Award News 2015

Hardeep Singh Kohli celebrates Northamptonshire’s finest food and drink!

After much anticipation and a great deal of excitement, the 21 winners in the Carlsberg UK Northamptonshire Food and Drink Awards 2015/16 are finally celebrating being named the best of the county’s best!

 

The competition, devised by Northamptonshire Enterprise Partnership (NEP), is now in its seventh year and is again aimed at celebrating 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 results were announced at a glittering Awards Dinner (Thurs 15th October) staged at Royal & Derngate in Northampton and watched by the evening’s special guest, former Celebrity Masterchef finalist, journalist and comedian Hardeep Singh Kohli. Those were (in presentation order):

 

Artisan Local Savoury Product of the Year

(Sponsored by Heygates Flour and Animal Feed)

 

Winner: Pork, Apple and Black Pudding Scotch Egg – Elliotts Kitchen Fine Foods, Towcester

Runner-up: Pastrami – Ashley Farm, Shop, Ashley

 

Artisan Local Sweet Product of the Year

(sponsored by Moulton College)

 

Winner: Rich Fruit Cake – Elliotts Kitchen Fine Foods, Towcester

Runners-up: Cornish Sea Salted Caramels – Belflair Chocolates, Brackley

Fruitilicious Granola with Nuts and Seeds – Most Marvellous Baking, Northampton

 

New Local Product of the Year

(sponsored by Whitworth Bros. Ltd)

 

Winner: Skyver Goat Cheese – NeneView Dairy, Stanwick

Runner-up: Fruitilicious Granola with Nuts and Seeds – Most Marvellous Baking, Northampton

 

Artisan Local Drink of the Year

 

Winner: Becket’s Ale – Phipps NBC, Northampton

Runner-up: Booze Hound – Gun Dog Ales, Woodford Halse

 

New Local Drink of the Year

 

Winner: Plum Cider – Saxby’s Cider, Irchester

Runner-up: Bell Ringer – Towcester Mill Brewery, Towcester

 

Healthy Eating Workplace of the Year – Sport, Health & Education

(sponsored by Northamptonshire County Council)

 

Winner: Mercedes AMG High Performance Powertrains, Brixworth

Runner-up: St Andrews Healthcare, Northampton

 

Healthy Eating Workplace of the Year – Private Sector

(sponsored by Northamptonshire County Council)

 

Winner: Travis Perkins, Northampton

Runner-up: Weatherbys, Wellingborough

 

Chef of the Year

(sponsored by TMI Foods and Cordant People)

 

Winner: Richard Walker of Fawsley Hall Hotel & Spa, Fawsley

Runner-up: David Simms of The Talbot Hotel, Oundle

 

Local Food Hero of the Year

(sponsored by Weetabix)

 

Winner: The Good Loaf, Northampton

Runners-up: Crispin Slee, Towcester Food Festival

Elsie’s Pay As You Feel Café, Northampton

 

F&B Achiever of the Year

 

Winner: Duncan Farrington of Farrington Oils, Hargrave

Runner-up: Tom Warner and Sion Edwards of Warner Edwards, Harrington

 

Young Chef of the Year

(sponsored by Booker)

 

Winner: Tamsin Hamilton-Testrote from Kettering Park Hotel, Kettering

Runner-up: Perry Langley from Nuovo, Northampton

 

Best Bar None – Rural Pub of the Year

(sponsored by the Office of Northamptonshire Police and Crime Commissioner)

 

Winner: The Old Kings Head, Long Buckby

 

Best Bar None – Rural Pub of the Year Public Vote

(sponsored by the Office of Northamptonshire Police and Crime Commissioner)

 

Winner: The Sun Inn, Kislingbury

 

Best Bar None – Town Pub of the Year

(sponsored by the Office of Northamptonshire Police and Crime Commissioner)

 

Winner: The Artizan, Northampton

 

Best Bar None – Town Pub of the Year Public Vote

(sponsored by the Office of Northamptonshire Police and Crime Commissioner)

 

Winner: The Swan and Helmet, Northampton

 

