There’s a particular kind of busy that the hospitality industry specialises in. The kind where you’re always looking forward — to the next service, the next problem to solve, the next site to open. It’s what makes this industry extraordinary. It’s also what makes it very easy to forget to stop, look around, and notice how far you’ve come. Tuesday was the day Blend Family stopped. And it was worth it.
Getting the band together
During the day, our Head Office team, General Managers and Deputy General Managers came together in Sheffield for the first ever Blend Management Conference. A huge thank you, first of all, to every single team member who kept our five sites running brilliantly while their managers were in the room — the day wouldn’t have been possible without them.
The agenda wasn’t complicated. Reflect on a year of real growth. Look honestly at where we’re heading. And talk about the things that actually make a multi-site business work: communication, collaboration, and – yes – dreaded processes. Not the most glamorous word in hospitality. But the foundation of everything. It was the first time we’ve brought this group together in this way, and it won’t be the last.
Then the evening happened
If the conference was about looking inward, the Food Partner Awards were about looking outward — at the remarkable community of independent chefs and food entrepreneurs who make Blend what it is.
36 Food Partners joined us in Sheffield for a night that was equal parts genuine recognition and very good fun. As Head of Operations Andy Woolley put it on the night: “In an industry where we’re constantly busy serving guests, solving problems and focusing on the next challenge, we don’t often stop and spend time celebrating what we’ve already achieved.” That’s exactly what Tuesday evening was.
And the winners are…
The awards ranged from the kind that mean everything to the kind that mean everything but in a different way:
Food Partner of the Year — Clapping Seoul
Rising Star — Esmie’s Caribbean
Influencer of the Year — Fuego
Most Instagrammable — Kai
Authenticity Award — Tai Wei
Trailblazer — Thatziki
Best Loaded Fries — Baity
Kargo MKT had a particularly good night, taking home both Food Hall of the Year and Happiest Site, while Tower Bridge Collective picked up Best Guest Experience.
Guest Choice, voted for by the people who matter most, went to Greek Gods at Cutlery Works, Gyros Express at Cambridge Street Collective, Feed at Kargo MKT, Thatziki at Tower Bridge Collective, and Milkcake Man at Alfred Works.
And Best Collaboration with the Venue Team, the award that perhaps says the most about how a food hall actually works day to day, went to Jimmy’s (Cutlery Works and Tower Bridge Collective), El Chappo (Cambridge Street Collective), What’s Your Beef (Kargo MKT) and Little Penang (Alfred Works).
What it all means
Matt Bigland, CEO and Co-Founder, said it best on the night: “Food halls are the future of hospitality because they’re built around real people, independent kitchens and passionate chefs. We just create the stage, our Food Partners bring the magic.” That’s not a line for a press release. It’s genuinely how Blend works. Tuesday was proof of it.
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