A DERBY restaurant is hoping to retain its crown as the country’s best buffet after being shortlisted for a prestigious national food award for the second year running.
COSMO Derby, on London Road, has once again been named a finalist in the Buffet Restaurant of the Year category at The Food Awards England – less than a year after taking home the title.
The 330-seat world buffet restaurant is one of just 10 finalists from across the country competing for the 2026 award, alongside restaurants from Birmingham, Bristol, Coventry, Northampton, Peterborough, Telford, Walsall and York.
The nomination follows COSMO Derby’s victory at last year’s awards, when it was crowned Best Buffet Restaurant of the Year in recognition of its food, service and customer experience.
Kan Koo, director of COSMO, said: “Winning this award last year was an incredibly proud moment for everyone at COSMO Derby, so to find out that we have been shortlisted again is fantastic.
“What makes it particularly special is that it shows we have continued to maintain the standards which earned us the award in the first place.
“Our team works incredibly hard every day and we never take the support of our customers for granted. We have so many people who come back to us time and again, and we are hugely grateful to them.
“Of course, having won last year, we would absolutely love to make it two in a row. But whatever happens on the night, being recognised among the best in the country for a second consecutive year is something the whole team can be proud of.”
COSMO Derby serves dishes inspired by cuisines from around the world, with food from 10 different countries including China, Japan, India and Italian alongside a traditional British carvery.
The restaurant can seat 330 diners and serve as many as 1,000 people on a busy Saturday.
Alongside its food offering, COSMO has continued to play an active role in the Derby community, supporting local charities and opening its events space for fundraising events.
Recently, the restaurant hosted the Mayor of Derby’s charity gala in aid of Jericho House drug treatment project, with the event raising more than £1,410 for the charity.
COSMO has also picked up a string of national accolades over the years, including two Golden Chopstick Awards in 2019 and another Best Restaurant Chain title in 2021. It received a DEIB Award in 2024 recognising its commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging.
Now in their tenth year, The Food Awards England celebrate businesses and individuals across the hospitality industry, with finalists selected following months of public nominations.
The winners will be revealed at an awards ceremony at Grand Station in Wolverhampton on November 9.
Mr Koo added: “Derby has supported us enormously over the years, so hopefully we can bring the award back to the city once again.”
ENDS
This press release was distributed by Penguin PR. To find out more contact Sarah-Louise Elton on 01332 416228 or by email at [email protected]