Best Bar None – Late Night Venue of the Year

(sponsored by the Office of Northamptonshire Police and Crime Commissioner)

 

Winner: Bootleggers, Northampton

 

Best Bar None – Late Night Venue of the Year Public Vote

(sponsored by the Office of Northamptonshire Police and Crime Commissioner)

 

Winner: Aspers Casino, Northampton

 

Restaurant of the Year

(sponsored by Whitco)

 

Winner: Tap and Kitchen, Oundle

Runner-up: Sophia’s Restaurant, Northampton

 

Independent Café / Tea Room of the Year

(sponsored by Pidy UK)

 

Winner: Evergreen Art Café, Daventry

Runner-up: The Apothocoffee Shop, Earls Barton

 

Booker Food Pub of the Year

(sponsored by Booker)

 

Winner: The Rose and Crown, Yardley Hastings

Runner-up: The Plough @ Shutlanger, Shutlanger

 

Spice Restaurant of the Year

(sponsored by British Pepper & Spice)

 

Winner: Dhan Shiri, Brackley

Runner-up: Mem-Saab, Northampton

 

The winners were each presented with a trophy – a framed miniature chef’s apron created by Northampton apron makers Griff’s – by Hardeep and the categories’ respective sponsors.

 

Welcoming guests to the event were the Awards’ Director, Rachel Mallows of The Mallows Company, and Bruce Ray, Corporate Affairs Director at Carlsberg UK, who spoke about the company’s increasing pride at being part of the growth and recognition of the sector in its ‘home’ county. He also pledged the company’s continuing financial support for next year, which was echoed by each of the other 13 sponsors.

 

Guests made up of finalists, judges, sponsors, media partners and supporters then enjoyed a sumptuous three course meal designed and created by chef patron of Towcester’s La Strada Nuova, Lee Scott, with help from a team of culinary students from Northampton College who switched their regular classes for the experience of being part of the prestigious event.

 

The menu included a starter of local trout with beetroot textures using beetroot chutney from Limes Farm at Farthinghoe or a local goat cheese crostini, the goat cheese coming from triple finalists NeneView Dairy at Stanwick, a main course of pork provided by Booker and using apples from New Creation Farm at Nether Heyford and honey from Beeline Apiculture at Bozeat, while the pudding was a pannacotta made with local white chocolate from Belflair Chocolates in Brackley and honeyed damson preserve from Nature’s Fayre in Thrapston.

 

Among those celebrating at the end of the evening were Amanda and Phil Saxby from Saxby’s Cider in Irchester whose Plum Cider took the ‘New Drink of the Year’ title. As Phil explained, he believes the accolade will be a real boost to business; “Of course we think it is a great drink but it’s super that the judges thought so too and I’m sure this success can only help us when we approach potential stockists.

 

“Aside from winning it was a really fabulous event and wonderful to see the county’s thriving food and drink businesses coming together to celebrate on such a special night for the sector!” he added.

 

Probably the finest culinary competition in the world nears its climax!

With less than a month to go till the winners in this year’s Carlsberg UK Northamptonshire Food and Drink Awards are announced, the finalists in the remaining four categories have been announced!

 

The Awards, devised by Northamptonshire Enterprise Partnership (NEP) and now in their seventh year, are aimed at celebrating 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.

 

Joining the nervous finalists of the other 14 categories are those bidding for the titles in the two ‘Healthy Eating Workplace’ categories (sponsored by Northamptonshire County Council) and the two categories which offer a public pat on the back to those who are making a real difference to the food and drink sector in the county – those of ‘F&B Achiever of the Year’ and ‘Local Food Hero of the Year’ (sponsored by Weetabix and partnered by Northamptonshire CPRE).

