Fish and chip oscar for Real Food Cafe

The awards organized by the National Federation of Fish Friers (NFFF), are viewed as being the ‘Oscars’ of the fish and chip industry. 

They involve a rigorous judging process including interview rounds, operational assessments, skills tests and anonymous taste testing.

The Environment and Sustainable Business category recognises operators that demonstrate responsible sourcing, sustainable business practices, employer integrity, and a long-term commitment to environmental best practice.

For the Real Food Cafe, which celebrated its 20th anniversary last year, sustainability underpins every decision, says owner Sarah Heward, 

She said: "Running a rural hospitality business comes with a unique set of challenges, particularly in the current climate, but we’ve always believed that thinking long term, supporting local suppliers and investing in our people is the only way to build something lasting that people love."

Sarah added: "This has been a journey of continual improvement and learning for us, with the aim of reducing our carbon footprint and protecting our beautiful natural environment.

"What makes me most proud is the collective effort behind it. Our team have embraced sustainability in their day-to-day work, our customers have got behind our waste-reducing initiatives, and our incredible volunteers give up their time to collect tonnes of litter from the area.

"I’ve also made significant investments in energy-efficient equipment and building improvements and share my experience and learnings in public talks and webinars with other businesses where possible.