While 2020 remains a challenging year for the county’s culinary sector, some of its finest businesses are enjoying a well-earned reason to celebrate after walking away with the top accolades in this year’s Weetabix Northamptonshire Food and Drink Awards.

The competition, now in its twelfth year, is run by the sector for the sector and is aimed at publicly applauding all that is great about local produce and drink, recognising excellence within the county’s dining venues and rewarding those who work so hard within the culinary sector.

The Awards year usually culminates in a glittering celebration staged at Northampton’s Royal & Derngate but, owing to social distancing rules, the results of half of the categories were instead announced (Thursday 12th November) as part of a recorded, online ‘first course’ event, generously hosted by the theatre, with those of the categories in the hospitality sector to be revealed in the ‘second course’ at a later date, once lockdown 2 restrictions have been lifted.

The results, announced by representatives of the respective category sponsor, are (in presentation order and, in the case of more than one recipient of the Gold, Silver or Bronze, in alphabetical order):

Artisan Local Product of the Year (sponsored by Heygates Flour and Animal Feed):

GOLD: Giardiniera – Nakasero, Northampton

GOLD: Sweet Potato Pie with Spinach and Tomato – Sol Laug Havens CIC, Moulton

SILVER: Extra Apricot and Pineapple Jam – Green Kitchen Preserves, Northampton

SILVER: Fiorentina Beef Ribs – Squisito Butchers & Provisions, Yelvertoft

BRONZE: Apple and Fig Chutney – Friars Farm, Northampton

BRONZE: Basic B!t@h – Brooklyn Brownie Co, Northampton

BRONZE: Mango Caramel Popcorn – What’s Poppin’, Northampton

BRONZE: Nettle Ice Cream – Ganders Goat, Cottingham

Artisan Local Vegetarian / Vegan Product of the Year (sponsored by Daily Bread):

GOLD: Giardiniera – Nakasero, Northampton

GOLD: Salted Vanilla Popcorn – What’s Poppin’, Northampton

SILVER: Habanero and Red Onion Relish – Bite Me Spices, Northampton

SILVER: Lime Pickle – Papa’s Dhaba, Northampton

SILVER: Savoury Vegetable Pie – Sol Laug Havens CIC, Moulton

BRONZE: Chocolate and Courgette Cake – Sol Laug Havens CIC, Moulton

BRONZE: Matcha Tea Brownies – Pure and Raw Goodies, Northampton

BRONZE: Sara’s Parmigiana – Squisito Butchers & Provisions, Yelvertoft

Artisan Local Drink of the Year:

GOLD: Blue Aurora Ice – Lutton Farm, Lutton

GOLD: Stonyfield Rosé 2016 – Stonyfield Wine, Blisworth

SILVER: Hogtopus – Hollowild Cider, Hollowell

SILVER: Perfect Pear – Healy’s of Winwick, Winwick

BRONZE: Addington Garden Cider – Addington Garden Cider, Great Addington

BRONZE: Blue Aurora Dusk – Lutton Farm, Lutton

BRONZE: Blue Aurora Midnight – Lutton Farm, Lutton

BRONZE: Frogstar – Hollowild Cider, Hollowell

One To Watch (sponsored by Whitworth Bros. Ltd Flour Millers)

GOLD: What’s Poppin’, Northampton

GOLD: Whittlebury Bakery, Whittlebury

SILVER: Brooklyn Brownie Co, Northampton

SILVER: Nakasero, Northampton

BRONZE: Butler’s Pie Company, Brackley

F&B Achiever of the Year (sponsored by Howes Percival):

GOLD: Richard Gordon of The Greedy Gordons, Twywell

SILVER: Laurence Conisbee of Wharf Distillery, Towcester

SILVER: Zoe Mee of Mee Farmers, Nassington

BRONZE: Rachael Bradshaw of Hamm Tun Fine Foods Deli, Long Buckby

BRONZE: Teresa McCarthy of The Swan & Helmet, Northampton

BRONZE: Dennis Willmott of The Bell Inn, Finedon

Lifetime Achievement Award (sponsored by Howes Percival):

GOLD - Dennis Willmott of The Bell Inn, Finedon

Weetabix Sustainability Award (sponsored by Weetabix):

GOLD: Farrington Oils, Hargrave

SILVER: Blue Skies, Pitsford

SILVER: Waterloo Cottage Farm, Great Oxendon

BRONZE: Ganders Goat, Cottingham

BRONZE: The Good Loaf, Northampton

Additionally, in a move prompted by a desire to reward some of the many businesses within the sector who have shown incredible efforts during the pandemic, there was a further surprise announcement by the Lord-Lieutenant for Northamptonshire, James Saunders-Watson, of five Gold recipients of the COVID-19 Local Hero of the Year, recognising those who have played, and continue to play, such a vital role in supporting their local communities.

COVID-19 Local Hero of the Year:

GOLD: John Brownhill of Food4Heroes

GOLD: Green Acres Rural Enterprises CIC, Staverton

GOLD: Teresa McCarthy of The Swan and Helmet, Northampton

GOLD: The Red Lion, Cranford

GOLD: Wharf Distillery, Towcester

Among those now celebrating is double-Gold and Silver winner Nakasero from Northampton, whose Giardiniera – a spicy Italian relish of pickled vegetables – bowled over the judges in both the Artisan Local Product and Artisan Local Vegetarian / Vegan Product of the Year categories.

Founder of the company, Gita Rakundalia, says she’s thrilled to pick up such prestigious accolades: “It’s been incredible, watching my vision for the pickle come to life, go into production and then to be sold on farm shop and supermarket shelves in such a short space of time and I’m absolutely elated to be recognised in this way among what are some incredible producers in the county” said Gita.

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Gita Rakundalia,

“Tonight I am going to toast all of them as well as those who have helped and supported me on my journey so far, while I also dedicate this success to my late grandmother, my beloved Baa, who taught me everything I know!” she enthused.

Meanwhile, Farrington Oils at Hargrave becomes the first recipient of a Gold in the newly-instigated Weetabix Sustainability Award, much to the delight of its co-owner Duncan Farrington: “We were incredibly proud that our cold-pressed rapeseed oil, Mellow Yellow, was the world’s first food product to be certified as both carbon and plastic neutral back in January, so what a way to bookend 2020 than by being honoured in this way in our home county” said Duncan.

“We’re a small village firm of only 15 people but, like breakfast giant Weetabix, we are leaders in our brand as well as in national and global sustainability and I truly believe that, by working together to change our habits, we can all make a difference” he added.

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(Lt) Duncan Farrington:

The online celebration began with a welcome from Awards Patron, William Sitwell, who spoke of the remarkable resilience shown by the sector over the last six months and, despite those challenges, of its impressive ability to continue to produce some of the finest food that the country has to offer.

