MEET OUR JUDGES

I’m an entrepreneur, presenter, and micro-investor passionate about empowering women-led ventures. As a Director of Heriots Patisserie, I built the brand into a multi-million turnover business spanning e-commerce, retail, and production. Alongside my business ventures, I’ve invested in and mentored women led start-ups with a focus on sustainability, innovation, and social impact. My work bridges food, culture, and community, and I continue to champion representation and inclusion across the food and drink sector.

Dr. Lilla Bessenyei graduated in Pharmacy in 2016 and has since specialised in Holistic Health, Superfoods, and Nootropics. With extensive experience in Sports Recovery and functional nutrition, she has spent the past four years focusing on the food and drinks industry. Collaborating with Brand Relations and now Branding Innovations, she works closely with emerging and established brands in the functional and wellness sectors, including SpaceGoods, VitClear, and Carouse. Passionate about evidence-based innovation, Dr. Lilla also serves as a judge for the Quality Food Awards, recognising excellence and progress in the industry for the past three years.

Martha runs Sound Bite PR, a marketing agency that focuses exclusively on food, drink and hospitality. Starting her career within international marketing at Scotland’s national tourist board, Martha has gone onto work with businesses of all sizes from largescale distillers and artisan food producers; to retailers, restaurants and hotels. For many years she ran regional food group, Food from Fife, bringing together stakeholders from across the supply chain and tapping into Scotland’s national food policy. Along with her business partner, Jessica Sneddon, she has been named as one of the 100 Most Influential Women in Hospitality by Code Hospitality.

Margaret Dineen is the CEO and Founder of Irish Food Trade Connect, an innovative trading platform dedicated to supporting the growth and scale of food and drink businesses. With over 20 years of experience in the industry, Margaret is passionate about helping companies trade profitably both domestically and internationally. She is a strong advocate for gender equality at the boardroom table, where, as of 2025, 27.9% of board members in large Irish enterprises are women and 22% in SMEs. Margaret believes that women's skillsets are pivotal at the strategic level, and she inspires the next generation of women in food and drink to pursue their ambitions.

Ruth Dolby’s 40 years+ career in the food & drink industry has revolved around kitchens, test kitchens, factories and boardrooms. Spanned food service, manufacturing, retail [selection, development and auditing], freelance food developer/ project lead and 10 years ago co-founded heading up Food Science Fusion. Ruth is a Fellow of the Institute of Food Science & Technology; is passionate about developing new innovative ingredients and products; learning and knowledge exchange. She has built a company that offers a blend of practical development for innovation application where culinary and food science meet commerciality. The Food & Drink Industry is at a stage where great responsibility and opportunity are merging as key drivers for best practice: health & safety, nutrition & diet, sustainability & affordability. If it is not eaten it is not nutritious; if it is not sold and paid for it is into commercial and if it is wasted, it is bad for the planet.

Helena has worked over three decades in food and drink development and manufacturing for companies including Marks & Spencer, Greencore, Domino’s and now Sainsbury’s. She has been responsible for market-leading product ranges and innovation across a broad spread of categories and is a previous Gold Q award winner. Helena has in-depth experience of prepared foods for both in and out the home, with expert knowledge across both health and ethnic foods. She has also worked on the manufacturing side, giving her a truly holistic understanding of the end-to-end process of bringing a product proposition to market. Additionally, Helena has worked as a Product Development Consultant in the drinks sector including the no and low category and the foodservice industry with Domino’s, and on the team of panelists for F&D Reviews. As a core team member of Sainsbury’s DEI team, Helena is a strong promoter of diversity and a believer that inclusivity in the industry results in better food, stronger businesses, and a more resilient food system for everyone.

With over 30 years of experience in the food and beverage industry, I have built a career specialising in flavour and flavour ingredients across a wide range of market sectors including savoury (food coatings and marinades), snack seasonings, beverages (alcoholic and non-alcoholic), confectionery, and dairy. My extensive background in New Product Development (NPD) has equipped me with a diverse and adaptable skill set, allowing me to thrive in dynamic environments where no two days are the same; whether collaborating on customer projects, creating presentations, exploring emerging trends and keeping up to date with changing food guidelines, providing solutions to customer projects and becoming a trusted advisor.

