Toast the City

Head Judge

Steve Dinneen the Life&Style editor at City AM and the editor of City AM The Magazine. He has a passion for gastronomy, writing about everything from fine dining to street food. Whether he’s covering the latest London opening or diving into global food culture, Steve writes with a mix of curiosity, insight, and a genuine love for good eating.

City AM Journalist & Life & Style Deputy  Editor

Adam writes about food and drink for City AM. A lover of culture both high and low, he's just as likely to be found in one of the Square Mile’s disco-themed late-night bars as in one of its brilliant restaurants.

Influencer and tour guide

David is an award winning London tour guide, TikTok star and Magician. Formerly a Vice President at Deutsche Bank, he retrained as a City of London Guide in 2017, took early retirement in 2020 and now has over 750 5 star TripAdvisor reviews, 360,000 followers on TikTok and is a member of the prestigious Magic Circle.

Chief Executive of UKHospitality

Allen Simpson is Chief Executive of UKHospitality, responsible for championing the nation's pubs, restaurants and hotels. He brings his experience spanning marketing, tourism, and big-league finance – from London & Partners to Barclays and the London Stock Exchange – to support the vibrant UK hospitality scene.

Founder Blue Orchid

Tony Matharu is an entrepreneur and philanthropist. He founded Integrity International Group and is the chairman of Blue Orchid Hotels. Tony transformed Grange Hotels into a collection of London’s top properties and now focuses on revitalising heritage sites, including the Tower Suites and a luxury hotel at 55 Broadway.

Fallow founder

James Robson is a British food entrepreneur and co-founder of Fallow, one of London’s most talked-about sustainable restaurants. With a background in hospitality and a focus on ethical sourcing, James plays a key role in pushing forward ideas around zero-waste cooking and responsible dining. He’s passionate about building restaurants that combine creativity, sustainability, and good food without compromise.

Head of PR at Hot Sauce

Yasmin Jaunbocus is a food writer and public relations professional with a passion for the culinary world. As Head of PR at Hot Sauce Presents, she collaborates with notable chefs and restaurants to highlight diverse food cultures. Yasmin contributed a Mauritian recipe to the Community Comfort cookbook, supporting underrepresented communities in the UK and was featured in the inaugural issue of Vittles magazine

City AM wine columnist

Libby Brodie is a wine consultant, writer, and presenter dedicated to making wine approachable and fun. She is the founder of Bacchus & Brodie Wine Consultancy and serves as the wine columnist for City AM, where her Wine Without The Snobbery column demystifies wine for readers.

Vintry Ward, City of London; Goedhuis Waddesdon; Barbican Centre

Jaspreet is an elected representative for the Vintry Ward in the City of London, where she supports local businesses and the vibrant food and drink scene. Her work combines a love for exceptional wine with a commitment to enhancing London’s hospitality sector. She is also a Commercial Account Manager at Goedhuis Waddesdon and a board member at Barbican Centre.

CEO at Evolv

Martin Williams is a British restaurateur and the CEO of Evolv Group (formerly D&D London). With a background in hospitality and a passion for high-quality dining, he’s helped shape the modern steakhouse scene in the UK after running Gaucho and M Restaurant. Martin is known for blending luxury with sustainability, championing carbon-neutral beef and creating innovative restaurant concepts.

Founder of 1 Lombard Street

Soren Jessen is a Danish-born entrepreneur and former investment banker whose career spans both global finance and world-class hospitality. In 1998, he transformed an iconic former banking hall at 1 Lombard Street into a vibrant restaurant and hospitality destination. Previously, Soren has been involved in multiple respected dining ventures in London, including Piccadilly's 1994 smash Atlantic Bar & Grill and Noble Rot Mayfair and recently founded the bespoke catering

Chief Executive of the British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA)

A passionate beer and pub lover, Emma is the voice for the beer and pub sector leading them through the pandemic, interfacing with Government and stakeholders to secure vital grant support and economic stimulus to aid the recovery of the Sector. Protecting the future of the Great British Pub and our world-renowned brewers.

Prior to joining the BBPA, Emma served as a Member of the European Parliament for 10 years and as a true beer lover, she also served as Vice President of the European Parliament Beer Club.

Outside of work, Emma is a big fan of music and sport, closely following the rugby, football and cricket – as well as watching them in her local pub!

CEO at Eastern City BID

A communications and placemaking specialist with more than 20 years’ experience, Kate is currently the CEO of the Eastern City BID and a member of Primera’s Senior Leadership team, leading on a range of external affairs and comms issues. Kate cut her teeth in the world of Government communications, leading on everything from the Elected Regional Assemblies campaign with John Prescott to working in the press office ‘bunker’ in the aftermath of the 7/7 bombings, before working on some of the UK’s most iconic Destination Marketing and placemaking schemes. Prior to joining Primera, Kate ran her own communications consultancy working on housing, regeneration and placemaking projects, and worked for some of the UK’s leading PR agencies including London Communications Agency and Fishburn Hedges. Kate graduated from the University of Sheffield in 2001 with an MA in Political Communication and before that studied for her BA at the University of East Anglia in Norwich.