 

The finalists in the ‘Healthy Eating Workplace – Private Sector’ category are (in alphabetical order):

 

DHL Supply Chain for House of Fraser, Wellingborough

 

John Lewis Plc, Northampton

 

Travis Perkins, Northampton

 

Weatherbys, Wellingborough

 

 

Those in the ‘Healthy Eating Workplace – Sport, Health & Education’ category are (in alphabetical order):

 

Kettering Science Academy, Kettering

 

Mercedes AMG High Performance Powertrains, Brixworth

 

Northampton Saints Rugby Football Club, Northampton

 

St Andrews Healthcare, Northampton

 

 

Looking to take the title of ‘F&B Achiever of the Year’ are (in alphabetical order):

 

Duncan Farrington of Farrington Oils, Hargrave

 

Alaric Neville of Phipps NBC, Northampton

 

Mark Price of Sauls of Spratton, Spratton

 

Tom Warner and Sean Edwards of Warner Edwards, Harrington

While those in the reckoning to be named ‘Local Food Hero of the Year’ are (again alphabetically):

 

Crispin Slee of Towcester Food Festival, Towcester

 

Elsie’s Pay As You Feel Café, Northampton

 

Green Acres Rural Enterprise Centre, Staverton

 

The Good Loaf, Northampton

 

The Green Patch, Kettering

 

The judging of that final category took place at the Burton Latimer headquarters of sponsors Weetabix and the company’s Head of Procurement, Anthony Bowdidge, was among the panel who faced the difficult task of choosing the shortlist from the array of public nominations which the category received; “Having performed this role last year, I couldn’t imagine that we could possibly attract a similar calibre of nominees this year, yet the standard was amazing” explained Anthony.

 

“The number of people and businesses doing such great things to promote the local food sector here in the county is remarkable and we could have chosen a dozen finalists, but in the end these five really stood out. On behalf of Weetabix I offer them many congratulations and wish good luck to them all as they wait to hear who has won!” he added.

 

Northamptonshire’s finest venues vie for your votes!

With the cutlery polished, aprons ironed and glasses sparkling, some of the county’s finest drinking holes and dining venues are now going head to head to see who will pick up six of the prestigious venue titles in this year’s Carlsberg UK Northamptonshire Food and Drink Awards – and YOU can help to decide who wins!

 

The Awards, devised by Northamptonshire Enterprise Partnership (NEP) and now in their seventh year, are aimed at celebrating 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.

 

Among the titles up for grabs are those for ‘Restaurant of the Year’ (sponsored by Whitco), ‘Spice Restaurant of the Year’ (sponsored by British Pepper & Spice) and ‘Booker Food Pub of the Year’ (sponsored by Booker) while the finalist venues in the three ‘Best Bar None’ categories (sponsored by the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner) are hoping for your stamp of approval to help them win the ‘Public Vote’ award!

The finalists in the ‘Best Bar None – Town Pub of the Year’ category are

(in alphabetical order):

 

The Abington, Northampton

 

The Artizan, Northampton

 

The Princess Alexandra, Northampton

 

The Saxon Crown, Corby

 

The Swan and Helmet, Northampton

Those in the ‘Best Bar None – Rural Pub of the Year’ category are

(in alphabetical order):

 

The Old Kings Head, Long Buckby

The Sun Inn, Kislingbury

The White Horse, Old

While those vying for the title of ‘Best Bar None – Late Night Venue of the Year’ are (again alphabetically):

 

Aspers Casino, Northampton

 

Bar So, Northampton

 

Bootleggers, Northampton

 

To cast your vote for your favourite in each category, and to be entered into a prize draw to win a set of family tickets to see Cinderella at Royal & Derngate this Christmas, please click on the voting link on our home page.

 

Meanwhile the finalists in the dining venue categories are on tenterhooks as two expert Mystery Shoppers will be visiting throughout this month to assess them on everything from knowledge of staff, use of local ingredients,  speed of service, and of course the quality of the food itself!

 

For obvious reasons, the identities of the Mystery Shoppers are being kept secret but the happy task has previously been performed by the likes of TV chef Sophie Grigson and the former editor of the Good Food Guide, Jim Ainsworth!

