Winners
Chosen by our judges:
The Radmoor Restaurant team, Loughborough
Romail Gulzar, founder of the Leicestershire Curry Awards & England Curry Capital
Food & Drink Heroes of the Year Finalists
The Radmoor Restaurant Team, Loughborough
Romail Gulzar, founder of the Leicestershire Curry Awards & England Curry Capital
Round Corner Brewing team, Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire
The Langar Hall Kitchen team, Langar, Nottinghamshire
For the second year running, our judges chose two winners of our Food & Drink Hero category: The Radmoor Restaurant, a facility working wonders to help educate a new wave of hospitality professionals; and Romail Gulzar, a pioneering entrepreneur who’s arguably done more to promote Leicestershire’s curry scene than anyone else.
Located within Loughborough College, The Radmoor Restaurant is more than just a place to enjoy a meal – it’s a vital training ground for the next generation of hospitality professionals. This real, fully-functioning restaurant offers catering & hospitality students the opportunity to develop their skills in a real-world environment. Diners can book a table just as they would in any other restaurant, but here, the food is prepared and served by the students under the watchful eyes of their lecturers.
The Radmoor Restaurant is known for its commitment to using fresh, local produce, with students crafting everything in-house, from bread to sauces. The menu, which changes regularly, reflects the creativity and dedication of the young chefs, all of whom are gaining invaluable experience. The restaurant is open during term time for lunch from Tuesday to Friday, as well as Thursday evenings.
With the UK hospitality industry facing a shortage of skilled staff, the role of The Radmoor Restaurant in training talented chefs and hospitality professionals has never been more important. Under the leadership of Darren Creed, the restaurant has become a beacon for aspiring chefs and young front of house professionals.
Few individuals have done as much to promote Leicestershire’s vibrant food culture as Romail Gulzar, and this year, we’re proud to recognise his immense contributions by awarding him our Food & Drink Hero 2024/25 trophy. As the founder of the Leicestershire Curry Awards and the driving force behind Leicester’s recent recognition as England Curry Capital, Romail’s passion for food and his community shines through.
Through his media company, Pukaar News, Romail has spent years highlighting the diversity and excellence of Leicester’s South Asian restaurant scene. In 2016, he took his love of curry one step further by creating the Leicestershire Curry Awards, an event that celebrates the incredible range of Indian cuisine across the region. His tireless work has helped shine a spotlight on the quality and diversity of Leicester’s curry houses, from curry pubs to fine dining establishments.
One of Romail’s crowning achievements came this year, when he spearheaded Leicester’s successful bid to become England’s Curry Capital, reclaiming the title from Bradford in a public vote. Through social media campaigns, influencer partnerships, and expert tastings, Romail garnered over 11,000 votes, securing Leicester’s place as the top curry destination in the country.
In addition to his work with the curry awards, Romail is also the proud owner of Geoffrey’s, a popular Indian restaurant on Leicester’s famous Golden Mile. His dedication to promoting Leicestershire’s curry heritage is unmatched.
The other finalists
The Round Corner Brewing team, Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire
Since launching their brewery in Melton Mowbray in 2018, Round Corner has quickly become a shining example of what passion, hard work and brewing expertise can achieve. Co-founders Combie Cryan and Colin Paige have poured their entrepreneurial energy into building a brewery known not only for its cool, friendly and welcoming atmosphere, but also for producing (and we don’t say this lightly) some of the best beers in the world.
The team’s dedication to quality has led to an impressive list of accolades, with over 65 medals from prestigious competitions like the International Brewing Awards, the European Beer Challenge and the World Beer Awards. In 2021, their Steeplechase Pale Ale was crowned the World’s Best Ale in the Small Pack category at the International Brewing Awards — a monumental achievement that places Round Corner alongside legendary names like Sierra Nevada and Deschutes Brewery.
The Round Corner team’s success isn’t limited to just one beer style. They brew a wide variety of styles to an award-winning standard, with beers like Frisby Lager and their Underwater Song Strong Porter, which won World’s Best Strong Porter at the 2024 World Beer Awards.
For anyone looking for inspiration in the food and drink industry, Round Corner Brewing shows the rewards that come from perseverance, creativity and a commitment to quality.
The Langar Hall Kitchen team, Langar, Nottinghamshire
Langar Hall’s kitchen team is unique, showcasing over 100 years of combined cheffing expertise. We feel this incredible figure deserves celebrating, which why Langar Hall’s crew are a GFC Food & Drink Finalist 2024/5.
Led by Gary Booth, alongside Ross Jeffrey, Daniel Bellamy, Nick Davies and other valued members of the team, this group has spent decades perfecting their craft together. Gary, the executive head chef, has been at Langar Hall for over 20 years, while Ross, who started as a 16-year-old apprentice, has been head chef for 21 years. Daniel has been overseeing main courses for 15 years, and Nick, the pastry chef, has been at Langar Hall for an amazing 25 years.
The team’s long-standing relationship has created a bond that goes beyond the kitchen, fostering creativity and consistency. “We work for each other,” says Gary.
At Langar Hall, the team’s focus on traditional cooking techniques and local, seasonal produce leads to a superb menu. They butcher whole carcasses, create house-made ferments, kombuchas and vinegars and embrace foraging, using ingredients from the surrounding countryside to build seasonal menus.
This family of chefs continues to innovate while preserving the traditions that have made Langar Hall a special place for over two decades.
