Food And Drink Awards Terms of Entry
- The annual Fortnum & Mason Food and Drink Awards celebrate the richness and diversity of the UK’s food and drink scene.
- There are 13 categories.
- An independent panel of expert judges, led by Angela Hartnett, select the winners in 12 categories from work published or broadcast in the United Kingdom or Republic of Ireland between 1st January and 31st December 2025.
- The Photographer of the Year category - presented in partnership with the World Food Photography Awards, sponsored by Tenderstem® - is judged by Caroline Kenyon, founder of the WFPA; Eliza Williams, editor of Creative Review; and Tom Athron, CEO of Fortnum & Mason. The entry process remains the same.
- Authors, writers, in print or online, and photographers and broadcasters may enter themselves, or they may be entered by their publisher, commissioning editor, agent or production team into one or more of the 13 categories set out below, on the following terms and conditions.
1. FOOD BOOK: For a non-recipe book about food, food culture, region or history
2. DEBUT FOOD BOOK: For an author's first non-recipe book about food, food culture, region or history
3. COOKERY BOOK: For a recipe-focused book about the preparation and cooking of food
4. DEBUT COOKERY BOOK: For an author's first recipe-focused book about the preparation and cooking of food
5. DRINK BOOK: For a book about drink, drink culture, region or history
6. DEBUT DRINK BOOK: For an author's first book about drink, drink culture, region or history
7. FOOD WRITER: For writing on any aspect of food in any media
8. DRINK WRITER: For writing on any aspect of drink in any media
9. COOKERY WRITER: For original recipe-led writing about the preparation and cooking of food in any media
10. RESTAURANT WRITER: For restaurant reviews in any media
11. PHOTOGRAPHER: For images of food and drink shared online, on any platform
12. PROGRAMME: For a programme on food or drink broadcast on any medium
13. AUDIO (Radio or Podcast): For a radio programme or podcast on food or drink, broadcast on any medium
- 1-6. Book categories: A book may only be entered into one Book category (ie the same book cannot be entered into multiple Book categories).
- 7-10. For Writer categories TWO pieces of work must be entered. A submission may be made into each of the following; Food Writer, Cookery Writer, Drink Writer and Restaurant Writer, but only one entry per category.
- 7-10. Work, if online, must be from a site based principally in the UK or Republic of Ireland. If there is any doubt as to where a website is aimed, the decision of the judges will be final.
- 11. A maximum of THREE images (max 2mb) may be entered for the Photographer category.
- 12. For the Programme category, multiple submissions may be made for different titles. Only ONE episode per series.
- 13. For the Audio category, multiple submissions may be made for different titles; however, each entry must feature a different producer and presenter team. Only ONE episode per series.
- Entries are made by logging onto the Fortnum & Mason Food and Drink Awards website and following the instructions.
- Entries and copies of the relevant work must be received between 10am (UK time) on 1st December 2025 and noon (UK time) on 28th January 2026.
- There is no cost to enter and no purchase is necessary.
- The judges will decide which entry they consider to be the best overall in each of the judged categories: the decision of the judges is final and correspondence will not be entered into.
- The winners will be the individual author, writer, photographer or broadcasting team (as applicable).
- Winners will be informed that they have won a category at a presentation event hosted on 30th April 2026, after 7.30pm at the Royal Exchange, London.
- A newsletter announcing all of the winners will be sent to the Awards database at 11am on Friday 1st May 2026.
- In relation to the Content Creator of the Year and Rising Star Content Creator of the Year and, voted for by the public, notwithstanding the number of votes cast for each entrant, Fortnum & Mason, along with experts from Meta, TikTok and YouTube, reserve the right to select the recipient of the award.
- Authors, writers - in print and online - photographers and broadcasters may enter themselves, or they may be entered by their publisher, production company, commissioning editor or agent.
- Entries must relate to work(s) that have been published or broadcast in the United Kingdom or Republic of Ireland between 1st January and 31st December 2025.
- Entries generated, in whole or in part, using generative AI are strictly prohibited. The Awards exist to celebrate genuine human creativity and journalistic integrity.
- Work, if online, must be from a site based principally in the UK or Republic of Ireland.
- There is no cost to enter.
- The decision of the judges is final.
