Have you Nominated your Kitchen Porter for ‘KP of the Year 2014’?

The search is on for the Kitchen Porter of the Year 2014 and once again the competition, which is the brainchild of warewashing specialist Winterhalter UK, is being backed by some of the industry’s top chefs. According to Michel Roux Jr., “Kitchen porters are worth their weight in gold. This idea of having a Kitchen Porter of the Year is absolutely fantastic.” Meanwhile Marcus Wareing says, “It’s great to see KPs getting recognised through this award.”

The annual competition celebrates the contribution these often overlooked workers make to the foodservice industry. However, it’s not just about the kudos of being named KP of the Year, there are also some great prizes up for grabs, for both the winning KP and their establishment.

Winterhalter wants to encourage entrants from every sector of the industry – including hotels, hospitals, pubs, prisons, schools, restaurants, cafes and coffee shops – and is keen to highlight the impact winning the award can make. Last year’s winner was Bartek Malek of the Jumeirah Carlton Towers Hotel, London. He was nominated by the hotel’s Executive Chef, Simon Young, who says, “Bartek was elated to win, and his success was a big thing through the whole company.

“The award is a great way of recognising the contribution KPs make,” he adds. “Head chefs should take a look at their team. Have you got a superstar? If you value them, put them forward!”

This year the prizes are better than ever, with the winner receiving £1,000 cash, plus a celebratory meal for their family and friends, in a casual dining restaurant of their choice, for up to 12 people. The winner’s establishment gets a prize, too, in the shape of one of Winterhalter’s new DeMatik ‘greener and cleaner’ undercounter warewashers, worth up to £8,000.