Description and Criteria

Category Code	Category Name	Category Description	Who Can Apply
A1	Excellence In Food Plating & Presentation	Recognize caterers who demonstrate outstanding creativity and attention to detail in the way food is plated and presented. Entrants should showcase a standout example where their presentation elevated the dining experience and added visual impact to the event.	Hotel Banquets / Caterer / Independent Chef
A2	Best Menu Design & Execution	Recognize caterers who excel in curating well-balanced, innovative menus and delivering them flawlessly at events. Entrants should highlight a specific event where the menu design, variety, and seamless execution enhanced the overall guest experience.	Hotel Banquets / Caterer
A3	Excellence In Indian Cultural & Street Food - Chaat	Recognize a catering company excelling in presenting vibrant flavors of Indian cultural street food, with a focus on Chaat. Evaluation is based on mastery in crafting authentic Chaat dishes, blending traditional flavors innovatively, evoking fond memories of street-side indulgences while delighting palates with modern twists.	Hotel Banquets / Chaat Company
A4	Best Fruit Service Provider	Recognizing companies that excel in the business of fruit service, with demonstrated strengths in scalability, high-volume operations, perishability management, strategic sourcing (including international imports), storage, and consistent quality control. The focus is on practical, efficient, and sustainable solutions that support large-scale execution.	Caterer / Hotel Banquets
A5	Innovation In Fruit Plating & Presentation	Recognize caterers who bring creativity and excellence to fruit-based offerings. Entrants should showcase how they have used fruits innovatively—through presentation, styling, or display—to enhance the visual appeal, freshness, and guest experience at events.	Caterer / Hotel Banquets
A6	Excellence In Indian Dessert	Recognize a caterer renowned for their excellence in preparing traditional Indian desserts with authenticity and creativity. This category celebrates their mastery in crafting iconic sweets like Gulab Jamun, Jalebi, and Rasgulla, offering delightful dessert experiences infused with rich cultural flavors.	Hotel Banquets / Mithai Brand
A7	Excellence In Global Dessert	Recognize a caterer for exceptional skill in crafting diverse and delicious desserts from around the world. From innovative flavors to creative presentations, they excel in delivering delightful dessert experiences that transcend cultural boundaries and leave a lasting impression on customers.	Hotel Banquets / Dessert Brand
A8	Excellence In Edible Gifting & Giveaways	Recognizes individuals or businesses that excel in the art of creating memorable and delightful edible gifts and giveaways. This category celebrates creativity, craftsmanship, and innovation in the presentation and selection of edible items such as fruits, desserts, sweets, and other culinary delights.	Caterer / Hotel / Dessert Brand / Mithai Brand / Fruit Caterer / Nameek Brand / Gifting Vendor
A9	Excellence In Pan Asian Cuisine	Recognizes caterers for their expertise in Pan Asian cuisines (eg. Burmese, Chinese, Korean etc). This award celebrates their mastery in crafting diverse and flavorful dishes from across Asia, showcasing authentic recipes and creative presentations.	Hotel Banquets / Hotel Restaurant / Individual Restaurants
A10	Excellence In International Cuisine	Recognize a caterer, hotel, or restaurant known for their skill in cooking a wide range of dishes from around the world (excluding Pan Asian cuisines). They're recognized for their ability to create authentic flavors and highlight the diversity of global cuisines like Continental/European/ Italian/Mexican etc.	Hotel Banquets / Hotel Restaurant / Individual Restaurants
A11	Excellence In Indian Cuisine	Recognize a catering company that shines in showcasing the diverse flavors of Indian cuisine. Whether it's North Indian favorites or South Indian specialties, they're praised for their dedication to quality, authenticity, and creativity in presenting the vibrant and delicious world of Indian food.	Hotel Banquets / Hotel Restaurant / Individual Restaurants
A12	Innovation in Food Fusion	Recognize a catering company that blends different cuisines and dishes creatively to offer unique culinary experiences. Participants should demonstrate innovative use of flavors, ingredients, and cooking methods from various culinary traditions to create inventive and exciting dishes.	Hotel Banquets / Hotel Restaurant / Individual Restaurants
A13	Excellence In Backend Management	Recognize a caterer who has successfully implemented advanced solutions such as payment processing systems, staff scheduling and management tools, inventory tracking platforms, and other backend technologies that have significantly enhanced efficiency, productivity, and overall business performance.	Caterer/ Hotel Banquets / Hotel Restaurant / Individual Restaurants