-Publishers may make multiple submissions, but a book mayonly be entered into one of the following categories: Food Book, Debut Food Book, Cookery Book, Debut Cookery Book, Drink Book or Debut Drink Book
- Publishers must disclose if a book has been ghost-written or if more than 50% of its content originates from anyone other than the author
- The content of a book must be original or, in the case of annual guides, at least 75% new content
- Book PDF files (max 2mb) are only to be submitted if the hard copy is not available
- Writer categories - PDF files only
- Writers must submit two pieces of work per entry
- Writers may enter their work once in each of the following categories: Food Writer, Cookery Writer, Drink Writer and Restaurant Writer
- Upload a PDF file labelled with your full name and the title of the article
- Links cannot be accepted
- Multiple submissions may be made for different titles in the Programme category
- Only one episode per series
- Upload an MP4 - labelled with the title of the programme - or a LINK with password accessible to the end of March 2026
- Failure to provide a password may affect the entry
- Multiple submissions may be made in the Audio category for different titles; however, each entry must feature a different producer and presenter team
- Only one episode per series
- Upload an MP3 - labelled with the title of the programme - or a LINK with password accessible to the end of March 2026
- Failure to provide a password may affect the entry
We accept no responsibility for entries not successfully completed due to a technical fault of any kind or otherwise. Incomplete entries or entries that do not comply with these terms and conditions will not be considered valid for entry. The Promoter accepts no responsibility for any entries which are not completed for any reason. By making a submission for anyone other than yourself you confirm that you have the authority to enter the relevant writer, photographer or broadcaster in that category. Fortnum & Mason may produce promotional material in support of the winning entries and you will, if requested by Fortnum & Mason and wherever possible, ensure that such material is distributed with and the official Fortnum & Mason winner designation and artwork (as provided by Fortnum & Mason) is used with and in copies of the entry and in future works by the author, writer, photographer or broadcaster.
Fortnum & Mason accepts no responsibility for any damage, loss, injury or disappointment suffered or incurred by you as a result of entering the Awards or the winners accepting the prize, except for death or personal injury that is caused by its negligence or where the damage, loss, injury or disappointment is caused by its fraud. The products won must be stored and consumed in accordance with their instructions. These terms and conditions are subject to the laws of England and Wales and any dispute shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the English courts.
These terms are subject to the laws of England and Wales and any dispute shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the English courts. Promoter: Fortnum & Mason, 181 Piccadilly, London W1A 1ER.
The public may vote for 1 of 9 pre-selected Content Creators to win the Content Creator of the Year 2026, or nominate a Content Creator of their choice. The vote is open from 2pm (UK time) on 19th March 2026 to noon (UK time) on 9th April 2026 (Draw Window).
The public may vote for 1 of 9 pre-selected Rising Star Content Creators to win the Rising Star Content Creator of the Year 2026, or nominate a Rising Star Content Creator of their choice. The vote is open from 2pm (UK time) on 19th March 2026 to noon (UK time) on 9th April 2026 (Draw Window).
Every member of the public that votes for the Content Creator of the Year and the Rising Star Content Creator of the Year, or both, during the Draw Window will automatically be entered into a prize draw to 'win a Fortnum & Mason hamper' worth £150. Entry is subject to the terms and conditions below. Only one entry per category / per email address and if there are more only the first entry will be eligible.
If you would rather not be automatically entered into the prize draw, please email: customer.services@fortnumandmason.co.uk with Content Creator / Rising Star Content Creator of the Year Prize Draw' in the subject line.
The promoter is Fortnum & Mason, 181 Piccadilly, London W1A 1ER
1. Fortnum & Mason reserves the right to cancel or amend the competition or the rules at its sole discretion and without notice
2. The competition is open to UK and Republic of Ireland residents only.
3. Participating entrants must be 18 years or over.
4. The competition is limited to one entry per person.
5. The prizes are subject to availability. The promoter reserves the right to provide a similar prize of equal or greater value. There is no cash alternative and the prizes are non-transferable and non-refundable.
6. The promoter is not responsible for lost or late entries due to technical difficulties or otherwise
7. TWO winners from votes cast in the Content Creator Competition and TWO winners from votes cast in the Rising Star Content Creator Competition will be selected at random from the eligible entries received by noon on Thursday 9th April 2026. The decision of the promoter is final.
8. Entrants confirm that they have read and agree to be bound to by the Terms & Conditions.
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