The finalists in the ‘Restaurant of the Year’ category

(sponsored by Whitco) are:

 

Barton Hall Hotel and Vines Brasserie, Kettering

 

Clary’s Restaurant at Aspers Casino, Northampton

 

Mu Mu, Kettering

 

Sophia’s Restaurant, Northampton

 

Tap and Kitchen, Oundle

 

The Smoke Pit, Northampton

While those in the reckoning for the ‘Booker Food Pub of the Year’ title (sponsored by Booker) are:

 

The Four Pears, Little Houghton

 

The Hopping Hare, Northampton

 

The Plough @ Shutlanger, Shutlanger

 

The Rose & Crown, Yardley Hastings

 

The White Horse, Old

Lastly, those vying to be named ‘Spice Restaurant of the Year’ (sponsored by British Pepper & Spice) are:

 

Bengal Brasserie, Thrapston

 

Dhan Shiri, Brackley

 

Mem-Saab, Northampton

 

Shajahan, Wollaston

 

Voujon, Long Buckby

 

Again, fans of those sixteen finalists are encouraged to show their support for their favourites by voting and in doing so, will also be entered into the prize draw.

 

Paul Hollywood – eat your heart out!

With their blenders whirring and cake plates polished, some of the county’s finest cafés have been battling it out in the hope of being named ‘Independent Café/Tea Room of the Year’ in this year’s Carlsberg UK Northamptonshire Food and Drink Awards!

 

The competition, devised by Northamptonshire Enterprise Partnership (NEP), is now in its seventh year and is again aimed at celebrating 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.

 

Using the details from their entry forms and the reviews from mystery shopping of all the entries which flooded in from all corners of the county, the six finalists chosen to compete at the bake-off at Northampton College were (in alphabetical order):

 

Beckworth Emporium, Mears Ashby

Dreams Coffee Lounge, Northampton

Evergreen Art Café, Daventry

The Apothocoffee Shop, Earls Barton

The Forest Café, Hartwell

The Park Café, Abington Park, Northampton

 

The venues were asked to prepare, cook and serve a scone, a signature cake or biscuit and a drink to a team of ‘diners’, including Dawn Knott from category sponsor Pidy UK, Chief Executive of Northamptonshire County Council, Paul Blantern, and Northampton North MP Michael Ellis who is himself no stranger to baking glory being the current Parliamentary cupcake champion!

 

And while they sieved, whisked and sliced they were being watched and scored on everything from hygiene to organisation, service and of course taste by a panel of judges which included food consultant Claire Jezard, former cookery school director Mary Laing and Deborah Manger, a contestant in the 2013 series of the BBC’s ‘Great British Bake Off’ who, as a judge at the event for the last three years, was impressed by all those taking part; “I’m always thrilled to be invited to this wonderful event and each year, I can’t quite believe that the standard could possibly get any better – yet it does!” explained Deborah.

 

“From their use of fine local ingredients, to their impressive piping and decorating skills, not to mention their delicious finished products, each of these venues was worthy of the title and I urge anyone in search of a tasty treat to go out and try them!” she enthused.

Probably the finest chefs in Northamptonshire!

With the saucepans bubbling and the frying pans sizzling, some of the county’s finest chefs have been battling it out to win two of the prestigious titles in this year’s Carlsberg UK Northamptonshire Food and Drink Awards.

 

The competition, devised by Northamptonshire Enterprise Partnership (NEP), is now in its seventh year and is again aimed at celebrating 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 accolades being vied for were those of ‘Young Chef of the Year’ (sponsored by Booker), for budding culinary stars aged 18-25, and ‘Chef of the Year’ (sponsored by TMI Foods and Cordant People) for those over 25.

 

Those competing for the senior title were (in alphabetical order):

 

Adam Church of Franks Steakhouse, Northampton

 

Lee Gaskins of The Terrace Restaurant at Highgate House, Creaton

 

David Simms of The Talbot Hotel, Oundle

 

John Tipson of The George & Dragon, Chacombe

 

Richard Walker of Fawsley Hall Hotel, Fawsley

 

The five, shortlisted from a record number of entries, were invited to the impressive kitchens of Northampton College to take part in a ‘Ready Steady Cook’ style challenge to prepare two courses, each being provided with a selection of store cupboard products from Awards sponsors Booker, including a shoulder of lamb, as well as their key Northamptonshire ingredients of rapeseed oil from Farrington Oils at Hargrave, cider from Saxby’s Cider at Irchester and rhubarb gin from Harrington-based Warner Edwards.

