The Isaan Project Wins Lexington Catering's Casual Dining Competition 2026

Lexington Catering has named The Isaan Project as the winner of its Casual Dining Competition 2026, with the Thai street food concept set to be introduced across the company's customer sites. Created by Chef Kitty Whiteley and the Lexington Independents team at Kent College, the concept impressed judges with its authenticity, storytelling and commercial potential, earning the team the competition's engraved trophy.

Thai Street Food Concept Secures Top Honour

The Isaan Project celebrates the culinary traditions of Northeastern Thailand, bringing together regional flavours, family recipes and the communal dining culture that defines everyday life in Isaan. Inspired by Chef Kitty Whiteley's upbringing in the region, the concept focuses on authentic dishes rooted in personal heritage.

Central to the concept is the legacy of Chef Kitty's grandmother, known as "Khun-Ya", whose handwritten recipe notebook has been passed down through generations. Those family recipes served as the foundation for the winning menu, preserving traditional cooking techniques and stories that continue to inspire the concept today.

Following its victory, The Isaan Project will now be rolled out across Lexington's customer locations, expanding the company's casual dining portfolio.

Competition Showcases Culinary Innovation

Now in its fifth year, Lexington's Casual Dining Competition challenges teams from across its Business & Industry division to develop an original casual dining concept from the ground up. Participants are required to create complete restaurant proposals that include menus, branding, staff uniforms, marketing strategies and mobilisation plans before presenting them to an expert judging panel.

This year's competition attracted 29 written entries, from which 12 semi-finalists were selected to present their concepts during the first judging round. Five finalists advanced to the grand finale, where they showcased fully developed dining concepts.

The final took place at OKN1, a collaborative kitchen and award-winning dining venue located within New City College in Hackney.

Five Regional Concepts Reached the Final

More than 200 clients and invited guests attended the final event, sampling dishes prepared by each finalist before voting for their favourite concept. The public vote contributed 25% of the overall competition score.

Alongside The Isaan Project, the remaining finalists presented original concepts inspired by the cuisines of Jamaica, China's Shaanxi Province, Singapore and Venice. All five concepts will now be introduced across Lexington's wider business, allowing customers to experience a broader range of international flavours.

The finalists were evaluated by an industry judging panel that included James Golding, Group Chef Director at Rockwater and Fellow of the Royal Academy of Culinary Arts; MasterChef 2010 winner Dhruv Baker; Mike Carter, creator of Japanese street food concept Kana Kana and winner of the 2025 competition; and Tom Geoffrey, founder of Cambodian-inspired dining concept Barang.

Winning Concept Recognised for Authentic Storytelling

Sean Ritson, Managing Director of Lexington, said this year's competition demonstrated the company's continued emphasis on innovation, collaboration and authenticity. He noted that the initiative has evolved into a platform for showcasing regional cuisines while supporting employee creativity and expanding the organisation's food offering.

According to Ritson, the competition has resulted in 30 concepts being introduced across Lexington sites over the past five years, giving customers access to a wider variety of international cuisines while helping develop internal culinary talent.

Chef Kitty Whiteley said winning the competition was an emotional moment, describing The Isaan Project as a tribute to her family's culinary heritage. She explained that the concept was built around bringing the bold flavours of Northeastern Thailand to new audiences while honouring recipes handed down by her grandmother.

Judge Dhruv Baker described The Isaan Project as a commercially ready concept that successfully introduces diners to authentic family recipes from a specific region of Thailand, highlighting its strong storytelling alongside its operational potential.

Winning Concept to Expand Across Lexington Sites

The competition reinforces Lexington Catering's focus on developing original dining concepts that combine authentic regional cuisines with commercially viable restaurant formats. With The Isaan Project now preparing for rollout across customer sites, the company continues to use the competition as a platform for showcasing employee talent while introducing globally inspired food experiences to its customers. 

Sources: Hospitality Career Profile.