PIGNUT HONOURED WITH SUSTAINABILITY EXCELLENCE AWARD AT 2025 CRAFT GUILD OF CHEFS AWARDS
Helmsley’s Pignut restaurant has taken home the Sustainability Excellence Award at the prestigious 2025 Craft Guild of Chefs Awards, held on Monday 16th June at the Royal Lancaster Hotel in London.
“We are absolutely over the moon to have won this national award. The Craft Guild of Chefs is an amazing and prestigious organisation and to win the sustainability award is a great honour and achievement. Being recognised by the guild for sustainability really certifies all our suppliers and our efforts to run a sustainable restaurant,” said Tom and Laurissa Heywood.
Often referred to as the ‘chefs’ Oscars’, the Craft Guild of Chefs Awards celebrate outstanding talent across every level of the UK’s culinary landscape — from apprentices and rising stars to accomplished chefs shaping the future of the industry. The Sustainability Excellence Award, newly revised for 2025, recognises food-led businesses that are creating tangible, measurable progress in building a sustainable future for hospitality.
This is the second year running that Pignut has been shortlisted for this national award, a testament to its consistent and evolving commitment to regenerative sourcing, zero-waste operations, and social responsibility.
From the moment it opened its doors in Helmsley in 2023, Pignut has placed sustainability at the heart of every decision — from its hyper-local and foraged tasting menus to its refillable wine scheme, composting system, and reclaimed interiors. The restaurant works closely with a network of small-scale farmers, growers and community projects including Helmsley Walled Garden, Castle Howard and Otterburn Farm, with a focus on biodiversity, low-impact farming and ingredient transparency.
In 2024, the restaurant achieved carbon-neutral certification, joined the 360° Eat Guide for sustainable gastronomy, and continued to reduce its reliance on ultra-processed foods, energy usage, and packaging waste. The team’s social value strategy includes community partnerships, ongoing donations, and providing a platform for local food systems to thrive.
This latest award adds to a growing list of accolades for Pignut, which includes Three AA Rosettes, a Michelin Guide recommendation, and an Acorn Award for Laurissa, recognising her as one of the industry’s leading young talents. In July 2025, the team will relocate Pignut to the historic Hare at Scawton, where they’ll expand their growing operations on-site and offer guests an even deeper connection to nature and sustainability.