 

They were watched throughout the three-hour process by an expert panel of judges including Chef and Development Manager at category co-sponsor TMI Foods, Aaron Melly, former chef and now Northampton Branch Manager at category co-sponsor Cordant People, Chris Fleming, and Andy Ives, who trained at Tresham College in Corby and who is now Head Chef at Sunningdale Golf Club. Each observed, quizzed and scored the chefs before tucking into their varied dishes including braised lamb shoulder with a vegetable medley, herb-coated lamb with asparagus and tomato tortellini and rhubarb gin pannacotta with a white chocolate parfait.

 

For Andy, selecting a winner was an incredibly difficult decision; “It’s a real privilege to have been invited back to the county and to watch these talented chefs in action” he explained.

 

“Using some great local produce, they each demonstrated skills that the top chefs in London would be proud of and having to choose the best was a real challenge!” he added.

 

The second cook-off, also at Northampton College, saw some of the county’s finest up and coming chefs battle it out in the semi-final of the ‘Young Chef of the Year’. Like their senior counterparts, they too were provided with a basket of kitchen ingredients, including chicken legs, by sponsors Booker as well as the local rapeseed oil and rhubarb gin from which they had to create a main course for two people.

 

Drawing upon their wide variety of cooking talents, they served up a wonderful array of dishes for the judges – everything from ballotine of chicken with a coriander, lemon and thyme stuffing to dry-rubbed curried chicken legs to chicken fricassee with a warm new potato and asparagus salad.

 

Those contending with the tricky, but enjoyable task of choosing the finalists were Northampton College catering lecturer Richard Curtis, Peter Saunders, who is Catering Development Manager with category sponsor Booker, and Lee Scott, formerly head chef at the Silverstone circuit and now with his own restaurant, La Strada Nouva, in Towcester; “It’s really great to see that Northamptonshire is bursting with young culinary talent” explained Lee, “and to watch the chefs turn their ingredients into seven such varied dishes was quite something”.

 

“We were all really impressed by the skills they’re showing so early in their careers and I’m only sorry that I can’t be at the final because I know the judges are set for a wonderful morning!”

 

The five finalists, who now go forward to compete for the ‘Young Chef of the Year’ title in the final cook-off at Tresham College in Corby in August, are (in alphabetical order):

 

Ceara Campbell from The Manor House, Corby

 

Tamsin Hamilton-Testrote from Kettering Park Hotel, Kettering

 

Perry Langley from Nuovo, Northampton

 

Ben Williams from Franks Steakhouse, Northampton

 

Christian Young from The Castle Theatre, Wellingborough

 

Northamptonshire’s Tastiest Treats Revealed

The oven gloves are now firmly off among some of the county’s finest producers as they battle for it out for culinary glory in the Carlsberg UK Northamptonshire Food and Drink Awards.

 

The Awards, devised by Northamptonshire Enterprise Partnership (NEP) and now in their seventh year, are aimed at celebrating 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.

 

After much deliberating, cogitating and digesting by two select panels of experts at the recent product and drink judging sessions staged at Holdenby House and at the reigning ‘Community Pub of the Year – Town’, The Malt Shovel Tavern in Northampton respectively, the shortlisted finalists in the five categories have been chosen from a record number of entries. They are (in alphabetical order within the category):

Artisan Sweet Product of the Year

(sponsored by Moulton College):

 

Amaretti Tiffin – The Corner Deli & Sandwich Shop, Kettering

Cornish Sea Salted Caramels – Belflair Chocolates, Brackley

Fruitilicious Granola with Nuts and Seeds – Most Marvellous Baking, Northampton

Rich Fruit Cake – Elliotts Kitchen Fine Foods, Towcester

Swiss Roll Raspberry Puree Ice Cream Cake – A Rossi and Partners, Kettering

Artisan Savoury Product of the Year

(sponsored by Heygates Flour and Animal Feed):

 