Those were sentiments then echoed by Weetabix Marketing Director, Francesca Theokli, who congratulated all those finalists involved in the competition and revealed the breakfast giant’s pride in playing its part in offering deserved recognition to the extraordinary entrepreneurial spirit, care, endurance and passion which each has displayed during the toughest of years.

The broadcast concluded with closing remarks from Awards Director, Rachel Mallows MBE DL, who not only offered her further congratulations to the Awards recipients but also thanked those who enabled the competition to proceed at a time when their support was needed more than ever: “Given the further pressures that every business has faced over recent months, we are all the more grateful that our sponsors re-pledged their commitment, enabling us to yet again celebrate our fabulous food and drink sector, albeit in a slightly different way this year’ said Rachel.

‘We know how vital the impact of success in these annual accolades is, and so to be able to publicly promote those who excel and then encourage the county’s food lovers to go out and support them has been imperative for 2020.

“I now cannot wait for our second course of Awards, when we’ll be revealing the results in our remaining categories, after which I hope we’ll be able to finally go out and celebrate together – safely of course!” she added.

Owing to lockdown 2, the results of the remaining categories in the hospitality sector will be announced at the second course of the virtual online Awards celebration at a later date, following the end of restrictions. Those categories are:

Booker Dining Venue of the Year (sponsored by Booker)

Booker Young Chef of the Year (sponsored by Booker)

Chef of the Year (sponsored by Dawn Farms)

Food and Drink College Student of the Year (sponsored by Moulton College)

Local Food Hero of the Year (sponsored by Northampton College)

World Cuisine Restaurant of the Year (sponsored by British Pepper & Spice)

For more information on the Weetabix Northamptonshire Food and Drink Awards 2020/21, please call Rachel Mallows on 01933 664437 or email rachel@themallowscompany.com

To watch the video of the first course, please visit www.youtube.com and search for #WNFAD20.

Meanwhile for further details on how you can join the second course of the virtual Awards celebration when they are announced, please follow the Awards on Facebook at @foodawards or Twitter and Instagram at @foodawardsHQ or on LinkedIn at @weetabixnfadawards.

Click to download our results leaflet

As the clock ticks down to tonight’s first course in the Weetabix Northamptonshire Food and Drink Awards celebration, the remaining finalists have just hours to wait to discover if they will walk away with one of two new, prestigious culinary titles.

They are a quintet of county firms aiming to take the ‘Weetabix Sustainability Award’, which was introduced this year to reflect the competition’s new headline sponsor’s ‘Change for Better’ commitment to sustainability and which is designed to recognise and celebrate an individual, business or organisation for a product, drink, process or project which has made the most positive impact across the breakfast giant’s four-pillar framework; sustainable ingredients, reduction of packaging waste, efficient operations and health and wellbeing.

The five finalists vying for that glory are (in alphabetical order):

Blue Skies, Pitsford

Farrington Oils, Hargrave

Ganders Goat, Cottingham

The Good Loaf, Northampton

Waterloo Cottage Farm, Great Oxendon

Having been selected from an impressive array of entries – demonstrating the sector’s awareness of the dangers of depleting natural resources and the need to maintain ecological balance – the five were interviewed by an expert panel of judges, including Weetabix’s Supply Chain and Technical Director, John Petre, John Clarke, who is the longest serving Member of category sponsor, Daily Bread, and the Chair of the Centre for Sustainable Business Practices at the University of Northampton, Dr Amin Far.

The results, which will see finalists awarded Gold, Silver or Bronze for this unprecedented year only, will be announced at the first course of the virtual online Awards celebration taking place at 7pm tonight. To watch the event, visit www.youtube.com and search #WNFAD20.

Meanwhile the results in the competition’s other new category for 2020/21, that of ‘Food and Drink College Student of the Year’ (sponsored by Moulton College), will be revealed at the second course of the Awards celebration, which will take place at a later date, once lockdown restrictions have lifted.

This category was introduced to shine a spotlight on those full- and part-time students showing drive for, and commitment to, the sector, who demonstrate an eagerness to learn, exceptional progress in skills development and who are young ambassadors for food and drink education.

The five shortlisted, who at their final stage interviews were questioned on their passion for all things culinary, their greatest food and drink achievements in and out of the classroom and their ambitions for their future in the sector, now have a little longer to enjoy their finalist status before discovering if a Gold, Silver or Bronze is their prize.

They are (in alphabetical order):

Bryan Dimalaluan – Tresham College

Austin Howsam – Northampton College

Joseph Kent – Tresham College

Patryk Kosmala – Tresham College

Mia Patterson – Moulton College

Despite COVID-19 forcing the usual springtime launch of the competition to be delayed and an inevitable streamlining of the category line-up, Awards Director, Rachel Mallows MBE DL, says she’s thrilled that this pair of new titles have been able to go ahead, reflecting as they do two different elements of the future of the sector: “Food and drink in Northamptonshire has gone from strength to strength over the last ten years or so and while of course 2020 is still proving to be tough for so many, you only have to look at the incredible efforts shown by these two sets of finalists to know that hard work, responsible practice and dedication to excellence are key factors in ensuring that that prosperity continues for decades to come” said Rachel.

“So, with just a few hours to go until we reveal some of the categories’ results, I want to thank our sponsors for their continuing support and of course wish all of our finalists the best of luck and hope that they will dress up and raise a glass tonight as we gather online to toast the entire sector for its remarkable resilience!” she added.

The results of those categories whose finalists are able to remain trading during lockdown – the product, drink and related business categories, including the Weetabix Sustainability Award - will be announced at the first course of the virtual online Awards celebration, taking place tonight at 7pm. To watch the event, visit www.youtube.com and search #WNFAD20.

Owing to lockdown, the results of the remaining categories celebrating the hospitality sector – such as Booker Dining Venue, World Cuisine Restaurant and Chef of the Year - will be announced at the second course of the virtual online Awards celebration at a later date, following the end of lockdown 2.

For more information on the Weetabix Northamptonshire Food and Drink Awards 2020/21, please call Rachel Mallows on 01933 664437 or email rachel@themallowscompany.com

Meanwhile for the results from tonight’s virtual event and further details on how you can join the second course of the virtual Awards celebration when they are announced, please follow the Awards on Facebook at @foodawards or Twitter and Instagram at @foodawardsHQ or on LinkedIn at @weetabixnfadawards.

If you find yourself searching for divine drinks and perfect products to help sustain you through lockdown and beyond, look no further than the amazing array of treats which are finalists in this year’s Weetabix Northamptonshire Food and Drink Awards!

