Confidence, Culture and Craft Behind an Award Winning Street Food Moment
Winning an industry award is rarely about a single moment on the day. More often, it is the result of confidence built over time, inspiration drawn from personal experiences, and a clear belief in the food on the plate. For Chef Shannon Talbot, success at the StrEAT Food Awards 2025 was exactly that – a reflection of her journey as a chef, her cultural influences, and her thoughtful approach to street-food-inspired cooking.
Held at Big Penny Social in London, the StrEAT Food Awards bring together chefs from across the contract catering and street food sectors to showcase creativity, flavour and technical ability in a live competition environment. In her first year entering the awards, Shannon achieved an exceptional result – taking home StrEAT Food Chef of the Year and securing second place in the Dish of the Year category – a rare double recognition that underlines both skill and consistency.
Yet for Shannon, the experience was about more than trophies.
“I believed in the food I was putting forward, but I never expected to place first and second,” she says. “I went in wanting to challenge myself and prove that my ideas had a place on that stage.”
Cooking With Confidence and Intention
Shannon’s winning dish was a Caribbean-inspired jerk chicken taco, paired with a vibrant pineapple salsa and finished with delicate micro herbs. Inspired by the warmth and energy of Jamaican street food, the dish focused on bold, well-balanced flavours rather than complexity for complexity’s sake.
“I wanted to create something that felt approachable and exciting at the same time,” Shannon explains. “Street food should feel fun, full of flavour and easy to enjoy – not overworked.”
Judges praised the dish for its clarity, execution and confident flavour profile – a reflection of Shannon’s belief that strong ideas don’t need excessive embellishment to stand out.
“Sometimes less really is more,” she adds. “If the flavours are right, you don’t need to overcomplicate things.”
Drawing Inspiration From Heritage and Experience
Food has always been deeply personal for Shannon. Growing up, cooking was central to family life, with her father and brother playing key roles in shaping her relationship with food. Those early experiences continue to influence her cooking today, particularly her willingness to draw from cultural traditions and reinterpret them in modern ways.
Her second dish at the StrEAT Food Awards 2025 paid homage to her South African roots, reimagining the traditional bunny chow in a contemporary street-food format. The dish demonstrated both technical skill and storytelling – two qualities that have become hallmarks of Shannon’s style.
“I like food that has meaning behind it,” she says. “If a dish connects to who you are or where you come from, it naturally carries more confidence.”
Growth Through Challenge
That confidence was built well before the StrEAT Food Awards 2025. The year prior, Shannon was crowned OCS Chef of the Year, an internal competition that celebrates culinary excellence, creativity and consistency across the business. The experience proved to be a pivotal moment, giving her the belief to push herself further and test her skills on a national stage.
“Winning OCS Chef of the Year made me realise I could trust my instincts,” Shannon reflects. “It gave me the confidence to take on bigger challenges and believe that my ideas had real value.”
That momentum carried directly into her preparation for the StrEAT Food Awards, where the same self-belief, clarity of flavour and calm approach under pressure helped set her apart from the competition.
Originally trained as a pastry chef, Shannon brings precision, patience and attention to detail into every dish she creates. That technical foundation has shaped her savoury cooking, particularly in fast-paced, high-pressure environments where balance, timing and execution are critical.
More Than an Award
Shannon Talbot’s success at the StrEAT Food Awards 2025 is a powerful example of how confidence, culture and creativity come together on the plate. It’s a reminder that great food doesn’t start with accolades – it starts with belief, intention and a genuine connection to the food being served.
For Shannon, the awards marked not an endpoint, but a moment of affirmation – proof that her voice, her flavour and her approach belong firmly within the evolving world of modern street-food-led catering.