Head of Marketing & Events at Aldgate Connect BID & Cheapside Business Alliance

Izabella has over seven years of experience working across Central London BIDs and has an extensive track record overseeing a comprehensive portfolio of projects, events and digital initiatives. She leads on the marketing and delivery of events for Aldgate Connect BID and Cheapside Business Alliance, aligned against the BIDs' key strategic aims.

BID Director at Aldgate Connect BID & Cheapside Business Alliance

Following senior roles in marketing, business development and stakeholder engagement, Claire has spent the past decade at Primera Corporation providing regeneration consultancy, placemaking development and establishing some of the City’s leading BIDs. She is passionate about creating opportunities for business and promoting London, be that through large-scale events or bringing organisations together to work in partnership. 

Fleet Street Quarter BID CEO

Lady Lucy French has been CEO of the Fleet Street Quarter Business Improvement District (BID) since its establishment in 2022, leading a once‑in‑a‑generation transformation across 43 hectares of the City of London. Representing more than 350 businesses, the BID spans Fleet Street, Chancery Lane, Holborn, Ludgate Hill and New Street Square. She works at both hyperlocal and national levels, influencing planning and shaping the future of this historic area.

An experienced and entrepreneurial public affairs and PR professional, Lucy has significant campaigning experience in the charity and arts sectors. She was awarded an OBE in the 2019 New Year’s Honours List for Services to Young People and the Arts.

Director of Communications & Marketing at Culture Mile BID

Caroline is Director of Communications for the Culture Mile BID in the City of London, leading the area’s Cultural Destination programme. She focuses on destination positioning, hyper-local loyalty, and programme led activation to drive footfall and engagement. With over 20 years’ experience in commercial theatre, she brings deep expertise in cultural placemaking, partnerships and aligning creative strategy with urban development.

Galvin La Chapelle

Chris and Jeff Galvin are pioneering British chefs with over 75 years of combined experience, celebrated as the first brothers to each hold a Michelin star at separate restaurants.

Since launching their first venture in 2005, they’ve grown a renowned restaurant group, including Michelin-starred Galvin La Chapelle, Bib Gourmand-winning Galvin Green Man, and the casual, neighbourhood Mediterranean bistro Galvin Bistrot & Bar. Their kitchens are celebrated for seasonal, ingredient-led menus crafted from the finest quality produce.

Wolseley City

Mike has been managing both bars and restaurants for close to fifteen years, from his beginnings as a bartender at Brasserie Zédel, to heading up the restaurant of one its more recent openings, Manzi's. He joined The Wolseley City three years ago, recently taking the reins as GM

Layered Reality (Jeff Wayne War of the Worlds)

Karen Lewis is a strategic marketing executive specialising in entertainment brand development and franchise marketing, currently at Layered Reality as Head of Marketing. With extensive experience at major entertainment companies including eOne Hasbro, NBCUniversal International Networks, and The Walt Disney Company, she has led integrated marketing campaigns across EMEA and international markets for iconic brands and franchises including Marvel, Universal Channel, Transformers and the Disney Channel multiplex.

Previous roles involved driving brand marketing strategies for Hasbro's Action Adventure portfolio, developing innovative marketing concepts for Universal Channel and Studio Universal, and spearheading the marketing launch for Disney's first D2C digital entertainment proposition, DisneyLife, across UK & EMEA. Karen has consistently delivered campaigns that enhance brand awareness, drive commercial growth, and generate measurable ROI while building strategic partnerships across the entertainment industry.

Founder of Bob Bob Ricard

Leonid Shutov is the Russian-born restaurateur behind Bob Bob Ricard, the opulent restaurant group famous for its “press for champagne” buttons and art deco interiors. He co-founded the group in 2008, building it into one of London’s most recognisable luxury brands, later expanding with Bob Bob Ricard City. Known for blending British and Russian comfort food with theatrical design, Shutov has carved out a niche at the high-end of the capital’s hospitality scene.

Humble Grape

Enya is Marketing and Communications Manager at Humble Grape. With a background in advertising, she is an expert on brand partnerships, events, activations, terraces and festivals. After Humble Grape won Best Bar award last year she will have a keen eye for the City drinking holes doing things differently in 2026.

Founder of Hoppers

Karan Gokani is the restaurateur behind Hoppers, the South Indian and Sri Lankan-inspired group that helped bring hoppers and kothu into the UK mainstream. A former lawyer, he launched the brand in Soho in 2015, drawing on family roots and regional recipes. Since then, he has expanded across London, earning critical acclaim for bold flavours, accessible pricing and a distinctive, transportive take on casual dining.

Founder of The Rising Sun

Sheila Dixon is the founder of The Rising Sun, a neighbourhood pub known for its warm, community-led approach to hospitality. She established the venue with a focus on traditional pub values - good drinks, simple food and a welcoming atmosphere. Under her leadership, The Rising Sun has become a local fixture, balancing classic character with a contemporary, inclusive feel.

Lazy Coffee founder

Matthew Staite is the founder of Lazy Coffee, a specialty coffee brand focused on quality beans and an unpretentious approach to café culture. He launched the business to cut through the noise of London’s crowded coffee scene, prioritising consistency, accessibility and good sourcing. Under his direction, Lazy Coffee has built a loyal following for its relaxed vibe and carefully executed brews.