Judges 2026

Jonathan Reynolds

Jonathan Reynolds is a British Labour and Co-operative politician serving as Chief Whip of the House of Commons and Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury since September 2025. He previously held the post of Secretary of State for Business and Trade and President of the Board of Trade from 2024 to 2025. MP for Stalybridge and Hyde since 2010, Reynolds has also served in several Shadow Minister...
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Samson Sohail

Samson Sohail has been working with Cobra Beer for the last 25 years. He has been instrumental in the success of Cobra’s reputation as the best beer to complement food and as one the most loved beer brands in the country.

Mustafa Topkaya

Mustafa Topkaya has over 40 years of experience in the hospitality and catering sector and is a pioneer of the kebab restaurant business having opened his first shop in 1984. He now runs several successful restaurants and has continued to lead the industry by introducing several modern innovations.

Steve Turner

Steve Turner is Assistant General Secretary at Unite the Union, responsible for 400,000 members in manufacturing industries alongside the unions community and retired members strategies.

Shany Gupta

Shany Gupta is founding director and C.E.O of Duncan Lewis Solicitors, whose ethos of “giving people a voice” has seen it grow from one office in Hackney to a nation-wide operation.

Lucy Horobin

Lucy Horobin is the host of the Heart Dance drive time show and former presenter of the British Kebab Awards.

Sharon Hodgson

Sharon Hodgson is a Labour MP for Washington and Gateshead South and Chair of the Finance Committee. Before becoming an MP, Sharon worked as a bookkeeper, a Labour Party organiser and a Political Officer for UNISON.

Nadhim Zahawi

Nadhim Zahawi is a former MP for Stratford-on-Avon, who served in various ministerial positions under the Conservative government.

Rory Sutherland

Rory Sutherland co-founded Ogilvy's behavioural science practice, enhancing consumer behaviour strategies with small contextual changes. He writes for The Spectator and speaks at TED. He's the author of "Alchemy" and "Transport For Humans." He hosts the "OnBrand with ALF" podcast.

Kate Nichols OBE

Kate was appointed CEO of UKHospitality, the powerful voice representing the broad hospitality sector, in April 2018, having previously worked as CEO and Strategic Affairs Director of the ALMR.

Mark Wallace

Mark Wallace is an experienced communications and campaigns director, turned political journalist, turned media business Chief Executive and Non-Executive Director. Regular guest on TV and radio and Sky News paper reviewer. Weekly columnist for the i paper, and opinion contributor to a range of newspapers including The Guardian, The Times, Financial Times, Daily Telegraph, The Sun, and The Time...
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Sam McAlister

Sam McAlister is a highly experienced EMMY&BAFTA-nominated producer, speaker, and former barrister, known for her engaging storytelling and versatility in approach. Played by Billie Piper in the Netflix hit film "Scoop".

Tim John

Tim John is a Managing Editor, LBC News & Global's Newsroom

Caroline Nokes

Caroline Nokes is a Conservative politician who has been the Member of Parliament for Romsey and Southampton North since 2010

Ben Kentish

Ben Kentish is a journalist and broadcaster who is currently one of the main presenters on leading speech radio station LBC.

Darren Bown

Darren Bown is Customer Director Booker Catering and a former judge of British Takeaway Awards. Darren has been in food wholesale for 30 years in a variety of roles and enjoys spending time with customers understanding their business.

Bill Esterson

Bill Esterson is Labour Party politician who has served as Member of Parliament for Sefton Central since 2010. He has been Shadow Minister for Roads from 2023 to 2024, and was Shadow Minister for Small Business from 2015 to 2020.

Dawn Butler

Dawn Butler is a British Labour Party politician who is Member of Parliament for Brent East. Butler served prior to entering politics as a trade union officer and adviser to the Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone.