International Restaurant Awards 2027 nominations: what a complete entry looks like and how to finish in 20 minutes
A restaurant awards nomination for 2027 is complete when it names one category, describes the kitchen in your own words, and carries evidence a judge can check. Most restaurateurs finish in about 20 minutes. The form saves as you go.
We read every entry that arrives, so this page comes from that side of the form. Nominations for 2027 are open now.
The current window closes on 15 October 2026. The jury scores those entries between 20 September and 20 October 2026. Anything later joins the next cycle.
You may nominate your own restaurant, or a client or colleague may nominate it. There is no public voting. Entries are scored on merit against our published restaurant awards judging criteria.
What counts as a complete restaurant awards nomination for 2027
Six things make an entry readable.
| What we need | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| One category | Pick the one category that fits best. Best Italian Restaurant, Best Indian Restaurant, Best Fine Dining Restaurant, Best Steakhouse, Best Mediterranean Restaurant, Best Japanese Restaurant and Best Seafood Restaurant draw the most entries. |
| Verified contact details | Trading name, city and a working e-mail. A dead address stalls the entry. |
| 150 to 300 words on the kitchen | Your concept, your cuisine, who cooks, how long you have traded. |
| Two or three named dishes | Name them. A dish with its main ingredient and price reads as real. |
| One proof of consistency | Covers per service, repeat bookings, staff retention, or a sourcing policy. |
| Six to ten photographs | Three dishes, the room, the pass and the team. Daylight, no filters. |
Here is the gap our panel argues about most. Two entries in the same category read identically until one names a dish, a date and a number.
Of the entries we send back, most lack that one example, not a document. We run 285 categories across 111 countries, so check the full list of restaurant award categories first.
How to finish in 20 minutes
Gather four things first: your category, a short description, three dish photographs, and one number that shows consistency.
Then work in one pass. The form saves as you go, and we e-mail a resume link to the address you enter. A long service need not cost you the entry.
Every nominee can enter one award programme in one category on the Free plan at no cost. Paid plans add programmes, categories, competition levels and promotional benefits; compare them on our nomination fee page or the Golden Tree Awards nomination plans. No plan, package or payment influences the jury or the result.
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After you submit
A confirmation e-mail arrives with your entry reference. We publish no scores and no shortlist positions. If something is missing, we write once and name the field.
We confirm winners internally between 3 and 30 October 2026 and notify them directly. The gala is on 14 November 2026 at the Westin Marina Hotel, Dubai.
Three galas follow in 2027: Dubai on 15 May, Bangkok on 15 July, Dubai again on 10 November. Dates sit on the Golden Tree Awards award schedule.
Across 950 winners, the United Kingdom leads with 136, ahead of the United Arab Emirates on 70 and Australia on 37. Read the full restaurant awards winners directory by year and country.