The deliberation process is currently underway and the judging will be completed by the end of August, with finalists revealed on September 19 in the Eastern Daily Press and the East Anglian Daily Times.

Winners will be announced at the awards event on Monday, October 20 at a venue in Norwich.

Each category was assessed by two judges – either a sponsor paired with an industry expert, or two experts – who evaluated the entries against set criteria. Here, we meet some of the judges taking on the task of deciding this year’s finalists and winners.

A big thank you to our headline sponsor Alliance East Anglia, our category sponsors, as well as Bread Hospitality for its support.

To find out more about the Norfolk & Suffolk Magazine Food and Drink Awards 2025, visit norfolksuffolkfada.co.uk

Richard Bainbridge, chef/owner of Benedicts, Norwich (Image: Andrew Hayes Watkins)

Sponsored by Sizewell C
Expert judge: Richard Bainbridge, chef/owner of Benedicts, Norwich

A renowned independent restaurant in the heart of Norwich, Benedicts is celebrating its 10-year anniversary in 2025.

It has a longstanding relationship with the Norfolk and Suffolk Magazine Food & Drink Awards and has been honoured with numerous awards in a range of categories, as well as sponsoring the awards in 2024.

Richard has guest judged several categories over the years and is proud to be co-judging Chef of the Year 2025, during a thriving period in the East Anglian food scene.

The sponsor judge for this category is Tim Johnson of Sizewell C.

Lucy Cousins, vice-chair of Norwich & District CAMRA (Image: Lucy Cousins)

Sponsored by Small Beer Wholesale
Expert judge: Lucy Cousins, vice-chair of Norwich & District CAMRA

Promoting East Anglia’s pubs and ales is a passion for Lucy, who says: “Our region has so many amazing pubs and I’m delighted to shine a spotlight on them. Pubs are vital to our way of life and sense of belonging – they’re worth protecting and celebrating.

“I volunteer with CAMRA, supporting pubs across Norfolk and helping to plan Norwich Beer Festival each October. I’m also the editor of Norfolk Nips, which was recently named the second best CAMRA magazine in the UK.”

The sponsor judge is Steve Gilbert of Small Beer Wholesale.

Sam Steggles, owner of Goat Shed (Image:........

© Eastern Daily Press