Restaurant awards nominations, such as the Curry Oscars or well-regarded food industry awards, can be a transformative milestone for your restaurant. The award nomination serves as more than just wall decoration; it provides a rare chance to advance your business brand and draw in new customers while establishing your status as a culinary leader.
The majority of restaurant owners struggle to maximise the potential of their award nominations. Implementing a powerful PR strategy helps transform award recognition into substantial business achievements. This guide will provide tips for newcomers and established restaurant award contenders to ensure their nomination drives sustained growth.
1. Announce Your Nomination Loud and Clear
When your restaurant receives a nomination, you should share that news with everyone. Now is the moment to show off your achievement—people are drawn to success stories, and your nomination demonstrates your restaurant’s outstanding quality.
Start with a well-crafted press release. This should include:
- The award’s title, along with its meaning
- Why has your restaurant been nominated
- Include a memorable statement from either yourself or your head chef in the press release.
Consider how a win would affect both your restaurant and its customers.
Make sure to send your press release to local newspapers as well as online food blogs and industry publications. Journalists will show great interest in covering your story if your restaurant gains a nomination for the prestigious Curry Oscars.
Make sure your website features a special blog entry about your nomination. Use search engine optimisation techniques with keywords like food industry awards and restaurant awards to improve search result visibility.
2. Use Social Media to Build Excitement
Social media is the primary communication channel with customers, food enthusiasts, and industry experts. Share your award nomination story so that people will be interested in following it.
How?
Develop a branded hashtag, a straightforward option like #BestRestaurantAward2025 or a customised hashtag highlighting your restaurant’s name.
Build compelling content by sharing your team’s celebrations through behind-the-scenes footage or your chef cooking a signature dish and delivering a personal message about your nomination impact.
Invite your diners to share their favourite meal from your restaurant using the nomination hashtag. Provide participant benefits, including discount deals and complimentary appetisers.
Being nominated for an award like the Curry Oscars increases your chances of being noticed by food influencers who can help expand your restaurant’s reach.
3. Get Local Media and Influencers on Board
Food bloggers and local newspapers need fresh content; restaurant award nominations make for excellent stories. Invite journalists to dine at your restaurant and share the story of your restaurant’s journey with them.
Consider collaborating with food influencers. A popular food blogger’s Instagram story can create more engagement than traditional advertising methods. Give them exclusive access to your tasting menu or a unique restaurant experience to receive media coverage.
You should align your nomination with a larger popular movement to achieve national recognition. If your restaurant focuses on plant-based dishes and receives a nomination for a food industry award, then your PR strategy should emphasise the growing popularity of vegan dining.
4. Leverage Email Marketing to Keep Customers Engaged
Your existing customers are your biggest advocates. Launch an email campaign to share your nomination news, express gratitude for their backing, and extend an invitation to join your celebration.
What can you include?
The owner or chef should deliver a personal message to their audience.
You can offer unique promotions like a menu that is available only for a short celebration period.
Include a social media sharing request to spread the news.
The strategy ensures customers remember your nomination while motivating them to visit again.
5. Host an Event to Celebrate Your Nomination
Your nomination gives you the perfect opportunity to create a special event that will attract lots of attention.
Think about:
- Organise a nomination night with a unique menu that reflects your category of awards.
- Organise a customer appreciation night that provides free samples of your top dishes.
- Organise a tasting event with influencers to create media buzz
The event generates excitement, which results in higher footfall and increased revenue.
6. Maintain Your Promotional Efforts Even After the Award Season Concludes
The public relations campaign should continue after the awards ceremony, regardless of whether you win the award. Winning the award means you should issue new press releases and social media announcements while offering celebratory promotions.
You can utilise the experience even if you don’t win the award. Showcase your customer service quality alongside positive press coverage to prepare for next year’s competition. A restaurant that reaches the final stage of an award competition distinguishes itself from its industry peers.
FAQ Section
- What steps should I follow to craft a press release about my restaurant award nomination?
Craft an attention-grabbing headline followed by details about the award’s importance, and add a quote from you or your chef before distributing it to local and industry journalists. Keep your website updated by adding a blog post that highlights your nomination.
- What strategies can I use to increase media attention for my award nomination?
Engage local food bloggers, extend exclusive tasting invitations to journalists and create social media content that connects your nomination to broader industry patterns. Working together with food influencers will help you increase the reach of your message.
- What if I don’t win the award? Is it possible to utilise my PR campaign using my nomination?
Absolutely! A nomination demonstrates that you have achieved excellence. Use your nomination to gain press attention while engaging customers through promotional activities and establishing yourself as a strong candidate for upcoming awards.
Final Thoughts
A nomination for an award like the Curry Oscars serves as a significant marketing asset beyond being just a title. A well-designed PR strategy combined with media engagement and customer inclusion will transform your recognition into sustainable success.
Your nomination is just the beginning. Your restaurant’s growth depends directly on how you utilise your award nomination. Place your PR strategy in position now to take full advantage of this exceptional opportunity!