Two dozen of the finest – from wines to ciders, pickles to pies – and all made right here in the county, now find themselves in the battle to take gold, silver or bronze in their respective of three categories, and ultimately the much-needed and timely boost to business that such success inevitably brings.

The three prestigious categories and their finalists (in alphabetical order) are:

Artisan Local Drink of the Year:

Addington Garden Cider – Addington Garden Cider, Great Addington

Blue Aurora Dusk – Lutton Farm, Lutton

Blue Aurora Ice – Lutton Farm, Lutton

Blue Aurora Midnight – Lutton Farm, Lutton

Frogstar – Hollowild Cider, Hollowell

Hogtopus – Hollowild Cider, Hollowell

Perfect Pear – Healy’s of Winwick, Winwick

Stonyfield Rosé 2016 – Stonyfield Wine, Blisworth

Artisan Local Product of the Year (sponsored by Heygates Flour and Animal Feed):

Apple and Fig Chutney – Friars Farm, Northampton

Basic B!t@h – Brooklyn Brownie Co, Northampton

Extra Apricot and Pineapple Jam – Green Kitchen Preserves, Northampton

Fiorentina Beef Ribs – Squisito Butchers & Provisions, Yelvertoft

Giardiniera – Nakasero, Northampton

Mango Caramel Popcorn – What’s Poppin’, Northampton

Nettle Ice Cream – Ganders Goat, Cottingham

Sweet Potato Pie with Spinach and Tomato – Sol Laug Havens CIC, Moulton

Artisan Local Vegetarian / Vegan Product of the Year (sponsored by Daily Bread):

Chocolate and Courgette Cake – Sol Laug Havens CIC, Moulton

Giardiniera – Nakasero, Northampton

Habanero and Red Onion Relish – Bite Me Spices, Northampton

Lime Pickle – Papa’s Dhaba, Northampton

Matcha Tea Brownies – Pure and Raw Goodies, Northampton

Salted Vanilla Popcorn – What’s Poppin’, Northampton

Sara’s Parmigiana – Squisito Butchers & Provisions, Yelvertoft

Savoury Vegetable Pie – Sol Laug Havens CIC, Moulton

Last year, the Vegetarian/Vegan title was awarded to Mindy Robinson from Sophisticake Creations in Northampton for her vegan Zucchini and Walnut Cake and, even now, she says she feeling the benefits of that success: "I can still recall the overwhelming sense of surprise and delight when my name was read out at last year's dinner and that news had a great impact in raising awareness of my business" revealed Mindy.

"Of course I've faced challenges in the last few months like any other food producer but my success has given me the confidence to face those head on and indeed prompted me not only to run some online bakery courses during our first lockdown but also to enter the same cake into the Great Taste Awards, gaining two stars!

"I would never have achieved any of that without the boost of the Northamptonshire competition and so I wish good luck to all of the finalists this year and trust they too will enjoy reaping the rewards that I'm sure await them!" she added.

The results of these three categories, alongside those categories whose finalists are able to remain trading during lockdown, will be announced at the first course of the virtual online Awards celebration, taking place at 7pm on Thursday 12th November. To watch the event, visit www.youtube.com and search #WNFAD20.

Owing to lockdown, the results of the remaining categories celebrating the hospitality sector – such as Booker Dining Venue, World Cuisine Restaurant and Chef of the Year - will be announced at the second course of the virtual online Awards celebration at a later date, once restrictions have been lifted.

All categories will, for this unprecedented year only, see finalists awarded Gold, Silver or Bronze.

For more information on the Weetabix Northamptonshire Food and Drink Awards 2020/21, please call Rachel Mallows on 01933 664437 or email rachel@themallowscompany.com

Meanwhile for further details, including news of the finalists in the remaining categories and details of how you can join the second course of the virtual Awards celebration when they are announced, follow the Awards on Facebook at @foodawards or Twitter and Instagram at @foodawardsHQ or on LinkedIn at @weetabixnfadawards.

With just a fortnight to go until the results of this year’s Weetabix Northamptonshire Food and Drink Awards are announced, revealing the county’s best producers, eateries and chefs, more stars of the sector are celebrating their deserved moment in the spotlight!

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(Lt) Cheryl Thallon of Viridian Nutrution (Rt) Shena Cooper of Fruitful Abundance

-co-winners of the F&B Achiever of the Year in 2019/20

Among them are the six nervous finalists vying for glory in the ‘F&B Achiever of the Year’ category (sponsored by Howes Percival), one which is designed to recognize those individuals who have made, and continue to make, a significant contribution to the food and drink scene in the county.

The finalists are (in alphabetical order):

Rachael Bradshaw of Hamm Tun Fine Foods Deli, Long Buckby

Laurence Conisbee of Wharf Distillery, Towcester

Richard Gordon of The Greedy Gordons, Twywell

Teresa McCarthy-Dixon of The Swan & Helmet, Northampton

Zoe Mee of Mee Farmers, Nassington

Dennis Willmott of The Bell Inn, Finedon

The impressive sextet were selected from a record number of entries - reflecting the resilience and stature of the sector despite this most challenging of years – and then faced interviews from a panel of business experts including Matthew Talbot, Partner at Howes Percival, Yvette Lamidey, who is SME Champion and a board member at Awards Associate Sponsor, SEMLEP, and Wayne Pheasey from fellow Awards Associate Sponsor, Musk Process Services, the Peterborough-based engineering service providers, whose clients include some of the major names in the food and drink sector across the UK.

In a year that has seen business leaders modify their practices to both survive and thrive, Wayne was impressed by the calibre of all those shortlisted: “I was delighted to represent Musk Process Services as a judge in this brilliant competition, one which perhaps has more significance in 2020 than ever before in publicly applauding this amazing sector in Northamptonshire” said Wayne.

“The finalists in this category have endured the same challenges as any other, yet they’ve shown real commercial acumen, adapting accordingly while continuing their commitment to superb customer service and their collection of inspiring professional and personal stories made it a very difficult, but no less enjoyable, judging session!” he enthused.

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Xachoh of Silverstone-

winner of One To Watch in 2019/20

By contrast, the ‘One To Watch’ category (sponsored by Whitworth Bros. Ltd Flour Millers) is aimed at producers younger than five years old and is designed to recognize their potential for major growth, their future impact on the market and thereby raising the profile of the county at regional, national or international level.

