On Thursday 26th May 2011, The Molineux Stadium, home to Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club hosted The Stadium Experience - Official Football Hospitality Awards 2011.

From chef’s to waiting staff and kitchen porters to catering directors, catering teams from the Premier League to League Division 2 attended the awards, now in it’s 7th year, with great anticipation. Ex football players, George Lawrence and Michael Johnson presented the winners with their awards along with the Vice President  of Wolverhampton Wanderers and Ladies England Cricket Legend The Rt Honourable, Baroness Rachael Heyhoe-Flint OBE.

The overall winner of the evening was Celtic scooping the prestigious award, they fought off tough competition for the title of overall Matchday Hospitality Experience Award Winners of 2011.

Media Choice Award:   Manchester City (Winner)   Arsenal FC (Silver)    Chesterfield FC (Bronze)
(Voted for by the national press and reporters attending matches across the UK)

Directors Choice in League Division 2:                            Bradford City FC
(Voted for by the board of directors at LD2 clubs when they visit an away match)

Directors Choice in League Division 1:                            Walsall FC
(Voted for by the board of directors at LD1 clubs when they visit an away match)

Directors Choice in the Champions League:                      Derby County FC
(Voted for by the board of directors at Championship clubs when they visit an away match) 

Directors Choice in The Scottish Premier League:               Dundee United FC
(Voted for by the board of directors at SPL clubs when they visit an away match) 

Directors Choice in the Premier League:                          Sunderland AFC
(Voted for by the board of directors at Premiership clubs when they visit an away match) 

Chef Team of the Year
sponsored by Salon Culinaire:  Aston Villa FC (Winner)   Everton FC (Silver)   Morecambe FC (Bronze)
(Live theatre competition which took place in January 2011 in front of Salon Culinaire chef judges)

Conference & Events
Marketing Award:  West Ham United FC (Winner)  Aston Villa FC (Silver)    Leicester City FC (Bronze)
(Judged by in a  mystery shopper style telephone call enquiry and follow up process)

Special Achievement Award:  Gareth Billington, Everton FC (Winner) Neil Rawlings, Hampden Park (Silver)    The Villa Midlands Food Students at Aston Villa FC (Bronze)
(Judged by Handover HR)

Star For The Future Award:  Frances Cash, Aston Villa FC (Winner) Amelia Reeves, Birmingham City FC (Silver)     Linda Hepburn, Hampden Park (Bronze)
(Judged by Handover HR)

Chairmans Award For Innovation: Wolverhampton Wanderers FC (Winner) Chesterfield FC (Silver)    Brighton & Hove Albion FC (Bronze)
(Nominated by the Chairman and voted for by the Stadium Experience Awards committee on a vote basis)

Sustainable Award Category:  Aston Villa FC (Winner) Chelsea FC (Silver)     Leicester City FC (Bronze)
(Voted for by the Stadium Experience Awards committee based on nominations received)

Matchday Hospitality
Experience Award in League 2:                    Morcambe FC

Matchday Hospitality
Experience Award in League 1:                     Walsall FC 

Matchday Hospitality
Experience Award in the Championship:          Coventry City FC    

Matchday Hospitality
Experience Award in Scotland:                      Celtic FC 

Matchday Hospitality
Experience Award in the Premier League:        Newcastle United  FC 

OVERALL Matchday Hospitality Experience Award: Celtic FC (Overall Winner)

Newcastle United FC (Silver)    Hampden Park (Bronze)

(Reported by professional chef judges experienced hospitality at 26 UK clubs over a period of 6 months and had a strict point scoring criteria from parking access, signage and welcome to the food quality and standards of service.)

Stadium Experience Chair Person Lisette Maas from Notts County Football Club was delighted with the evenings’ success and plans are already underway for next years awards on 24th May 2012 at one of the other great Stadium Experience venues “There were 18 categories of awards, culminating in the overall Matchday Hospitality Experience Award.  Each club taking part in the Matchday Hospitality Experience Award was independently visited by a professional catering judge from Salon Culinaire over a period of 6 months, they were all marked on criteria including service efficiency, food quality, venue standards and even presentation of matchday marketing sales literature.”  “The recognition given to those nominated and winning awards at the awards evening is vital to the morale and continued dedication of the catering and events departments at our football clubs, they work tirelessly behind the scenes on matchdays and non-matchdays