USA/INTERNATIONAL. Auckland Airport in New Zealand took the top overall award as the best and most innovative concepts in travel-related food & beverage were recognised at the 2019 Airport Food & Beverage (FAB) Awards in Dallas on 27 June, with DXB (Dubai International) among the other big winners.
The awards were presented at a glittering gala event, the climax of the eighth annual Airport Food and Beverage (FAB) Conference & Awards, hosted by Dallas Fort Worth International Airport and organised by The Moodie Davitt Report. The gala evening was hosted by Autogrill and HMSHost.
Auckland Airport received the prestigious Airport Food & Beverage Offer of the Year award, while the imaginative Glamp Grounds Bar concept at the airport received The FAB Innovation Award.
One of the most memorable moments from the ceremony was the award of F&B Team Member of the Year, with Tastes on the Fly’s Antonio Alicea the winner. Alicea, who works at Stephanie’s in Boston Logan International Airport, was one of eight finalists who were recognised for their outstanding dedication and customer service.
Travel food & beverage industry veteran Nick Inkster, who recently announced his retirement from SSP after a career spanning a quarter of a century with SSP, was honoured for Outstanding Career Contribution to Airport Food and Beverage, receiving a standing ovation.
“He has played a pivotal role not only in SSP’s burgeoning success on the international stage but also its, and the whole sector’s, tremendous qualitative rise over recent years,” said FAB Awards host and The Moodie Davitt Report President and Co-Owner Dermot Davitt during the ceremony.
Another vital component of the dining experience – the chefs who create the cuisine that travellers consume – were recognised this year in a new award: Airport Chef of the Year. From the vast number of extraordinary chefs working in our industry, Areas Italy’s outstanding Michelangelo Citino was named the winner.
Dallas Fort Worth International Airport was presented with The FAB Industry Contribution Award for sustained commitment to excellence and innovation in airport food & beverage.
An upcoming special edition of The Foodie Report will showcase all the winning concepts, as well as the winners of the highly commended awards and regional winners. It will be published in the coming weeks.
The winners, highly commended awards and regional winners are listed in full below:
Airport Coffee, Tea, Non-alcoholic Beverage Shop of the Year
Winner: Areas, Urth Caffé, LAX International
Highly Commended: LaTrelle’s, Stumptown Coffee Roasters, Portland International Airport
Regional winner (Europe): Areas, Farine, Italy, Spain, Chile
Regional winner (Asia Pacific): Delaware North Companies NZ Retail, Oma Artisan Bakery & Café, Auckland Airport
Regional winner (Americas): Areas, Urth Caffé, LA International
Regional winner (Middle East, Africa & India): HWH Investments, S34, DXB (Dubai International)
Airport Smoothie or Juice Bar of the Year
Winner: Lagardère Travel Retail, Natoo, Venice Marco Polo Airport
Regional winner (Europe): Lagardère Travel Retail, Natoo, Venice Marco Polo Airport
Regional winner (Americas): Booster Juice, Fit & Fun store, Toronto Pearson International T3
Regional winner (Middle East, Africa & India): HWH Investments, Treehouse Juicery, DXB (Dubai International)
Airport ‘Food to Go’ of the Year
Winner: HWH Investments, Flour & Stone, DXB (Dubai International)
Regional winner (Europe): TRG Concessions, Barburrito, Edinburgh Airport
Regional winner (Asia Pacific): Auckland Airport, Hayama Sushi & Noodles
Regional winner (Americas): OTG, Tsukiji Fishroom, Newark Liberty International Airport
Regional winner (Middle East, Africa & India): HWH Investments, Flour & Stone, DXB (Dubai International)
Airport Bar of the Year (Under 15 million Passengers)
Winner: Brewdog, TRG Concessions, Edinburgh International Airport
Airport Bar of the Year (Over 15 million Passengers and Best Overall)
Winner: Mikkeller, Copenhagen Airport
Airport Bar of the Year (Highly commended and regional winners)
Highly Commended: High Flying Foods, Stone Brewing Co., San Diego International Airport