Seeing a product that I have worked on appear on a supermarket shelf is a moment of pride and fulfilment, knowing I played a part in its journey. My passion for food and drink extends beyond the workplace; I enjoy discovering new product launches, reading food magazines, and indulging in culinary shows like MasterChef and The Great British Bake Off.

A highlight of my career is my role as a judge for the Quality Food Awards for the past four years. This role has allowed me to engage with cutting-edge innovation, evaluate products on taste, texture, and other criteria, and connect with inspiring peers across the industry.

As a woman in food, I’m proud to have raised two children—half of that time as a single mum—while maintaining a fulfilling career. I strive to be a role model to them and am incredibly proud of the young adults they are becoming. Balancing work and family life has helped me develop strong organisational and interpersonal skills that continue to serve me well. Eating and drinking for a living what more is there to love?"

Karen Green is a UK grocery and food sales expert, who works with food and drink companies to enable them to launch into the UK market. She is a former grocery buyer for industry giants Tesco and Boots and, for the last 10 years, she has been helping companies achieve profitable sales growth through consultancy, coaching and key note speaking. Karen is the author of two best selling books, Recipe for Success and Buyerology. Alongside her client work, she is currently studying for a Masters in World Food in Italy.

Mex Ibrahim is a passionate advocate for gender equality and co-founded Women in the Food Industry in 2019, now a non-profit, championing inclusion, leadership, and empowerment across the sector. With expertise in sustainability, entrepreneurship, and ethical eating, Mex is a trustee of the charity School Food Matters, a member of The Guild of Food Writers, and serves on the advisory board of New Food Magazine. She also runs a successful digital strategy business and was named Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Champion at the 2025 Speciality & Fine Food Fair Awards.

Lisa Kerr MCIM works in Product Management & Innovations at Puratos, shaping strategies for better food solutions. With sixteen years in food and drink across the UK and internationally, in B2B and B2C, she uses consumer insights to spot opportunities and turn ideas into market ready products. Lisa blends creativity with disciplined delivery, translating trends into action to solve customer challenges and support brand value. Committed to responsible innovation, she brings sustainability into the mix where it strengthens outcomes and meets evolving consumer needs.

Aida Khan is a London-based restaurateur, chef and creative director best known for founding Shola – Karachi Kitchen, a Pakistani, South Asian, female-led hospitality brand founded in 2019. Her professional journey in food spans nearly two decades, beginning with food television and cultural storytelling in Pakistan, followed by formal culinary training in London in 2016 and extensive experience across restaurants, events, catering and media. Aida has led operations across restaurant concepts, pop-ups, large-scale catering and hospitality collaborations, including culinary partnerships with Soho House London. She has collaborated with global brands including Disney, Netflix and L’Oréal, and her work has been featured on ITV’s Lorraine, John & Lisa’s Kitchen, BBC Good Food and Food & Travel Magazine. Alongside her commercial work, Aida actively supports emerging leaders in food and is developing community-focused initiatives centred on skills and access.

I am an Award Winning Irish Food Blogger and self taught Photographer, Food stylist and content creator. I started sharing my passion for food through my recipes back in 2017 on my blog, Soulful And Healthy and it gained quite a following from people who enjoyed trying my recipes and new dish ideas.

I was born and raised in Bangalore, Southern India, I moved to Dublin in 2012 after my marriage. Being the foodie that I have always been from my childhood, I created my blog to share simple, easy recipes after I became a Mum, as I wanted to do something for myself. As my blog gained popularity, it went on to win The Best Irish Blog Award in the UK in 2018.

