Best-in-class travel dining: Deadline approaching for 2018 FAB Awards entries

INTERNATIONAL. The submission deadline for nominations for the 2018 Airport Food & Beverage (FAB) Awards is just one month away – Wednesday 28 March.

The awards, organised by The Moodie Davitt Report and sister title The Foodie Report, are a cornerstone of the Airport Food & Beverage (FAB) Conference & Awards. This year’s FAB will be hosted by Finavia Corporation, which operates Helsinki Vantaa Airport, and takes place at The Clarion Hotel in Helsinki on 20-21 June.

Nominations are already flowing in as excitement builds for the airport world’s only event dedicated solely to food & beverage.

The glittering awards ceremony will champion best practices across the global industry. To make a nomination, click here. Entries must relate to businesses that were trading, or campaigns operating by the first quarter of 2018.

Hotel and conference registration is also open. Full details can be found here.

Recognising excellence: The FAB 2017 winners at last year’s event in Toronto

This year 20 different international awards will be handed out at the Gala Dinner, together with regional winners across Asia Pacific; Europe; the Americas; and Middle East, Africa & India.

New awards for 2018 include F&B Team Member of the Year; Outstanding Food & Beverage Design of the Year; Airport F&B offered within a Retail/Convenience Store of the Year; and Airport Street Food Offer of the Year.

In an exciting innovation, this year will see a first Motorway Services F&B Offer of the Year award, along with the long-established Railway Station Individual F&B Business of the Year award.

Additionally, the hugely popular Airport Bar of the Year and Airport Casual Dining Restaurant of the Year awards will each be split into two, graded by total sales. This is designed to recognise top-class bars and restaurants in smaller airports.

Location, location, location: The Clarion Hotel is one of Helsinki’s best-equipped conference venues and lies at the heart of the city

Appropriately enough in the Chinese Year of the Dog, The #AiroftheDog Great Airport Cocktail Award, sponsored by Copper Dog blended Speyside malt whisky, returns for FAB 2018.

This award places the emphasis squarely on people, on panache, on passion and on product. We’re looking for the best original cocktail (made with Copper Dog of course) created with the airport environment in mind – one that captures the eclectic, exciting travel world in concept, name, suitability, taste and presentation.

First introduced in 2017, the  ‘La spirito de vojaĝado’ (meaning ‘The spirit of travel’ in Esperanto, the universal language) award will recognise the best original dish created especially for FAB 2018 – one that is relevant and best captures the essence of international travel.

FAB 2018 will begin with an Opening Lunch on 20 June (preceded by an airport tour), followed by a half-day plenary session and the Opening Cocktail. Day Two will feature a full-day conference, culminating in the Gala Dinner and FAB Awards.

FAB attracts senior representatives from the world’s leading airports, food & beverage concessionaires and brands to network with industry peers, share insights and celebrate best practice in this burgeoning, ever-changing sector.

Leading travel restaurateur and master concessionaire OTG has been named as a Platinum Partner for FAB 2018.

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