Announcing the launch of the eleventh KP of the Year competition
It’s once again time to find the country’s best kitchen porter, as Winterhalter launches the eleventh edition of the Kitchen Porter of the Year competition, which aims to honour the amazing work done by these too often unsung heroes of the foodservice and catering industries.
Since launching in 2013 the competition has become one of the largest and most prestigious awards in the industry. It has garnered widespread praise for its focus on the essential role KPs play in commercial kitchens. In many businesses, KPs go above and beyond their standard duties every day in order to help their colleagues and keep things running smoothly. Many of the biggest names in the industry got started as KPs, and vouch that it was a great foundation for their future careers.
Nearly 800 nominations have been made over the years since the first competition, representing all sectors of foodservice including some of the UK’s best hotels and restaurants, pubs, bars, clubs and a huge range of institutional and contract caterers, demonstrating the vital importance of KPs throughout the sector.
“KP of the Year is hugely important to us at Winterhalter,” says Stephen Kinkead, managing director of Winterhalter UK. “Every year the standard of entries gets more impressive, and it’s always a delight to discover the stories of not just these dedicated KPs but also the entire kitchen teams they work with.”
Nominations for this year’s award are now open, with 29th August 2025 the final date for entries. A shortlist of ten will be selected, before a panel of judges made up of industry experts choose the winner.
2025’s KP of the Year will be awarded the coveted KP of the Year trophy, £1,000 in vouchers and a celebratory meal for family and friends in a casual dining restaurant of their choice. Furthermore, the winning KP’s employer will get a Winterhalter dishwasher worth up to £10,000.
As well as this, two highly commended KPs will receive a certificate and vouchers for hospitality experiences, and every KP nominated will receive a bespoke KP of the Year Oliver Hardy apron.
“We’re looking forward to learning about more of the UK’s most dedicated KPs,” says Stephen. “If you’ve got someone in your kitchen who you want to celebrate, the time to do it is now!”
Links to the nomination form, as well as more information about the competition and previous winners, can be found at www.kpoftheyear.com.