The five on the shortlist are (in alphabetical order):

Brooklyn Brownie Co, Northampton

Butler’s Pie Company, Brackley

Nakasero, Northampton

What’s Poppin’, Northampton

Whittlebury Bakery, Whittlebury

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Up The Field of Little Irchester-

winner of Local Food Hero in 2019/20

Meanwhile the ‘Local Food Hero of the Year’ category (sponsored by Northampton College) is the only one in the annual competition which invites public nomination rather than direct entry and, following as challenging a first stage judging session as the category has ever witnessed, the four finalists chosen at the subsequent shortlisting were (in alphabetical order):

Elliott Family of Elliotts Butchers of Kislingbury and Norborough Lodge Farm Shop, Brockhall

Hamm Tun Fine Foods, Long Buckby

The Fox and Hounds, Whittlebury

The Plough, Shutlanger

In recent years, the ‘Local Food Hero’ category has celebrated a wide range of projects and individuals whose stories may not otherwise have come to light and, given the remarkable response to the COVID-19 pandemic shown by so many food and drink businesses across the county, Awards Director Rachel Mallows MBE DL believes it was inevitable that the competition would be inundated with suggestions of those who should be lauded for their exceptional efforts: “This category was introduced in 2010 and over the last decade we have been humbled by the hundreds of nominations we’ve received but, perhaps not surprisingly, the public sentiment this year overwhelmingly demonstrates that so many food and drink businesses are going above and beyond to support their communities” revealed Rachel.

“Reading all the nominations was incredibly heartwarming and made me not only more proud – if that were possible - of our wonderful food and drink sector, but also all the more thankful that I am not a judge and, while we won’t be revealing the final results until next month, I am delighted to divulge that we will have few celebratory surprises up our sleeves, come the big night!” she added.

The results, which will see finalists across all twelve categories being awarded gold, silver or bronze, will be announced as part of a virtual online Awards celebration taking place on Thursday 12th November.

For more information on the Weetabix Northamptonshire Food and Drink Awards 2020/21, please call Rachel Mallows on 01933 664437 or email rachel@themallowscompany.com

Meanwhile for further details, including news of the finalists in the remaining categories as they are announced and details of how you can join the virtual Awards celebration on 12th November, follow the Awards on Facebook at @foodawards or Twitter and Instagram at @foodawardsHQ or on LinkedIn at @weetabixnfadawards

After facing arguably the most challenging six months in their history, some of the county’s top eateries have been given a timely and much-needed boost, having been named as finalists in this year’s Weetabix Northamptonshire Food and Drink Awards.

The annual competition celebrates all that is great about local produce and drink and recognises those who work so hard within the culinary sector while it is for their fabulous food, superlative service and mouthwatering menus – assessed by a wiling band of mystery shoppers over the summer - that fifteen venues are now competing for further glory in two of the Awards’ prestigious categories!

The first, that of ‘Booker Dining Venue of the Year’ (sponsored by Booker), sees nine of the county’s best pubs and restaurants go head-to-head. They are (in alphabetical order):

Hibiscus, Northampton

Italian Market Kitchen, Rothwell

Nuovo, Northampton

The Griffin's Head, Mears Ashby

The Hopping Hare, Northampton

The Red Lion, East Haddon

The Saracen's Head, Little Brington

The Tollemache Arms, Harrington

The Willow and Brook, Apethorpe

Meanwhile, the six top scorers from among the plethora of entries into the ‘World Cuisine Restaurant of the Year’ category (sponsored by British Pepper & Spice) are (in alphabetical order):

Hashtag Justinas Chef, Northampton

Nazreen, Burton Latimer

Oren Pho, Northampton

Saffron, Northampton

The Exotic Dining, Kettering

Truva Charcoal Bar & Grill, Towcester

Following the enforced closure of venues earlier in the year as a result of lockdown, there were concerns that these categories may not have been able to go ahead but, as Awards Director, Rachel Mallows MBE DL, explains, that was never her fear: “Based on what venue owners were telling us, we just knew that the appetite was there for us press on, so we’re thrilled that, despite having to rethink so much of the competition this year, our sponsors have supported us throughout and enabled us to proceed with these vital categories” she revealed.

‘I’m therefore thrilled to see some new names being celebrated and not at all surprised to see some former winners, runners-up and finalists on the shortlists as they, more than anyone, appreciate what success in these awards means and what a difference it will make as we head towards what of course look set to be some further tough months ahead” Rachel added.

She also went on to pay tribute to those who played their vital role in the process – those secret diners who visited the record number of entries throughout the summer: “So many of our mystery shoppers have performed the task for a number of years and, aside from a handful who were shielding for health reasons, the response to being invited to the role was overwhelmingly positive, with so many being delighted to have the excuse to get out, try out some different eateries and perhaps even find a new favourite!” said Rachel.

“Having personally seen all of their scoresheets and knowing therefore how incredibly hard our shortlisted venues are working to create both safe and superlative experiences for their diners, I would encourage the county’s foodies to go out and offer their support to all of our finalists – something which they need now more than ever!” she urged.

Having already been secretly assessed twice as part of the shortlisting process, the finalists in both categories are currently being visited by two external Mystery Shoppers who will score them on everything from staff knowledge of the menu to use of local ingredients, speed of service, and of course the quality of the food itself – not to mention the standard of their washrooms!

The results, which will see finalists across all twelve categories being awarded gold, silver or bronze, will be announced as part of a virtual online Awards celebration taking place on Thursday 12th November.

For more information on the Weetabix Northamptonshire Food and Drink Awards 2020/21, please call Rachel Mallows on 01933 664437 or email rachel@themallowscompany.com

Meanwhile you can also follow the Awards, including news of the finalists in all of the categories as they are announced, on Facebook at @foodawards or Twitter and Instagram at @foodawardsHQ or on LinkedIn at @weetabixnfadawards

The county’s chefs may be facing the toughest of professional adversities thrown at them by the ongoing COVID crisis, but some of them have put that battle aside for a day and instead taken on a different challenge, vying for one of two prestigious titles in this year’s Weetabix Northamptonshire Food and Drink Awards.

So it was that, last week, four of the most talented local culinary craftsmen donned their whites and headed for Shires Cookery School in East Haddon to compete to be named ‘Chef of the Year’ (sponsored by Dawn Farms) at a cook-off which saw them given two hours to prepare and serve two identical portions of a starter and a main course using their key ingredients of locally sourced wild rabbit, damsons, homegrown artichokes and red wine from Earls Barton’s New Lodge Vineyard.

The four aiming for the top prize were (in alphabetical order):

Jim Millar - The Willow and Brook, Apethorpe

Michael O'Gorman - Side Order Catering, Wellingborough

Zak Perrin - The Falcon, Fotheringhay

Samuel Squires - Hisbiscus, Northampton

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Christian and Simon assess the dishes

The carefully socially-distanced event saw the quartet square up in two pairs across the day but watched throughout by the same panel of expert judges including the chef who fed the England Lionesses on their way to semi-final glory in the Women’s World Cup last summer, Gavin Austin, former Northampton College student Simon Dyer, who now works as Sir Richard Branson’s private chef on his Caribbean retreat, Necker Island, and former Saints and England Saxons player, Christian Day, who himself made the semi-final of BBC MasterChef earlier this year.

