The Pizza, Pasta And Italian Food Association Announces Its 2007 Award Winners   Seven Italian restaurants and three pizza restaurants across the UK have been given Gold Awards in recognition of their exceptional standards by the Pizza Pasta & Italian Food Association ( PAPA - http://www.papa.org.uk ). The results of the 2007 annual awards were announced at a ceremony held at the Royal Lancaster Hotel, London, on November 1. This is the first time that 10 restaurants have achieved Gold Standard in the prestigious awards, highlighting the increasing quality of nationwide Italian food outlets. Gold Award winners include the restaurants: Locale, Blackheath; Filini, Birmingham; Il Forno, Liverpool; Bottelino, Emersons Green, Bristol; Bella Napoli, Glasgow; La Parmigiano, Glasgow; and Firenze, Kibworth Beauchamp, Leicester - as well as the pizza restaurants: La Favorita, Edinburgh; Harrods, Knightsbridge; and Pizza Metro Pizza, Battersea. Meanwhile, Prezzo is the Gold Award winning chain. In the Chain Pizza Delivery Operator of the Year Award, Domino's Pizza is category winner, while rival Pizza Hut receives the Overall Operator of the Year Award. Pizza Hut also takes the New Product or Ingredient of the Year Award for its Cheesy Bites. This year's individual Pizza Designer of the Year Award goes to Brendon Colmenares from Basilico in Fulham, London. Various supermarkets scooped awards for their pizza and pasta, with multiple wins going to Co-Op, Morrisons, Waitrose and Aldi. The Innovative Pizza Award went to WeightWatchers for its Hot & Spicy Chicken Oval Pizza. The awards, which were attended by leading figures from the pizza, pasta and Italian food industry, are now in their 19th year. Jim Winship, director of PAPA says: "A lot of high quality Italian food is available in the UK today, and our annual awards commend restaurants and manufacturers that make a real commitment to excellence." 2007 AWARD WINNERS Pizza Designer of the Year (sponsored by Whitworth Bros) Winner: Brendon Colmenares, Basilico, Fulham, London Tulip Super Tops Pizza Designer of the Year Award (sponsored by Tulip) Winner: Brendon Colmenares, Basilico, Fulham, London Roquito® Sweet Chilli Pepper Pizza Designer of the Year Award (sponsored by Leathams) Winner: Vito Rosa, Il Forno , Liverpool New Product or Ingredient of the Year Award (sponsored by Papa Johns) Winner: Pizza Hut - for Cheesy Bites New Product (Equipment) of the Year Award (sponsored by Saputo) Winner: Middleby Marshall - for 'Wow' Series Oven Italian Food Restaurant of the Year Award (sponsored by Continental Quattro Stagioni) Gold Awards: Locale, Blackheath Filini, Birmingham Il Forno, Liverpool Bottelino, Emersons Green, Bristol Bella Napoli, Glasgow La Parmigiano, Glasgow Firenze, Kibworth Beauchamp, Leicester Pizza Restaurant of the Year Award (sponsored by Equipline) Gold Awards: La Favorita, Edinburgh Harrods, Knightsbridge Pizza Metro Pizza, Battersea Chain: Prezzo Independent Pizza Delivery Operator of the Year Award (sponsored by Cooktek) Highly Commended: Roberto's Dial-a-Pizza, Codsall Winner: Lupa, London Chain Pizza Delivery Operator of the Year Award (sponsored by DK Foods) Winner: Domino's Pizza Pizza & Pasta Lunchtime Award (sponsored by Pasta King) Winner: Say Pasta, Emersons Green, Bristol Supermarket Pasta Retailer of the Year Award (sponsored by Pasta Reale) Winner: Morrisons Convenience Store Pasta Retailer of the Year Award (sponsorsed by Rondanini) Winner: Co-op Manufactured Pasta Product of the Year Award (sponsored by Pizza Pasta & Italian Food Magazine) Food Service Category Winner: Brake Bros. Bolognese Cannelloni Retail Category Winner: Waitrose 'As Good As Going Out' Crab & Chilli Linguine Manufactured Pizza Product of the Year Award (sponsored by Tulip Food Service) Everyday Pizza Product Category: Highly commended: Tesco Primafresco Double Pepperoni Pizza Winner: Aldi Carlos Frozen Pizza Parlour Vegetable Feast Bake-to-Rise Pizza Indulgent Pizza Product Category: Highly Commended: Sainsbury's Pea & Pancetta Pizza Winner: Co-op Truly Irresistible Four Seasons Pizza Innovative Pizza Product Category: Winner: WeightWatchers Hot & Spicy Chicken Oval Pizza Frozen Supermarket Pizza Retailer of the Year Award (sponsored by Freiberger) Winner: Morrisons Frozen Convenience Store Pizza Retailer of the Year Award (sponsored by Northern Foods) Winner: Aldi Chilled Supermarket Pizza Retailer of the Year Award (sponsored by Paramount Foods) Winner: Waitrose Chilled Convenience Store Pizza Retailer of the Year Award (sponsored by Pizza & Pasta Magazine) Winner: Co-op Overall Operator of the Year Award (sponsored by Stateside Foods) Winner: Pizza Hut UK   top