Pioneers of Vegan and Vegetarian Care Catering Celebrated at 2024 Awards for Excellence

Vegetarian for Life (VfL) returned to the iconic Houses of Parliament, hosting the eighth annual Awards for Excellence in Vegetarian and Vegan Care Catering. With the number of vegan and vegetarian residents in UK care homes rising 24% over the past decade, this event recognised the chefs, caterers, and suppliers transforming plant-based dining in care settings across the country.

Amanda Woodvine, VfL’s Chief Executive, opened the event with an inspiring address, sharing insights from a recent VfL survey: “Today, nearly one in three UK care homes house residents who follow a vegan or vegetarian lifestyle. This growth signals an urgent need for compassionate and inclusive catering, which is why these awards are so crucial. By offering vegan fine dining in care, we’re not just providing meals; we’re delivering joy, dignity, and community.”

The 2024 VfL Award winners are:

Care/Hospital Caterer of the Year, sponsored by Middleton Foods: 

Matthew Thornton, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, for expanding vegan options to provide creative and accessible meals with wide patient appeal.

Vegan/Vegetarian Supplier of the Year, sponsored by allmanhall:

Vegetarian Express, recognised for its extensive plant-based product range and commitment to sustainability in catering.

Chefs’ Hero Product, sponsored by Bullseye Food Packaging:

Henderson’s Relish, a versatile vegan sauce beloved by chefs for its depth of flavour and adaptability across diverse dishes.

Most Innovative Vegan/Vegetarian Recipe:

BOSH! for its Ultimate Vegan Lasagne, a deliciously layered, flavourful dish that is easy to prepare and ideal for care dining.

The day included interactive workshops, allowing attendees to explore vegan fine dining techniques. Participants engaged in hands-on sessions to discover how nutrition, plating, and dining ambiance can elevate the care dining experience, making it not just healthful but truly memorable.

Ms Woodvine also announced the launch of Gourmet Vegan, a new VfL guide designed to inspire care caterers with innovative vegan recipes.

Additionally, she highlighted a recent collaboration between VfL and the Care Inspectorate, resulting in the UK’s first self-evaluation tool for care providers, helping them meet the unique dietary and ethical needs of vegans and vegetarians.

VfL continues to champion compassionate catering, empowering care caterers to create menus that meet the growing demand for vegan and vegetarian options. Yesterday’s awards celebrated not just excellence in catering but a future where thoughtful, inclusive dining is part of every care setting.

For details of all the finalists and photos from the day, click here.

Click here for a look at our past winners.

First launched in 2016, the Annual Awards highlight the importance of catering well for older vegans and vegetarians. We recently surveyed 1,000 care homes to find out how many residents are vegan or vegetarian. Strikingly, the numbers of vegetarians and vegans in care homes have increased by 24 per cent in 10 years. The trend in nursing homes was particularly pronounced, with 4 in 10 (41.8 per cent) now having vegan or vegetarian residents – a 56 per cent increase over the past decade. 

With growing numbers of vegans and vegetarians being supported by the care sector, it is no surprise that news of the awards has been positively received by care organisations. Articles about the awards have been published by the NACC, Public Sector Catering, Care Home Catering, Care Sector Hub and more. 

It’s becoming impossible to ignore the demand for top-notch veggie care catering