Indeed it was that TV experience that led Christian to being further impressed by the talent shown by all the finalists: “I was watched by thousands of people during my rugby playing career but I now know only too well that it’s quite a different thing being presented with an unknown culinary challenge in an unfamiliar kitchen and scrutinized every step of the way, so I was so impressed to see these guys in action and to watch them create some amazing dishes” said Christian.

“All four of them showed real skill, confidence and passion in crafting their two courses and I hope I can speak on behalf of the panel when I say that they made the tasting session an incredibly enjoyable experience and the judging an equally tough one!” he added.

A week earlier, the same venue played host to the junior equivalent as four chefs fought for the title of

‘Booker Young Chef of the Year’, the category sponsored by Booker which is aimed at budding stars aged under 25.

The quartet were (in alphabetical order):

Austin Howsam – Burnt Lemon Chefs, Woodford

Kenny Markham – Burnt Lemon Chefs, Woodford

Louis Scott – from Stanford-On-Avon

David Arthur Smith - The Palmichael, Burton Latimer

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Austin(L) and Louis(R) tackle their challenge

Their ‘Ready Steady Cook’ style challenge – again staged across morning and afternoon sessions to ensure social distancing - was to prepare their own version of Chicken Cordon Bleu using locally-sourced ingredients of ham from Sauls of Spratton, cheese from Hamm Tun Fine Foods and breadcrumbs created using a loaf from Whittlebury Bakery and, as with their senior counterparts, with no prior knowledge of the challenge ahead.

Among those charged with the task of determining who would be awarded gold, silver or bronze – a change to the usual winner and runner-up process which will apply to all categories for this year only - were Shires Cookery School owner and generous host James Claydon, Awards Patron Mary Laing, Head of Catering at Northampton College, Phil Martin, and Peter Saunders from category sponsor Booker, who spoke of the company’s pride in supporting the competition again, especially in these challenging times: “Booker has backed these Awards for a decade now and we’re particularly proud to be doing so again this year at a time when chefs, venues, producers and indeed the entire sector needs every boost it can get” said Peter.

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Mary and Peter tuck in

“Watching the four accomplished young chefs in action was not only inspiring for all the judges but was a reassuring reminder that, however tough things may be at the moment, the future of food and drink in the county is in very safe hands” he enthused.

The results of the competition will be announced as part of a virtual online Awards celebration taking place on Thursday 12th November.

For more information on the dozen categories in the Weetabix Northamptonshire Food and Drink Awards 2020/21, please call Rachel Mallows on 01933 664437 or email rachel@themallowscompany.com

Meanwhile you can also follow the Awards, including news of the finalists in all of the categories as they are announced, on Facebook at @foodawards or Twitter and Instagram at @foodawardsHQ or on LinkedIn at @weetabixnfadawards

For further details on the wide range of courses on offer at Shires Cookery School, please visit www.shirescookeryschool.com or call 07801 572758.

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David(L) and Kenny(R) get to grips with their ingredients

Fast forward to Christmas and the conversation over the turkey is unlikely to be stuffed with many good things to have come out of the current crisis.

However, if there’s one positive to have emerged from this ongoing chaos, it is surely the surge in demand for buying local, as customers have switched crowded supermarkets for smaller independent shops and producers.

Now, as the lockdown rules are relaxed further, the team behind the Weetabix Northamptonshire Food and Drink Awards, the annual competition run by the sector, for the sector, is urging consumers to remember those county bakers and brewers, pie and pickle-makers  – and the local venues that stock them - who have stepped up to the plate to best serve their communities when they were most needed.

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Among those to have gone above and beyond, ensuring that their virtual shelves have been packed with some of the county’s fabulous food and drink, is The Good Loaf in Northampton, a former winner of the Awards’ ‘Weetabix Local Food Hero’ category.

The social enterprise, whose premises in Overstone Road usually operates as a café, has instead switched to offering both next-day grocery click and collect and delivery services.

As well as continuing to provide its own artisan bread, made using local flour from category sponsors Heygates Flour and Animal Feed at Bugbrooke and, in some of its recipes, Mellow Yellow rapeseed oil from Farrington Oils in Hargrave, The Good Loaf’s list of products available online is littered with those made in the county, as Chief Executive, Suzy Van Rooyen DL, explains: “We use as many local suppliers as possible on a regular, day to day basis but we’ve seized this opportunity to showcase others too, not only to demonstrate our support for our passionate producers who need us now more than ever, but also to give our customers the chance to do the same” explained Suzy.

“Given that we’re selling even more cheese from Neneview Dairy, more Friars Farm chutney and more eggs from The Egg Shed than ever before, it is clear they have taken buying local to heart and I hope that that will continue even when this is all over” she added.

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Fellow multi-award winning baker, Vicky Robertson of The Little Bakery of Happiness in Wellingborough, is another who has seen demand for her sweet and savoury treats rise dramatically in recent weeks and while her walk-in bakery at Nene Court is currently open for collection by appointment only, she has ensured that her customers don’t miss out on her amazing range of gluten-free products by dividing her time between baking and being behind the wheel, having set up an emergency delivery service.

Similarly, Waterloo Cottage Farm at Great Oxendon, which has also enjoyed multiple success in the competition over the ten years it has been trading, has seen business boosted by adapting to the needs of buyers.

So, in addition to the usual supply of meat from its own sustainably-farmed cattle, sheep and pigs alongside a wealth of products from the county via the Made In Northamptonshire online shop, which it co-ordinates, it has also recently introduced a ready-made meal service, available to collect or be delivered.

Meanwhile, Mark Afford of Northampton gourmet popcorn company What’s Poppin’, which was named runner-up in the ‘One To Watch’ category (sponsored by Whitworth Bros Ltd) last year, has brought together local food and drink producers by setting up the Facebook platform @NNFoodMarket as a new opportunity to reach out to customers, promoting everything from chutney to beer, coffee to spices.

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Last, but by no means least, community-owned and -operated Creaton Village Shop, which was a finalist in the ‘Weetabix Local Food Hero’ category last year, has witnessed its custom double in recent weeks, bringing a much-needed boost in sales for local producers including cider-makers Saxby’s, brewers Nobby’s and Creaton Grange Ales and ice-cream makers I’m Real and Gallone’s.

It has made shopping as simple a process as possible, not only by introducing a ‘buy today, deliver tomorrow’ service, which is free to surrounding villages, but also in allaying any health concerns customers may have over wandering its packed aisles by allowing them to pre-order their basket of goodies, which is then ready for collection 24 hours later.

