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 key Airport Food & Beverage Offer best representing Sense of Place category (scroll down). More shortlists to follow soon.
The Moodie Davitt Report Founder & Chairman Martin Moodie said: “Encouragingly, this category attracted the second-biggest number of entries, an affirmation of how airports and food & beverage providers are striving increasingly hard to capture local flavour in multiple senses, from food & drinks through to design and art.
“It’s an award I feel particularly strongly about, having championed the concept of Sense of Place right from our company’s earliest days so like our other judges I particularly enjoyed the quality, diversity and cultural integrity of many of the entries.
“We capitalise the term Sense of Place for good reason, believing it emphasises the critical need for airports to reflect the feeling and flavours, the tastes and traditions, the craft and culture, and the history and heritage of a city, region or country. For this category, we don’t think it’s enough to simply take a downtown name and bring it to the airport. We want to see an offer and an environment that really does allow the traveller to experience something that truly evokes that location.”
The nine judges (see below) have worked assiduously since nominations closed, carefully evaluating almost 250 top-class entries from around the world. ✈
FAB + HOSPITALITY AWARDS 2023 FINALISTS
AIRPORT F&B OFFER BEST REPRESENTING SENSE OF PLACE
Bar de la Plage – Lagardère Travel Retail, Nice Côte d’Azur Airport
Bridgewater Exchange – The Restaurant Group, Manchester Airport
Chapati & Karak – Qatar Duty Free, Hamad International Airport
Dhaba@T3 – Travel Food Service, Indira Gandhi International Airport
IMM Rice & Noodle – SSP Asia Pacific, Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport
Kaffet Helsinki – SSP, Helsinki Airport
Mercantile Dining & Provision – Tastes On the Fly, Denver International Airport
Taiwan Flavors – Ever Rich Duty Free, Taoyuan International Airport
The Farmers Market – SSP America, Indianapolis International Airport
Salmon n’ Bannock On The Fly at YVR – Vancouver Airport Authority, Vancouver Airport
South Downs, Vagabond Wines – Gatwick Airport
Tadında Anadolu – BTA Food & Services, Istanbul Airport, Ankara Airport and İzmir Airport
Whiskey Bread – SSP, Dublin Airport
Xi’an Xianyang International Airport T2 Food Boulevard – Xi’an Xianyang International Airport Commercial Branch Company
Zoma – Emirates Leisure Retail & MMI, Zanzibar Abeid Amani Karume International Airport
The following shortlists were revealed earlier
AIRPORT BAR OR PUB OF THE YEAR
The Belgian Red House – Autogrill, Brussels Airport
Bottega Prosecco Bar & Craft Beer – HMSHost International, Dubai International Airport
Bridgewater Exchange – The Restaurant Group, Manchester Airport
Tickerdaze – BTA Food & Services, Istanbul Airport
Budweiser – Lagardère Travel Retail, Dubai International Airport
Juniper & Co – SSP, Gatwick Airport
Koh Hop Bar – SSP, Suvarnabhumi Airport
Oakland Draft House – SSP America, Oakland International Airport
Sibarium – Areas, Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport
Sports Shack – Emirates Leisure Retail, Dubai International Airport
Stomping Ground Brewery – Delaware North, Melbourne Airport
Sycamore Brewing – HMSHost, Charlotte Douglas International Airport
Ta.Sh.Ba Bistro Bar – SSP Eastern Europe and the Middle East, Larnaca International Airport
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
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
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 by Yannick Alléno – 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 by Yannick Alléno – 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
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 |
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.