A14	Specialty Station Of The Year	Recognize vendors or brands that excel in creating unique and memorable specialty stations—such as popcorn, ice cream, paan, tea, coffee, and more. Entrants should demonstrate creativity, quality, and guest engagement through their setup, service, and overall experience offered at events.	Vendors/Brands of Speciality Food
A15	Rising Star Caterer Of The Year	Recognize an exceptional catering company in the wedding and corporate event sector, celebrating their innovative practices and contributions that elevate industry standards. Open to companies incorporated within the last 2 years (after April 1, 2023).	Caterer
A16	Emerging Catering Company Of The Year	Recognizing an exceptional catering company in the wedding and corporate event sector (operating 2 to 5 years, from April 1, 2020 to March 31, 2023), celebrating their innovative practices and contributions that elevate industry standards.	Caterer
A17	Catering Company Of The Year - Wedding	Recognizing a catering company that delivers exceptional service and unforgettable dining experiences at weddings, with creativity, attention to detail, and a passion for delighting couples and guests.	Caterer
A18	Catering Company Of The Year - Corporate Event	Recognizing a catering company that excels in providing exceptional service and innovative solutions for corporate events, demonstrating quality, creativity, and customer satisfaction.	Caterer
A19	Food Curator Of The Year	Recognize Food Curators for their talent in creating unforgettable culinary experiences through innovative menu design and theme execution, showcasing creativity in two events that elevate the dining experience.	Caterer / Hotel Banquets / Independent Chef
A20	Hotel Executive Chef Of The Year	Recognizing a chef's culinary skills and expertise in executing flawless menus and catering, while managing client expectations and budgets. Note: Candidates must have at least two years of experience as an executive chef in a hotel setting	Chef
A21	Chef Of The Year (Non-Institutional)	Recognizing a non-institutional chef for their culinary skill in executing flawless menus and catering, while managing client expectations and budgets. The chef must not be working with a hotel.	Chef
A22	Progressive Chef Of The Year	Recognizing a chef for exceptional creativity and innovation in dish creation, techniques, kitchen operations, or overall culinary philosophy.	Chef
B23	Mixologist Of The Year	Recognizing mixologists for their passion, creativity, innovation, and impeccable presentation. Nominees should excel in bar operations and sourcing quality ingredients. Note: Candidates must have at least two years of experience as a mixologist.	Bartenders
B24	Bartending Co. Of The Year	Recognizing a bartending company for exceptional service and creativity in crafting drinks for weddings and corporate events, showcasing both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages at two events.	Bartenders / Bartending Companies
B25	Bar Trendsetter Of The Year	Recognizing a bartending company for trendsetting innovation in service and presentation of alcoholic beverages at events, showcasing two unique events that left guests awestruck.	Bartending Companies / Individual Liquor Brands
B26	Flair Bartender Of The Year	Recognizing an individual bartender for exceptional skill and creativity in crafting drinks, showcasing innovative techniques, flair, and the ability to entertain while delivering top-quality service and beverages.	Bartenders
C27	Banquet Catering Management Of The Year	Recognizing agencies and catering companies for exceptional leadership and expertise in managing banquet events, with outstanding coordination, communication, and service.	Banquets / Caterer
C28	Excellence in use of Social Media	Recognizing a caterer who leveraged social media to boost brand presence and client engagement, evaluated on innovative strategies, content, audience interaction, and business growth.	Caterer
C29	Catering Company of the Year (For Gujarat-Based Catering Companies Only)	Recognizes a Gujarat-based catering company that has demonstrated excellence in delivering exceptional culinary experiences. The recipient should exemplify creativity, attention to detail, and a passion for crafting unforgettable dining moments.	Gujrat based Caterer
C30	Rising Star Caterer of the Year (For Gujarat-Based Catering Companies Only)	Recognizes a newly established Gujarat-based catering company that has excelled in weddings and corporate events through innovation, quality, and exceptional service. Eligible companies must have commenced operations after April 1, 2023.	Gujrat based Caterer