Awards Director, Rachel Mallows MBE DL believes the response of so many shops to ensure a continued supply of the county’s amazing range of products and drinks has created an impressive and vital network of business partnerships, saving many producers from going under, and she is now encouraging shoppers to remain faithful to them in the weeks and months ahead: “With swift, efficient and friendly service, not to mention real and virtual shelves stocked with a wealth of tasty, low food mile products, it's hardly surprising that many of our local producers and independent shops have seen customers come flooding to them over recent weeks” revealed Rachel.

“We know, through the support we continue to offer to hundreds of businesses under the auspices of the Awards, that they've worked incredibly hard to meet that sudden, unexpected demand, whether that's been by adapting their shops, going online, offering delivery services and often working round the clock, and that has proven to be invaluable” she said.

“I would therefore urge those who have benefitted from their remarkable efforts - and thus enjoyed all the positives of shopping locally - to continue to do so even as things begin to return to normal and not to forget who was there for them when they needed them most.

“After all, local should be for life, not just for lockdown” she enthused.

For more examples of such resilience being shown across the sector you can follow the Awards on Facebook at @foodawardsHQ, on twitter and Instagram at @foodawards and on LinkedIn at @weetabixnfadawards

Meanwhile full details of the 2020/21 competition will be unveiled on the Awards’ website – www.northamptonshirefoodanddrink.co.uk – later this month or for more information, please email rachel@themallowscompany.com or call 01933 664437.

Weetabix is working closely with its local farmers to keep production going for the nation’s favourite cereal during Covid-19.

As part of its commitment to its Growers Group*, Weetabix is committed to sourcing all wheat for Weetabix Original from within 50 miles of its Burton Latimer mill. Weetabix has seen high demand for its products in recent weeks and is working closely with its farming partners to ensure they continue to safely deliver food to the nation.

Hitesh Bhatia, Strategic Sourcing Manager at Weetabix said: “We’re very proud to use the high-quality wheat from local farmers within 50 miles of our site in every bowl of Weetabix, supporting the British farming industry. We have been working closely with our group of circa 350 approved growers to ensure they are able to safely maintain their operations. Responsible production is a core focus for us, and our farming community is a core foundation of our sustainability commitments. Working closely with our Growers Group allows us to reduce food miles and fertiliser usage, as well as giving consumers consistent quality and complete transparency of where their food has come from”.

Jonni Henson, Grain Trader at Frontier Agriculture Ltd, said: “Over the last few weeks, we have started to see the effect of extremely high demand for product throughout March. Our farmer partners until now have been relatively unaffected – their work is outdoors and usually with fewer workers, social distancing is a little easier to adhere to.

“Weetabix is a truly cooperative partner, which helps to streamline the process and ensures both farmers and hauliers can be flexible during this time. This flexible, open relationship means that when the company requires extra wheat, which we’re expecting in the coming months, both we and our suppliers are happy to oblige.

“Our Growers Group farmers often comment that they are proud to buy the iconic ‘yellow box’ Weetabix instore, knowing that their involvement from the ‘grain to bowl’ has been a truly collaborative one. Equally I find it a great privilege to have the partnership with such an iconic brand.

“For all suppliers and food companies, transparency of what’s required in the long term is key and Weetabix excel at this. Particularly during this time of uncertainty, if we can continue to work together and have constant communication, we will ensure the nation can continue to enjoy its favourite breakfast.”

Jonathan Lane, Head of Grain Trading at ADM Agriculture Ltd, added: “We work as the link between Weetabix and the farming suppliers who make up the Growers Group, ensuring that Weetabix receive the right quality wheat in a responsible way. The wheat that Weetabix is currently using in production is from the 2019 harvest, kept in Red Tractor-approved stores, so there haven’t been any issues with wheat levels, even with high demand for product in recent weeks. While we have faced some challenges from a logistical and delivery perspective as a result of Covid-19, our farming network is still working as normal, so we’re not expecting any demand issues looking ahead.

“The team at Weetabix is one of the few food manufacturers that take the time to directly engage with its farmers, helping them to produce high-quality wheat in a sustainable way for the local environment and also giving back value to farmers via its wheat protocol initiatives.

“Weetabix’s Wheat Protocol pushes beyond the requirements of Red Tractor Assurance and Entry Level Environmental Stewardship schemes to further reduce food miles and fertiliser usage, as well as supporting on environmental stewardship initiatives such as planting hedgerows and wider field margins to sustain local wildlife.”

‘Not all superheroes wear capes’ – so the saying goes – and you certainly need look no further than the county’s food and drink sector to see a wealth of community champions helping in the fight against COVID-19 who would give any Marvel comic strip character a run for their money.

So it is that, while the coronavirus outbreak has put paid to their usual competitive format, the Weetabix Northamptonshire Food and Drink Awards are not only continuing to act as a business support hub for the sector, but are also celebrating those who are responding to the ongoing challenges by becoming vital, if impromptu, local food heroes.

Among them is James Peck of Burnt Lemon Chefs in Northampton, runner-up in the ‘Chef of the Year’ category in last year’s Awards, who, with fellow ‘New Local Drink’ finalist Benjamin Jelley of Jelley Distilleries at Brixworth, has created a social isolation supper club, enabling fine diners to come together online to enjoy a three course meal of local ingredients, paired with organic cocktails.

With their first event in April, which was supported by both BBC Masterchef finalist Christian Day and Awards Patron and Telegraph restaurant critic William Sitwell, and their second earlier this month having been such hits, they are looking to repeat those successes for their third taking place on Saturday 20th June, to mark Father’s Day weekend.

As James explains, they are delighted to be helping lovers of good food and drink survive the lockdown: “Part of the reason for launching the club was of course as an opportunity to create some income, but it was also to offer as close an experience to dining out as possible, rather than having yet another laptop meal in front of the TV, so we create the menus, deliver the produce and then in real time show those at home how to prepare and cook it” said James.

“It means that they are not only having the fun of a cookery lesson from a top chef in their own kitchen, but also trying out new techniques and perhaps some new flavours and the best thing is that, after washing it all down with Ben’s delicious vodka cocktails, they don’t even have to take a taxi home!” he grinned.

Meanwhile ‘Booker Young Chef’ finalist Charlie Garrett is working no less hard, despite his venue, The Plough at Shutlanger – itself co-winner of the ‘Booker Food Pub of the Year’ category – closing its doors to dine-in customers in line with government restrictions.

Instead the venue is not only offering a takeaway and delivery service, adapting some of its award-winning dishes to create a full menu of starters, mains and puddings, but has also converted its restaurant into a shop, stocking everything from biscuits to butternut squash, lemons to lemon curd as well as, not surprisingly for a venue renowned for its wine list, a full complement of sauvignons and merlots!