Regional winner (Europe): Mikkeller, Copenhagen Airport
Regional winner (Asia Pacific): SSP Asia Pacific, The Cabin, Mactan Cebu International Airport
Regional winner (Americas): High Flying Foods, Stone Brewing Co., San Diego International Airport
Regional winner (Middle East, Africa & India): Emirates Leisure Retail, Draft House, DXB (Dubai International)
Airport Wine Bar of the Year
Winner: Vin Room, Calgary Airport
The FAB Innovation Award
Winner: Auckland Airport, Glamp Grounds Bar
Airport Casual Dining Restaurant of the Year
Winner: Lagardère Travel Retail, Teppan, Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport
Highly Commended: Pontus in the Air, Stockholm Arlanda Airport
Highly Commended: TRG Concessions, Spuntino, London Heathrow Airport
Regional winner (Europe): Lagardère Travel Retail, Teppan, Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport
Regional winner (Asia Pacific): Delaware North Companies NZ Retail, Blue Marble Lane Bar & Bistro, Auckland Airport
Regional winner (Americas): Paradies Lagardère, Shinsei, Dallas Fort Worth International Airport
Regional winner (Middle East, Africa & India): HWH Investments, Tranzeet Diner, DXB (Dubai International)
Airport Health-Centred or Vegan Offer of the Year
Winner: Mission Yogurt, Inc., Root Down, Denver International Airport
Highly Commended: HealthyTOKYO K.K., Healthy Tokyo Café & Shop, Tokyo Haneda Airport
Regional winner (Europe): HMSHost International, VIT, Amsterdam Airport Schiphol
Regional winner (Asia Pacific): HealthyTOKYO K.K., Healthy Tokyo Café & Shop, Tokyo Haneda Airport
Regional winner (Americas): Mission Yogurt, Inc., Root Down, Denver International Airport
Airport Food Hall of the Year
Winner: Lagardère Travel Retail, The Daily DXB – DXB (Dubai International)
Regional winner (Europe): Copenhagen Airport, New Food Hall
Regional winner (Asia Pacific): Our Home, Incheon International Airport
Regional winner (Americas): Delaware North (USA), Denver Central Market – Denver International Airport
Regional winner (Middle East, Africa & India): Lagardère Travel Retail, The Daily DXB – DXB (Dubai International)
New Food & Beverage Concept of the Year
Winner: Retail Services Sac, Haytu, Jorge Chávez International Airport
Highly Commended: Delaware North Companies NZ Retail, Blue Marble Lane Bar & Bistro, Auckland Airport
Highly Commended: HWH Investments, Nutella@DXB, DXB (Dubai International)
Regional winner (Europe): SSP Spain, Alas by Hermanos Torres, Barcelona Airport
Regional winner (Asia Pacific): SSP Asia Pacific, Line Café, Hong Kong International Airport
Regional winner (Americas): Retail Services Sac, Haytu, Jorge Chávez International Airport
Regional winner (Middle East, Africa & India): HWH Investments, Nutella@DXB, DXB (Dubai International)
F&B Marketing & Promotions Campaign of the Year
Winner: Changi Airport, Discover the Fun Side of Changi with Sesame Street
Highly Commended: HMSHost North America, 1,000 Acts of Kindness, various US airports
Regional winner (Europe): London Stansted Airport, Sky High Sandwich, Europe
Regional winner (Asia Pacific): Changi Airport, Discover the Fun Side of Changi with Sesame Street
Regional winner (Americas): HMSHost North America, 1,000 Acts of Kindness, various US airports
Regional winner (Middle East, Africa & India): TFS, Dilli Streat launch, Indira Gandhi International Airport
Environmental Initiative of the Year
Winner: SSP Sweden, Airport and Rail, Multiple locations
Highly Commended: JFKIAT and SSP America, JFK International Airport Terminal 4
Regional winner (Europe): SSP Sweden, Airport and Rail, Multiple locations
Regional winner (Asia Pacific): HMSHost International, BioCups and BYO Cups, Australia
Regional winner (Americas): SSP America, JFK International Airport Terminal 4
Regional winner (Middle East, Africa & India): TFS, Chennai International Airport – Plastic Free Campaign
Airport Food & Beverage Offer Best Reflecting Sense of Place
Winner: HWH Investments, S34, DXB (Dubai International)
Highly Commended: Auckland Airport, Glamp Grounds