As my creations gained attention, I decided to become a Food Photographer and Food Stylist, and I have worked with many Irish food brands and Irish producers. Now my recipes are published in many leading publications like The Irish Times, The Taste, The Journal and many such magazines and newspapers both local and International. I had the opportunity to become the Brand Ambassador for Kenwood World, where I shared my recipes and photos along with many top famous chefs. I have been interviewed by RSVP magazine and The Independent where I had the opportunity to share my journey. I have also worked with some of the most popular restaurants in Dublin as a Photographer and Stylist. Since my family expanded we moved to Wexford, a beautiful seaside town and I still continue to share my passion for food through videos and I still enjoy photo shoots with local food trucks.

Lucy Matthewson is an International Trade Consultant with over 25 years’ experience across the food, drink and fresh produce supply chain. Having spent much of her career as a senior buyer for leading UK retailers including Waitrose & Partners and Fortnum & Mason, she brings deep, practical insight into how products succeed on shelf: From quality, provenance and sustainability to pricing, logistics and compliance. Lucy now works internationally with food and horticulture SMEs, helping them access UK and European markets through export readiness, buyer engagement and market intelligence. Her work bridges commercial reality with inclusive, sustainable global trade.

Maja Novak is a serial entrepreneur and certified sensory professional with extensive international experience in specialty coffee and food & beverage innovation. She founded and successfully scaled Space Cup, a globally recognized, design-driven specialty coffee brand celebrated for innovation, sustainability, and industry education programs, later acquired by a leading hospitality group. A long-standing member of the Specialty Coffee Association, International Women’s Coffee Alliance (US Chapter), Chaîne des Rôtisseurs, and Les Dames d’Escoffier, Maja is an experienced judge across global industry competitions. She is also an author at The Perfect Daily Grind, contributing to research and knowledge advancement in specialty coffee.

Leisa Pickles is the founder of Find Me The Leads, a specialist consultancy supporting food and drink producers to build effective routes to market within speciality retail. She brings a sector-wide perspective shaped by close collaboration with producers, farm shops, delis and independent retailers across the UK. Leisa helps founders develop confident sales outreach strategies, test opportunities and build sustainable retail relationships. She is known for her straight-talking, supportive approach and for championing early-stage food and drink businesses as they navigate the challenges of retail growth. Leisa is committed to supporting women-led enterprises across the sector.

Elit Rowland is the founder of Women in Wholesale and was recognised by The Grocer as one of the Most Influential Women in Wholesale. With more than a decade at JJ Foodservice, she’s passionate about food, inclusion, and helping women thrive across the supply chain.

AJ Sharp is a food commentator, broadcaster, and entrepreneur. She founded award-winning agency SHARP Relations, a communications consultancy specialising in food and drink. She's passionate about helping good people grow great food brands, and has built her career championing innovation, authenticity, and positive change across the sector.

She’s also the host of the Food Rebels the podcast and radio show with 130,000 weekly listeners, where she interviews inspiring changemakers who are redefining what the future of food should look like. A regular media contributor and fierce advocate for women in business, AJ is known for her warmth, insightful input and commitment to celebrating the people behind every great food story.

Denise has worked in the food & drink industry for over 25 years. and currently develops and  styles all the recipes and videos for the AHDB Domestic and Export Marketing projects and campaigns.

Her extensive experience ranges from working in food & drink PR,TV and media.  Some of her roles include:

• Working at the world-renowned Le Cordon Bleu Cookery School
• Senior Home Economist for Nestlé
• Food Advisor at the Sea Fish Industry Authority, where Denise worked across all sectors of the seafood industry to promote good quality, sustainable British seafood

Denise has a Masters in Culinary Arts from the University of Brighton and is a member of The Guild of Food Writers.

Amy Wilkinson is the Founder of Fearless Foodies, a learning and development consultancy dedicated to helping people in the food and drink industry be braver, lead better and stay human at work. With over 25 years’ experience in Food Manufacturing across NPD, marketing and commercial roles, Amy brings real-world industry experience into every conversation. She is the host of The Fearless Foodie podcast and the founder of Fearless Women Connect, a free community creating space for connection, confidence and honest conversations for women in food and retail. In 2025, Amy was recognised by Food Manufacture as one of the most influential female leaders in the Food and Beverage sector and is passionate about championing inclusive, people-centred leadership.