Not to be undone by his fellow whites-wearing finalist, ‘Booker Young Chef’ runner-up Kenny Markham from Northampton is also using his skills for the benefit of others, having signed up as a volunteer chef with the newly-created Northamptonshire Emergency Food Aid Alliance.

The Alliance was set in April to provide up to 1,000 meals a day to feed the county’s most vulnerable, poor and disadvantaged through the crisis and Kenny is now giving up two days a week to join the kitchen team at Portfolio Events in Kettering to ensure that their nutritious, freshly-prepared meals continue to be supplied to those who need them most.

That effort is also being replicated by Michael O’Gorman, another of last year’s ‘Chef of the Year’ finalists, who, alongside selling and delivering meals through his own business, Side Order Catering, is also working in a care home in Kettering during the lockdown.

In addition, he has just launched a series of short videos on social media entitled ‘Chefs Hacks’, offering top tips on a variety of culinary techniques, something he hopes will help home cooks avoid some of the usual kitchen pitfalls: “I know the celebrity chefs on TV might have you think that you can’t achieve what they can, but cooking’s not really that complicated when you know some of the tricks of the trade!” revealed Michael.

“So, after becoming aware that more and more people were really enjoying spending a little of their extra time on baking and creating more imaginative dishes from scratch, I thought I would share some of my skills, like easy ways to prepare more exotic fruit and vegetables or time-saving methods to make meals go further, which I hope viewers are finding as valuable as I am fun and rewarding!” he enthused.

Finally, but by no means least, reigning ‘Chef of the Year’ Danny Tompkins, with help from fellow finalist Reece Brooks and a team of others, is using his workplace kitchen at Althorp - where he is now private chef to Earl Spencer - to create around 300 meals for staff at Northampton General Hospital as part of the Food4Heroes campaign.

Alongside publicly honouring the many like those outlined who have transformed their usual roles to ones supporting others, the Weetabix Northamptonshire Food and Drink Awards are also offering business support to the sector to enable them not only to survive the crisis but also to return to full pre-COVID operational levels at the earliest opportunity.

To that end, they are staging a series of free Q&A webinars on a variety of topics identified through the Awards’ research with over 150 food and drink sector businesses, including building your brand, legal advice, social media and PR.

Weetabix Food Company Marketing Director, Francesca Theokli says: “The Northamptonshire Food and Drink Awards team would normally be flooded with entries at this time of year from those keen to reap the reputational benefit from this prestigious competition. Instead the platform is re-focussing its efforts on offering much-needed business support to companies across the sector during this remarkable time.

“Weetabix are incredibly proud and humbled to play a small role in helping enable this" she added.

For more details of the free webinars, the Northamptonshire Emergency Food Aid Alliance or to nominate someone or a business you know to be deserving of public recognition, please email Rachel Mallows at The Mallows Company - rachel@themallowscompany.com - or call 01933 664437.

You can also share your stories via social media on Facebook at @foodawardsHQ, on twitter and Instagram at @foodawards and on LinkedIn at @weetabixnfadawards

For further information about the next social isolation supper club, please visit www.burntlemonchefs.com or to place your order from The Plough at Shutlanger, go to www.theploughshutlanger.co.uk

Meanwhile to view Michael’s kitchen skills videos, please visit www.youtube.com/mogfood while you can make your donation for the Food4Heroes campaign in the Midlands region via www.food4heroes.co.uk

Over the last six years, local breakfast giant Weetabix has supported the celebration of some of our most passionate foodies through its sponsorship of the ‘Local Food Hero’ category in the county’s prestigious annual sector competition.

Now, as headline sponsor of the ‘Weetabix Northamptonshire Food and Drink Awards’, that role has become all the more crucial as the company not only helps to support sector businesses facing the toughest of challenges, but also honours those which, through their impressive responses to the crisis, have become stalwarts of their communities.

Weetabix Food Company Marketing Director, Francesca Theokli, says recognition of our heroes is vital and indeed, while the awards may currently be operating very differently from their usual format, the company’s commitment to the competition is unwavering: “The Awards were launched twelve years ago to help support and promote the fantastic food and drink sector we have here in the county, one in which Weetabix has a proud 88 year heritage” said Theokli.

“When we took on the headline sponsorship this year, we could little have imagined the challenges that we would now be facing. We are thrilled though, to be able to celebrate some of the tireless work that is being done. Proof in the agility and dynamism of our food and drink sector.

“Indeed, the key theme of this year’s Weetabix Northamptonshire Food and Drink Awards is sustainability – encouraging food and drink businesses to act in ways that are good for consumers, the environment and society. Of late, that has got an even sharper meaning to it and so we’re delighted to help shine a deserved spotlight on those who, despite their own trading difficulties, are still managing to play a vital role in local life and beyond”.

Among those demonstrating just such strength of character, resolve and compassion are Richard and Sonya Gordon of The Red Lion in Cranford, reigning co-winner of the ‘Booker Food Pub of the Year’ category (sponsored by Booker), which was forced to close its doors when the lockdown was put in place.

The couple are now leading a team of volunteers, including furloughed staff members who want to put their newly found spare time to good use, in supplying a thrice-weekly, non-profit-making shopping service for four local villages.

As Richard explains, they source, pack and deliver fresh meat, fruit, vegetables and other staples to those who are self-isolating, all the while observing the social-distancing rules carefully: ‘Orders are done online, then we call the customer a few minutes before we arrive, take payment and then leave the delivery on the doorstep so it can be picked up safely once we’ve walked a safe distance away” said Richard.

“We’ve made hundreds of drop-offs already so, not surprisingly, we’re getting through lots of disposable gloves and hand sanitiser, and while it’s not quite the same as pulling pints or serving award-winning meals, it’s good to know were helping those who are vulnerable or who can’t leave their homes, plus it’s keeping us out of trouble that’s for sure!” he added.

Fellow award-winner Mindy Robinson of Sophisticake Creations in Northampton, whose Zucchini and Walnut Cake took the title of ‘Artisan Local Vegetarian/Vegan Product of the Year’ (sponsored by Daily Bread) last year, is another whose business is on hold, given that demand for her celebration cakes has dried up, yet she too is generously sharing her skills through regular online workshops.

“Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday I live stream a baking session called ‘Make and Bake with Mindy’ from my kitchen at home, creating a simple recipe from ingredients which I hope most people would have in their cupboards so that I’m not encouraging any extra trips to the shops” explained Mindy.

“Unlike usual TV cookery shows, I post the ingredients in advance on social media so, rather than just watch, people can have a go themselves and the great thing is that lots of children are joining in, so hopefully the legacy from this terrible time will be that I might have inspired the next generation of bakers” she said.

