WHO is your food hero?

The Herald is today launching a nationwide search for the person our readers think has made the biggest impact on the Scottish food scene.

The Herald Food Hero is a brand new category in the Scotland Food & Drink Excellence Awards, which take place on May 27 at a glittering ceremony in the National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh, hosted by Kaye Adams and attended by over 700 industry representatives.

Organised by Scotland Food & Drink in partnership with The Royal Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland, the awards recognise excellence across 19 categories.

For the first time, in recognition of the Year of Food and Drink 2015, Herald readers can become involved in the awards by nominating their own food hero.

It might be a Michelin starred chef, an artisan food producer, boutique beer brewer, farmer, or cheesemaker. If you think they have made the biggest impact on the contemporary Scottish food and drink scene, then this is your chance to help them shine.

Your nominations, including the reason you have chosen them, will be read by representatives from The Herald and Scotland Food & Drink. Finalists will be announced in the week beginning April 6. The winner will be invited to the awards ceremony as a guest of The Herald.

Magnus Llewellin, editor of The Herald, said: "The Scotland Food & Drink Excellence Awards have become a fixture in Scotland's thriving food and drink sector. Our research shows that readers of The Herald are as excited about the Scottish food and drink scene as we are. So I am delighted that they now have the chance to have their say in who is Scotland's food hero in this, the Year of Food and Drink 2015."

Scotland Food & Drink Chief Executive James Withers added: "The new Excellence Award recognising a Scottish Food Hero is a great way to celebrate the Year of Food and Drink at a time when one of Scotland's most successful industries is enjoying growing profile.

"Scotland boasts world class food and drink but, like any successful industry, it is driven forward by passionate and talented people. This award is a great opportunity to recognise an individual who champions our land of food and drink and is one of the Scotland's many food heroes."

Readers are invited to place their nominations, with reasons, using our special email address of foodhero@theherald.co.uk The deadline for nominations is noon on February 27.

For details of the awards, visit www.scotlandfoodanddrink.org/events/excellence-awards.aspx