New awards launched for British street food

November 1, 2009

A new awards programme, which aims to change the perception of British street food has been launched and is inviting nominations from the public to its website, www.britishstreetfood.co.uk

The British Street Food Awards is the brainchild of food journalist and broadcaster Richard Johnson.

Britain has an estimated 10,000 mobile vendors working our streets and markets, and all are invited to enter the Awards, which will be judged at a final “cook-off” at next year’s Ludlow Food Festival. Categories include Best Pie, Best Dessert, Best Cold Drink, Best Hot Drink, Best Main Dish, Best Sandwich and Best Looking Mobiler. There will also be a People’s Choice award - and an overall winner.

Judges will include chefs Marco Pierre White, Mark Hix, Thomasina Miers and Antony Worrall Thompson. Johnson, who has presented everything from Full On Food to Taste The Nation and Kill It, Cook It, Eat It, said he was on a one-man mission to change the perception of British Street Food.

“The new generation of mobilers has none of the grit, or the grease, which used to authenticate the whole British street food experience. It's not just about sausages from a tin any more – and there are some real street food heroes out there. We have revolutionised top end gastronomy in the UK, so now let’s look at the rest - the sort of food that we can all afford.”