I would like to congratulate local pub chef Kieran McLoughney who has won the East Midlands regional Parliamentary Pub Chef of the Year award. Although Kieran was not selected as one of the national finalists, he was awarded the highest score in the East Midlands by the panel of expert judges after over 130 entries from more than 100 MPs.
Pubs serve almost a billion meals a year, with more and more pubs recognising that great food will attract more customers. Pubs are also vital to the local economy in every part of the country, offering valuable and flexible employment. With a national shortage of pub chefs, the British Beer and Pub Association, in conjunction with the British Institute of Innkeeping (BII) launched the Pub Chef Passion initiative, aimed at promoting the pub chef as a career option. The Pub Chef of the Year award seeks to build on that work, and encourage young chefs towards a career in the pub trade.
Brigid Simmonds, Chief Executive of the British Beer & Pub Association, said,
“A career as a pub chef is exciting and demanding, and it offers young people development, rewards and a great working environment. Pubs are increasingly serving very high quality food, and for ambitious chefs, it’s a great chance to quickly take control of your own kitchen. I think it is time that we recognise the efforts of superb chefs up and down the country.”