance of ESG in the channel, the following awards are also included:

Sustainability & Environmental Initiative of the Year

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Initiative of the Year

Women in Leadership Initiative of the Year

Health & Wellbeing in the Workplace Initiative of the Year

The eligibility period is 1 August 2022 to 1 July 2023 with a deadline for submissions on 15 July.

Bangkok, itself a city of gourmet delights, will play host to the world’s only dedicated airport food & beverage event. The Millennium Hilton Bangkok enjoys a prime position by the Chao Phraya River.

More details on entry requirements will be provided upon the launch of the submissions portal. An administration fee of US$199 per submission will also be payable via the portal.

In addition to the FAB+ Awards noted above, the FAB Superstars Awards, now in their third year, will be part of the programme. These awards shine a light on the frontline and behind the scenes heroes and heroines who have helped keep the travel dining industry going through its darkest times, and who are critical to its recovery and growth as better days come.

FAB Superstars categories are as follows:

Star Team – Front of House

Star Team – Back of House (Kitchen/ Stores/ Admin/ Logistics)

Star Individuals – Front of House

Star Individuals – Back of House (Kitchen/ Stores/ Admin/ Logistics)

Nominations are accepted from key regions as follows:

• Africa & Middle East
• Americas
• Asia Pacific
• Europe

The eligibility period is also 1 August 2022 to 1 July 2023 with a deadline for submissions on 15 July.

More details on FAB Superstars entry requirements will be provided upon the launch of the submissions portal soon. An administration fee of US$29 per submission will also be payable via the portal.

The winners of the FAB Superstars will be featured during the conference while winners of the FAB Awards will be announced at the event during the Gala Dinner.

{Click on the YouTube icon to view highlights of an unforgettable FAB 2019 hosted by Dallas Fort Worth International Airport}

The last in-person FAB was held at Dallas Forth Worth International Airport in 2019 – the first time the event, founded in 2011, had been held in the USA. The FAB Awards, the only global recognition of excellence in airport food & beverage, attracted a record 302 entries.

*For all partnership, speaker, content and other enquiries please contact Jeannie Wong, The Moodie Davitt Report Asia Bureau Chief and Head of Marketing & Events at Jeannie@MoodieDavittReport.com ✈

Note: The Moodie Davitt Report publishes the FAB Newsletter, which features highlights of openings, events and campaigns from around the world of airport and travel dining.

Please email Kristyn@MoodieDavittReport.com to subscribe.

Click here to read our eZine dedicated to the FAB Conference & Awards held in Dallas in June 2019

{Listen to Dufry CEO Xavier Rossinyol speak to Martin Moodie about the Autogrill opportunity – from 03.35 – and the wider F&B and travel retail market in this compelling interview first shown at The Trinity Forum in Singapore last November}

Once again in 2023, FAB Women – a highlight of the 2019 event – will be featured

(Above and below) The first FAB Conference & Awards Gala Dinner was memorably held underneath a British Airways Concorde at Manchester Airport in January 2011

INTERNATIONAL. The deadline for submissions for the FAB Superstars and FAB ESG Awards has been extended to 8 July.

As reported, the awards will be the culmination of the Airport Food & Beverage (FAB) Conference, which takes place as a virtual event on 12-13 September.

FAB Superstars are now in their second year after their successful introduction in 2021. The awards will once again shine the spotlight on the thousands of front-of-house and behind the scenes heroes and heroines who have helped keep the food & beverage community within our industry going throughout the challenges of the last year.

In addition, this year’s awards include an important new category, the FAB ESG Awards, which have been introduced to celebrate, recognise and reward those people and initiatives that have made a positive impact in the areas of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG).

Hosted by The Moodie Davitt Report, an advisory committee of travel food & beverage specialists are judging the awards. These include industry consultants Nick Inkster, who spent 25 years in senior roles with SSP and Kevin Zajax, Director at Ground Control Global and formerly Chief Operating Officer for Dubai-based Emirates Leisure Retail. They are joined by a new judge, Ann Elliott, Owner of Ann Elliott Hospitality Consultancy, an experienced figure in the food and hospitality world.

The video on this page features an interview with the judging panel about their expectations for this year’s entries.

Click on the link to access our dedicated awards website and to make a nomination. There is a nominal administration fee of €30 per submission, payable through the online portal.

As reported, registration for the virtual FAB Conference is open and can be made via this link through organiser The Moodie Davitt Report.