Scran awards 2025: Nominate the best rising star and employee of the year

The Scran Awards will take place next month, with a range of new categories in which Scottish food and drink businesses can win. Two of these, which are open for nominations, are best rising star and employee of the year.

These awards are part of the 16 categories in the 2025 Scran Awards, which have been created to recognise Scotland’s flourishing dining, drink and hospitality sector. The Scotsman wants to hear about the individuals, establishments and products that make the Scottish food and drink sector what it is.

Anyone can nominate their favourite local restaurant, fine-dining experience, whisky, newcomer, and hotel and cocktail bar now. The awards celebrate and recognise the hard-working individuals and organisations involved in the hospitality industry and how they shape Scotland’s food and drink scene.

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All finalists will be invited to attend a special awards ceremony on Monday, June 23 at Oran Mor in Glasgow’s west end. Guests will enjoy a welcome drink on arrival, meal and, of course, the awards themselves. It will be a must-attend event for those working within the Scottish food and drink sector.

You can nominate rising staff and employee of the year now | Yuliia - stock.adobe.com

The employee of the year award - sponsored by Selective Personnel - recognises an individual who consistently goes above and beyond in the food and drink industry, exemplifying excellence in their role.

This person demonstrates outstanding dedication, work ethic, and a commitment to customer satisfaction. Whether in the kitchen, front-of-house or behind the scenes, they play a vital role in enhancing team morale, operational efficiency, and the overall success of the business. The Scotsman wants to hear examples of how the individual has excelled; testimonials and feedback which the individual has received from customers, guests and colleagues, and information on any additional accolades the individual has received.

The rising star award celebrates the young or up-and-coming chefs of Scotland who have something truly special. Judges want to see creativity, talent and heaps of potential, whether it’s cooking in fine-dining establishments or for their own street food business. To nominate the best rising star, The Scotsman wants to hear ways in which the individual has made an impact on the food-and-drink scene in their area, as well as testimonials and feedback on showcasing how the individual continues to flourish and examples of growth.

We also want to hear about your favourite whisky. This award recognises the vast offering of whisky available in Scotland and those who go above and beyond to be the best and we want to hear details of what the product is and its individuality. Is it blended scotch, blended malt, single malt or single grain? Does it have an age statement? If so, what age is it?

If vodka, gin or rum is your preferred drink, then you can nominate the product for the best spirit that has been created successfully within Scotland and enjoyed by the public.

Nominations for this year’s awards close on Friday, May 16. To find out more about the award, nominate and buy tickets, please visit the Scran Awards website.