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. The nine judges (see below) have worked assiduously since nominations closed, carefully evaluating almost 250 top-class entries from around the world.
The Moodie Davitt Report and FAB Founder Martin Moodie said, “Judging this year’s entries was both fiendishly difficult and utterly delightful. The consistently high quality across categories and geographies reveals just how much airport F&B standards have rocketed over the 12 years since we created FAB.
“Our judging panel, drawn from a diverse range of backgrounds has taken into account a wide range of criteria, anchored by a constant focus on quality, innovation and sound ESG principles surrounding people and planet. The respective shortlists represent a roll-call of excellence and a testimony to the welcome investment and imagination that is now flowing back into the airport F&B sector after the turmoil of the past few years.
“We look forward to celebrating those qualities in fine style at what promises to be an enthralling evening in Bangkok, preceded by the long-awaited return of the FAB Conference.” ✈
*Note: Further category shortlists will be revealed tomorrow
FAB + HOSPITALITY AWARDS 2023 FINALISTS
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
Marcel Tauschek – 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 RETURNThe 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.
