Pangbourne restaurant scoops big win at British Kebab Awards

La'De Kitchen, Pangbourne has now won a British Kebab Award in the Customer Satisfaction category.

The popular Mediterranean restaurant, which won the award for Best Newcomer in 2021, picked up the award at a prestigious ceremony at the Park Plaza Westminster Hotel, London on Tuesday, February 28.

"The night was really great," said general manager Erdi Dilek. "We were really happy to be there and many people have messaged to congratulate us since."

A spokesperson for the awards added: "Our local kebab takeaways and restaurants are the beating hearts of our high streets and now, more than ever, kebabs are becoming part of our daily lives.

"From once being seen as a humble late-night snack after a night out in town, they are now enjoying a glow-up and revolution as part of a sit-down meal with family and friends, a quick healthy lunch or delicious takeaway on the way home from work.

"This year the awards raised money for the Donate a Doner Campaign, providing relief after the tragic earthquakes in Turkey and Syria."

The 11th awards, run in association with Just Eat and supported by the Kebab Alliance, attracted a record numbers of entries this year, making Pangbourne's win all the more special.

More than 1,200 guests attended the VIP-studded ceremony, among them politicians including Nadhim Zahawi and deputy leader of the Labour Party Angela Rayner.

Judges this year included LBC broadcaster James O'Brien, Labour MP Carolyn Harris, assistant general secretary of Unite Steve Turner, SNP MP Angus MacNeil, star of TV series Citizen Khan Adil Ray and David Galman from Galliard Homes.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak thanked the organisers saying: "I would like to pay tribute to the excellent British Kebab Awards winners and nominees and wish them, and the entire industry, my warm congratulations and every success for 2023."

Guests donated in droves to the newly-launched Donate a Doner, a fundraising campaign to encourage the British public to give extra support by donating the cost of a doner kebab to the British Red Cross..

The UK consumes 1.3 million doners per day, each one costing £5 on average. If everyone bought an extra doner, the campaign would raise more than £45m in a week.

Visit www.donateadoner.com to donate.