QUALITY PET FOOD AWARDS 
What to expect on the night
A gala dinner, reimagined.
Tuesday 10 November | Hilton Bankside, London
Following feedback from the Quality Food & Drink Awards community, with entrants, judges, partners and guests invited to share what they value most from the awards experience and how they would like to see the event evolve, the 2026 UK Quality Food & Drink Awards is returning to a formal gala dinner for 2026, with awards presented throughout the evening and greater opportunity for teams, clients and industry peers to celebrate together.
But the event will not simply return to the format of the past; networking will remain central to the experience, with the evening designed to create opportunities for attendees to make new connections and meet fellow entrants, judges, retailers, brands, producers and other industry leaders alongside the formal awards programme.
Dress code: Black Tie | Cultural Attire is also warmly welcomed!
The venue
Our 2026 awards event will be held at London's Hilton Bankside:
2-8 Great Suffolk St, London SE1 0UG
A short walk from Southwark Underground Station (approx. 300 meters) and close to London Bridge, Waterloo, and Blackfriars.
We're thrilled to announce that Chef and TV Host Matt Tebbutt is the host of the 2026 Quality Food & Drink Awards!
Matt Tebbutt is a British chef and television food presenter best known for hosting the BBC's Saturday Kitchen. He has also presented Channel 4's Food Unwrapped, Drop Down Menu and the Good Food Channel's Market Kitchen.
Matt has a diploma from Leiths School of Food and Wine, and has worked for some of the UK's most prestigious restaurants including two of Marco Pierre White's restaurants, Oak Room and Criterion, and he has also worked with Alistair Little.
Event timings
| Timings | Details |
|---|---|
| 18:15 | Drinks Reception |
| 18:30 | Canapés Served |
| 19:10 | Welcome Address & Matt Tebbutt |
| 19:20 | Christmas Awards Trophy Handout |
| 19:30 | Awards Part One |
| 20:15 | Two-Course Gala Dinner |
| 21:15 | Awards Part Two |
| 22:30 | Afterparty & Entertainment |
| 00:30 | Carriages |
"What an incredible event. As a small producer, being able to mix with such a diverse array of businesses, all at different stages of their journey, the awards ceremony provided us an opportunity to learn, develop new relationships with like minded people and, by being able to enter our product for judging, we have gained the recognition that although we we are just starting out, that we must be getting something right along the way! Thank you!"
Who attends?
Each year, our awards event is attended by our entrants, partners and judges - people that represent every corner of the UK's vibrant food and drink industry. This year, we will be begin the evening with a networking drinks reception - a fantastic opportunity to meet senior decision makers and producers alike.
Recent entrants and attendees have included:
- Logo and company overview summary & link to your website on sponsors page of the QFDA website
- Logo on QFDA homepage slider
- Logo on all marketing emails for 2026 sent to full QFDA database
- Social media post on Instagram and LinkedIn announcing partnership
- Full page advert in digital event programme for 2026 event
- Logo positioned at various touch points throughout the live awards event
- Provide product for attendee gift bag (350
samples), putting your product in the hands
of senior industry decision makers