P2P Food Solutions has written pieces for Fine Food Digest and Speciality Food Magazine and consults for several food brands including Tyrrells Crisps, Australian Wagyu, Silver and Green Olives, Piltons Cider and Granny Gothards Ice cream. Simon also works with a number of local authorities looking at healthy alternatives for their school meals offering.

"Becoming a chef was a natural career for me as my main passion is food at whatever level; cooking at home, street food or fine dining it has to be right. My roles have reflected my love of food working with independent as well as national caterers in both operational and food development roles.

Following Jamie Oliver’s focus on school food, I took the role of Food Director for Cucina Restaurants, managing a small number of highly skilled chefs through mobilisations of new clients and schools.  When the business sold, I transferred for a period of time and began planning what’s next.. I had always said I would love to open either a cookery school or a deli, and my dream became a reality when we opened the doors to Kitchen Food Company in Summertown, Oxford, a delicatessen with an on-site bistro. Having always grown at home, this gave me the opportunity to grow more and use these items for the deli. Creating a full range of our own branded products on the shelves from the garden really is a dream come true. Working with small local suppliers as well as securing Daylesford Organic has helped us quickly become a popular choice on our Oxford High Street. 

Our first accolade came after just 6 months of trading, winning "Best Deli in Buckinghamshire & Oxford" and of course winning "Best Small Retailer" in our region at the Farm Shop & Deli show last year was simply amazing. We are looking forward to many more prestigious awards as we continue to grow and develop.”

Richard is the oldest son of the three Nicholson brothers who run the multi-award winning Cannon Hall Farm visitor attraction in South Yorkshire. The family farm has played host to Channel 5’s On the Farm TV shows for the past five years. He’s worked in many areas of the business including on the farm, and in the farm shop butchery department. Richard is a keen home cook and online food blogger, broadcasting live on Facebook every week on the Cannon Hall Farm Shop Facebook page. He is enthusiastic about promoting the farm shop's quality, home produced beef, pork and lamb. A graduate in graphic design and photography, he now spends most of his time in the farm’s marketing department.

Indy Kaur is the CEO and founder of Plant Futures, leading UK strategic consultancy and insights partner plant-based businesses. Plant Futures works closely with UK retailers sharing the latest news in innovation and insights, as well as supporting plant-based businesses looking to launch and grow in the UK market. Indy has over 18 years experience in the food industry, having launched new products through to building growth strategies with a real passion for food!

Strategic Consultant specialised in Food Service and Delivery. Former Head of Vegan Category at Deliveroo.

Hari is an Indian cook, author and the founder of the biggest Indian food digital platform in the UK. Her website and social platforms feature hundreds of easy to follow recipes, videos, articles and live weekly cooking sessions that attract a global audience. The Hari Ghotra community App is a real time location with a thriving community of food lovers who share pictures and ideas, it’s a place Hari communicates with her followers daily. She is also the food and beverage development manager for Virgin Atlantic leading creating menus on all inbound routes and managing over twenty catering units across the world.

“Most of my career I have been involved in product research and design. I have been a food judge for many years and trained National Federation of Women's Institutes Cookery and Preserves Judges in a professional qualification. I have written and published cookery books. I am a food coach for Foodwise charity. I enjoy research food and compiling recipes. Always happy when cooking especially something new.”

John has been involved in selecting, procuring and retailing great food and drink for 15 years with Booths. In this time John has experienced the arrival and emergence of some wonderful food and drink brands and is always keen to support and encourage new and exciting products to market. With a wealth of experience in food and drink awards judging, John is looking forward to judging the Product Awards for a second year.

Laura has over twenty years experience in buying and started out as a Buyer’s Assistant at Safeway. She has brought lots of categories from chilled, bakery and ambient grocery. Laura has a real passion for food and loves discovering new brands and products.

David has spent more than thirty years in food manufacturing, working with all sizes of business from solo entrepreneurs to big food. He worked at executive level from procurement through manufacturing to distribution, as well as managing new product development and quality. He co-founded Cert B Corp Maia Growth Partners to help independent local food businesses access the skills, knowledge and expertise they need to build a sustainable and resilient brand.

Vhari Russell is the founder of The Food Marketing Experts, a full-service agency specializing in food and drink. She has over 20 years of experience in marketing, PR, and social media. She has worked for companies such as Winterbotham Darby, developing products for the multiples, through to sales and account management for smaller more artisan brands, looking after accounts such as Harrods, Liberty, Waitrose, and Boots.

Since setting up The Food Marketing Experts over 10 years ago, she and her team have worked to grow brands such as Warner's Gin and Seggiano. Vhari has a wealth of experience in developing brands and fully understands what needs to be done to support sales and continued growth.

She is also the founder of Grub Club Events, a multi-award-winning networking group for the food and drink industry. It is a must for anyone in the industry and offers a great platform to come together over great food and drink.

With over 30 years’ hospitality management experience Grahame entered the speciality & fine food sector when he and business partner Richard Fennell (now Commercial Director at The Gorgeous Food Company) opened their delicatessen in 2008.

Whilst owning the deli, Grahame and Richard were asked by one of their suppliers if they could support them with some wholesale distribution, and the duo started wholesaling tea to cafes, coffee shops and other delicatessens.

In 2013 they decided to sell the deli to concentrate on wholesale distribution and The Gorgeous Food Company was born.

Ten years later with a range of over 1700 products, The Gorgeous Food Company is going from strength to strength supplying delicatessens, farm shops and independent food stores across the UK.

Jo is a knowledgeable, respected and highly productive senior commercial marketing professional - dynamic, inquisitive, considerate and well-organised.

She has three decades of experience in the food and drink industry from FTSE 100 organisations through to start-ups and scaling businesses working at executive level and has spent time working with and within the biggest UK supermarket. Jo champions local food and enjoys being a judge for both Taste of the West food group and The Great Taste Awards.

Casually known as the Duchess of Doughnuts, Amy is responsible for leading and developing all aspects of British Baker’s editorial coverage, from breaking online news to in-depth features and analyses. She has a decade of experience as a journalist, six years of which have been spent at British Baker.

"I am an experienced marketing and sales person having worked within the industry for many years, almost too many, but having held senior and board positions in the country’s leading wholesaler, retailer and foodservice businesses,. Then moving across to brand and manufacturing businesses successfully launching brands, building businesses and running overseas business operations here in the UK."