Regional winner (Europe): Copenhagen Airport, A Sense of Copenhagen
Regional winner (Asia Pacific): Auckland Airport, Glamp Grounds
Regional winner (Americas): Tastes on the Fly, SF Giants Clubhouse, San Francisco International Airport
Regional winner (Middle East, Africa & India): HWH Investments, S34, DXB (Dubai International)
The FAB Instagrammable Experience Award
Winner: OTG, Yume Asian Kitchen & Market, Houston George Bush International Airport
The FAB Award for an Outstanding Small Airport Food & Beverage Offer
Winner: HMSHost North America, Bia Mara, Halifax Stanfield International Airport
Outstanding Airport Restaurant Design of the Year
Winner: Autogrill Group, AIR, Zürich Airport
Regional winner (Europe): Autogrill Group, AIR, Zürich Airport
Regional winner (Asia Pacific): Delaware North Companies NZ Retail, Blue Marble Lane Bar & Bistro – Auckland
Regional winner (Americas): OTG, Yume, Houston George Bush Intercontinental Airport
Regional winner (Middle East, Africa & India): HWH Investments, Tranzeet, DXB (Dubai International)
Airport Family Friendly F&B Concept of the Year
Winner: Incheon International Airport, Multi-Functional Family Center
Highly Commended: Auckland Airport, Glamp Grounds
Regional winner (Europe): TRG Concessions, Giraffe World Kitchen – London Heathrow Airport
Regional winner (Asia Pacific): Incheon International Airport, Multi-Functional Family Center
Regional winner (Americas): Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, Food Hall Chick-fil-A/Subway
Regional winner (Middle East, Africa & India): HWH Investments, Nutella@DXB, DXB (Dubai International)
The FAB Judges’ Distinction Award for Foodie Flair
Winner: Delaware North Companies NZ Retail’s Oma Artisan Bakery & Café.
The FAB Special Distinction Award
Winner: Bitco, Avesta Café, Erbil International Airport, Iraq
Winner: Areas, The French Taste by Guy Martin, Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport
Airport Chef of the Year
Winner: Michelangelo Citino, Areas Italy
Highly commended: Raymond Cash – American Express Centurion Lounge, Dallas Fort Worth International Airport
Highly commended: Murali Murthy Gantashala – HMSHost International India
Highly commended: Jeff Steelman – HMSHost North America
Highly commended: Peter Brennan – Marqette
Highly commended: Sergio Reyes – Midway Partnership, Chicago International Midway Airport
Highly commended: Paul George – OTG Paul George, Toronto Pearson International Airport
Highly commended: Judith Hernandez – Paradies Lagardère, Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport
Highly commended: Renata DeGeorge – SSP America
Highly commended: Luca Sangiuliano – SSP Frabel, Lyon Airport
Highly commended: Rajesh Shetty – TFS, Mumbai Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport
The FAB Industry Contribution Award
Dallas Fort Worth International Airport
F&B Team Member of the Year
Winner: Antonio Alicea, Tastes on the fly, Stephanie’s – Boston Logan International Airport
Highly Commended: Chef Gustavo Pinedo, Maggiano’s Little Italy, Dallas Fort Worth International Airport
Highly Commended: Nicole Teagno, Flying Saucer, Dallas Fort Worth International Airport
Highly Commended: Adda Amrani, HMSHost International, Amsterdam Airport Schiphol
Highly Commended: Mai vu Binh Minh (Jasmine), HMSHost International, Da Nang International Airport
Highly Commended: Emily Moreira, HMSHost North America, Dallas Fort Worth International Airport
Highly Commended: Freddie Maldonado, HMSHost North America, Tampa International Airport
Highly Commended: Tatjana Djukanovic, SSP America, Montréal Elliot Trudeau International Airport
The Outstanding Career Contribution to Airport Food and Beverage Award
Nick Inkster
Airport Food & Beverage Offer of the Year
Winner: Auckland Airport International Terminal
Highly Commended: DXB (Dubai International) Concourse B
Regional winner (Europe): Copenhagen Airport
Regional winner (Asia Pacific): Auckland Airport International Terminal
Regional winner (Americas): Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport
Regional winner (Middle East, Africa & India): DXB (Dubai International) Concourse B
