Pizza, Pasta and Italian
Food Industry Awards 2009

The Pizza Pasta & Italian Food Industry Awards 2009 Categories

Overall Operator

This lifetime award will be presented to an individual, company or organization who the judges consider deserves recognition for the contribution made to the industry. Nominations should state simply why they should be considered for this award.

Pizza Restaurant Gold Awards

These awards are given to restaurants that are outstanding and set a standard for others to follow. They are presented to specialist restaurants where pizza is the predominant item on the menu. In assessing entries the judges will be focusing particularly on standards in terms of product, service and overall atmosphere. Judging will initially involve entries being assessed on the material submitted and those short-listed will be asked to provide a voucher for a meal for two which will be used by independent judges who will report on the restaurant from a customer’s perspective– a copy of their reports will be sent to each restaurant visited after the awards are presented. What to send in: Your entry should include a brief note saying why you think the restaurant or chain should win, a copy of the menu and photographs showing the outside, the customer area and preparation areas (with preparation underway). If your entry is for a chain, please provide a list of sites which can be visited by judges.

The Italian Restaurant Gold Awards

These awards aim to identify the best in genuine Italian restaurants in the UK. To this end they will be presented to specialist restaurants where the food served is rooted at the heart of Italian cuisine and which offers a genuine taste of Italy and experience. Those judging these awards will be looking for restaurants (whether independent or chains) which set a standard for others to follow. Judges will be focusing particularly on standards in terms of product, service and the ambiance of the restaurants. Judging will initially involve entries being assessed on the material submitted and those short-listed will be asked to provide a voucher for a meal for two which will be used by independent judges who will report on the restaurant from a customer’s perspective – a copy of their reports will be sent to each restaurant visited after the awards are presented. What to send in: Your entry should include a brief note saying why you think the restaurant or chain should win, a copy of the menu and photographs showing the outside, customer area and preparation areas, (with preparation underway). If your entry is for a chain, please provide a list of sites which can be visited by judges.

The Pizza & Pasta Lunchtime Award

This award aims to recognize the increasing role of pizza, pasta and Italian food products in the lunchtime market, whether in the form of specialist catering operations or as part of a lunchtime retail concept.This award may be presented to a catering operator, retailer, manufacturer or supplier which has demonstrated a clear focus on developing concepts aimed at the lunchtime sector involving pizza, pasta or Italian food. Judging: The main panel of judges will consider all the material submitted. What to send in: Entries should be made in writing stating briefly why the operation deserves to be considered for an award and should include photographs, menus, literature etc. to support the case.

Independent Pizza Delivery Store Award

This award aims to recognise the independent operators who are successfully driving their businesses in the delivery/takeaway sector. Judging: Those judging this award will be looking for an individual operator (up to 5 stores) who sets a high standard in terms of the overall operation – from customer service to food quality and delivery to the customer. What to send in: Entries will be initially assessed on the material submitted, which should include a brief note saying why you think the business should be considered for an award, a copy of the menu and photographs showing the business premises, the preparation areas (with preparation underway), and a typical delivery being carried out. Entrants should also outline any marketing/promotion initiatives they have undertaken in the last year as well as details of their success. All those short-listed in this category will also be asked to provide a voucher for a meal for two which will be used by independent judges who will order a delivery and report on it from a customer’s perspective – a copy of their report will be sent to each of those short-listed.

Pizza Delivery Chain Award

This award aims to recognise the chain operators who are successfully driving the delivery/takeaway sector. Judging: Those judging this award will be looking at chains (more than 5 stores) which set a high standard in terms of their overall operation – from customer service to food quality and from delivery to the customer – and which are positively driving the market. Details of the businesses overall performance in the last year will also be required. Those short-listed will also be asked to provide a voucher for a meal for two which will be used by the independent judges who will order a delivery and report on it from a customer’s perspective – a copy of their report will be sent to each of those short-listed.

Frozen Supermarket Pizza Retailer Award

This award aims to recognise those supermarket retailers who are actively driving the frozen pizza sector of the market. What to send in: Retailers are asked to complete a short questionnaire and to state why they should be considered for the award. The judges will also draw on independent research information from sources in making their decision.

Chilled Supermarket Pizza Retailer Award

This award aims to acknowledge those retailers who are actively driving the chilled pizza sector of the market. What to send in: Retailers are asked to complete a short questionnaire and to state why they should be considered for the award. The judges will also draw on independent research information from sources in making their decision.

Chilled Convenience Store Pizza Retailer Award

This award aims to recognise those convenience store retailers who are actively driving the chilled pizza sector of the market. What to send in: Retailers are asked to complete a short questionnaire and to state why they should be considered for the award. The judges will also draw on independent research information from sources in making their decision.

Frozen Convenience Store Pizza Retailer Award

This award aims to recognise those convenience store retailers who are actively driving the frozen pizza sector of the market. What to send in: Retailers are asked to complete a short questionnaire and to state why they should be considered for the award. The judges will also draw on independent research information from sources in making their decision.

Supermarket Pasta Retailer Award

This award aims to recognize those supermarkets who are actively driving sales of pasta. What to send in: Retailers are asked to state why they should be considered for the award. The judges will also draw on independent research information from sources in making their decision.

Convenience Store Pasta Retailer Award

This award aims to recognize those convenience store retailers who are actively driving the pasta sector of the market. What to send in: Retailers are asked to state why they should be considered for the award. The judges will also draw on independent research information from sources in making their decision.

Manufactured Pizza Product Award

This award aims to encourage new product development in the pizza market by rewarding those who are striving to develop the market through innovation and recipe development. This category is open to any product launched within the 12 month period leading up to the closing date in September 2009 and which is still on sale at the time of judging. Products short-listed for this award will be presented to a panel of judges for sampling.

Three separate awards will be presented within this category under the following headings:

Best new ‘everyday’ pizza product
Best new ‘indulgent’ pizza product
Best new ‘innovative’ pizza product

What to send in: Initially written entries should be submitted stating the category being entered and supported by details of the product, when it was launched and its performance.

Manufactured Pasta Product Award

This award aims to encourage new product development in the pasta market by rewarding those who are striving to develop the market through innovation and recipe development. This category is open to any product launched within the 12 month period leading up to the closing date in September 2009 and which is still on sale at the time of judging. Products short-listed for this award will be presented to a panel of judges for sampling.

Two separate awards will be presented within this category under the following headings:

Best new retail pasta product
Best new catering pasta product