Meanwhile Simon and Louise Cottle, who run The Red Lion at Thornby, which was named ‘Community Pub of the Year’ at the Awards Dinner back in November, are continuing to quench the thirst of locals by offering a twice-weekly drinks delivery service after taking orders via social media, while in nearby Long Buckby, husband and wife team Gary and Rachael Bradshaw from Hamm Tun Fine Foods, whose ‘Little Bertie’ cheese won the ‘Artisan Local Savoury Product of the Year’ category (sponsored by Heygates Flour and Animal Feed), have expanded the offering of their deli, which remains open.

They have not only added many more regular items to their usual range of tasty treats in the shop and online but are also providing a shopping and delivery service to surrounding villages, including dropping off prescriptions from the village surgery.

Thanks to the continuing support of headline sponsor Weetabix and the other category sponsors and partners, the Awards is now acting as a business support hub to the sector and is keen to promote more stories of the county’s local food heroes.

To nominate someone or a business you know to be deserving of recognition, or to let the Awards team know more about any activity in which you may be directly involved, please email Rachel Mallows at The Mallows Company – rachel@themallowscompany.com

You can also share your stories via social media on Facebook at @foodawardsHQ and on twitter and Instagram at @foodawards

Unprecedented times

With government advice telling the public to stay home, and bars and restaurants closed for the foreseeable future, there’s never been a more challenging time to be in the hospitality sector.

But as our worlds become smaller, the significance and value of ‘local’ grows. People are more invested in local than ever before – recognising the role that their favourite businesses play in bringing communities together and helping the people that need it the most.They want to show support and do their bit to help keep the lights on.

People want to love their local. Now and in the future.

Click to download more information

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Networking - a supportive system of sharing information and services among individuals and groups having a common interest.

A development workshop with The Mallows Company is the perfect opportunity to not only hone essential business skills but to network with other local companies and share ideas and best practice.

With a wide range of workshops available, suitable for all business sizes, you will have the chance to connect with other businesses that you may not have had chance to access before and to build some all-important links to help you and your company develop further locally, regionally and nationally.

This spring we are offering workshops in a variety of topics including: Supervisor to Manager, Mental Health Awareness, Building Resilient Teams, Influencing Skills and Social Media for Business (perfect for online networking opportunities!)

The Mallows Company Managing Director, Rachel Mallows MBE, DL is also working with national organisation, Enterprise Nation, which aims to open the networking circle to other small business owners and find support for business challenges. These monthly events are great for people who have a business idea, who have just started their business or want to grow further. As part of the wellness-focused Heads Up campaign, Enterprise Nation want to build local communities of small business owners throughout the UK, led by successful business leaders in the local area. If you need support from your peers or just want to get to know other small business owners come along and join us for an engaging evening. If we can’t help we’ll probably know a man or woman who can!

For more information about TMC workshops or the Enterprise Nation events, please contact Kathryn on kathryn@themallowscompany.com or 01933 664437.

Local breakfast giant Weetabix is to become headline sponsor of the Northamptonshire Food and Drink Awards, following a decade of support from Carlsberg UK.

The breakfast company, which produces 70 million of its iconic biscuits weekly at its Burton Latimer site, is proud to source its wheat for Weetabix from local farms within a 50-mile radius. The Weetabix Food Company believe this new partnership demonstrates its commitment to building on its 88 year heritage of supporting the county and building on its sustainability activities.

More details of the three-year sponsorship deal will be revealed at the launch of the 2020/21 competition next month.

Meanwhile, despite handing over the title role, Carlsberg UK’s Head of Corporate Affairs, Andrew Roache, explains that, with the competition going from strength to strength, the company’s partnership with the Awards does not end there: “Having called Northampton our home for over forty years and being incredibly proud not only to brew here but also to employ many people from all across the county, we’re equally proud to have played such a vital role in supporting Northamptonshire’s increasingly successful food and drink sector through our sponsorship over the last decade” said Andrew.

“Their public role is of course to shine a deserved spotlight on those businesses and individuals which excel in their sphere as well as driving up standards by encouraging healthy competition, but what is perhaps less well known is the invaluable support that’s offered to all those who enter, for example in providing feedback to unsuccessful venues to enable them to improve their offering for their diners".

“Our deal was only ever intended to last a year so reaching the ten year milestone seemed a good time to hand over the headline sponsorship baton and of course we are delighted to see Weetabix pick that up, while we’re thrilled that we shall continue to play our part, including lending our considerable expertise to another of the competition’s great by-products – its mentoring panels - which form such a vital way of supporting emerging and growing businesses” Andrew added.

One of those to benefit from that latter support is internationally award-winning craft gin distillers, Warner’s, based at Harrington. The company’s original Dry Gin won the ‘New Local Drink of the Year’ title in 2014, while owners Tom Warner and Tina Warner-Keogh’s further success in being named ‘F&B Achiever of the Year’ in 2017 saw them benefit from free mentoring from some of the sector’s most senior executives, something which Tom says was crucial in the company’s growth.

“As an entrepreneur, you face different challenges in your business that you won’t have encountered before and so having access to the kind of experienced leaders who can offer you an unbiased viewpoint and support you in making those strategic, critical decisions to take you to the next level is just invaluable” explained Tom.

“The confidence we gained from our first victory and the continuing guidance we received through our early years just goes to demonstrate the considerable, positive impact of the Awards on us and so many in the county, and the sector should be very grateful to Carlsberg UK for enabling that success over the last decade” he enthused.

Those are sentiments echoed by the competition’s Director, Rachel Mallows MBE, who firmly believes that the brewery’s support, which has helped to ensure that the competition has remained free to enter since its inception, has played a vital role in the sector’s recent prosperity: “Our finalists and winners not only consistently report a 20% or more increase in sales but also tell us that their success has given them the confidence to grow and, without forgetting the additional backing of our category sponsors and other partners, we have Carlsberg UK to thank for enabling that remarkable achievement” said Rachel.

“So, we are thrilled that Weetabix’s support will allow us to build on those accomplishments and, as we prepare to launch for our twelfth year, would like to raise a glass of Pilsner to the entire Carlsberg team in deepest appreciation of their considerable, hands-on approach to their headline sponsorship of the last ten years and of their continuing patronage” she added.

Further details of the new-look Awards will be announced following the launch of the 2020/21 competition, which has been delayed owing to the current coronavirus outbreak, when category details and entry forms will also be available on this website.

You can also follow the Awards on Twitter and Instagram at @foodawardsHQ or on Facebook at facebook.com/foodawards

Meanwhile, to register your interest in entering the Awards – whose categories include those for pubs, producers, restaurants, chefs and cafés – or for more information, please email rachel@themallowscompany.com or call 01933 664437.