Hobnail Goat Cheese – NeneView Dairy, Stanwick

Nice Try Lamb Pie – Sauls of Spratton, Spratton

Pastrami – Ashley Farm Shop, Ashley

Pork, Apple and Black Pudding Scotch Egg – Elliotts Kitchen Fine Foods, Towcester

Potato, Leek and Stilton Pie – The Moulton Pie Company, Moulton

New Local Product of the Year

(sponsored by Whitworth Bros. Ltd Flour Millers):

 

Fruitilicious Granola with Nuts and Seeds – Most Marvellous Baking, Northampton

Middle Eastern Marmalade – Friars Farm, Northampton

Rapstick Goat Cheese – NeneView Dairy, Stanwick

Rhubarb and GINger Cake – Most Marvellous Baking, Northampton

Skyver Goat Cheese – NeneView Dairy, Stanwick

Artisan Local Drink of the Year:

 

Apple Juice – Windmill Orchards, Sulgrave

Becket’s Ale – Phipps NBC, Northampton

Bible Black Porter – Nene Valley Brewery, Oundle

Booze Hound – Gun Dog Ales, Woodford Halse

Northamptonshire Bitter – Hoggley’s Brewery, Northampton

New Local Drink of the Year:

 

Bell Ringer – Towcester Mill Brewery, Towcester

Founder’s Reserve East India Pale Ale – Phipps NBC, Northampton

Plum Cider – Saxby’s Cider, Irchester

Ratliffe’s Celebrated Stout – Phipps NBC, Northampton

 

Additionally, while not shortlisted, One Track Mind from Brigstock Brewery at Brigstock was also ‘Commended’ by the judges in the ‘New Local Drink’ category.

 

Among those new finalists to be celebrating their success is John Evans from Towcester Mill Brewery; “We’re absolutely thrilled that we have been shortlisted, especially as we’ve just marked the first anniversary of the opening of the newly refurbished brewery after we moved into the town from Whittlebury” explained John.

 

“It’s been a lot of hard work in bringing the old mill back to life but this helps to make all that effort worthwhile and we shall certainly be pulling a few pints in our community tap room to celebrate!” he added.

 

Those are sentiments echoed by Vicky Robertson of Most Marvellous Baking in Northampton who is a triple finalist across two categories this year with her granola and rhubarb and ginger cake; “The publicity I had from being shortlisted last year brought a real boost to my business so I’m delighted to have been successful again” explained Vicky.

 

“My cake uses rhubarb gin from one of last year’s winners, Warner Edwards, so here’s hoping that that might be the magic ingredient to take at least one of the titles this year!” she enthused.

 

Probably The Finest Culinary Competition In The World Is Back!

The team behind the Carlsberg UK Northamptonshire Food and Drink Awards is delighted to announce that the competition has been launched for 2015 for what is expected to be its ‘magnificent seventh’ year!

 

The Awards, devised by Northamptonshire Enterprise Partnership (NEP), are aimed at celebrating 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.

 

Thanks to ongoing support from NEP, its other sponsors and partners, including headline sponsor Carlsberg UK, Booker, British Pepper & Spice, Heygates Flour and Animal Feed, Moulton College, Northamptonshire County Council, Pidy UK, Weetabix, Whitco and Whitworth Bros Ltd and the addition of two new sponsors – the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner at Northamptonshire Police and TMI Foods – the competition has yet again expanded to an impressive eighteen categories – those being (with the media partners in brackets):

 

Artisan Local Savoury Product of the Year’

sponsored by Heygates Flour and Animal Feed

(BBC Radio Northampton)

 

Artisan Local Sweet Product of the Year’

sponsored by Moulton College

(BBC Radio Northampton)

 

Artisan Local Drink of the Year’

(BBC Radio Northampton)

 

 New Local Product of the Year’

sponsored by Whitworth Bros. Ltd (BBC Radio Northampton)

 

 New Local Drink of the Year’

(BBC Radio Northampton)

 

Booker Food Pub of the Year’

sponsored by Booker

(Great Food Club)

 

Restaurant of the Year’

sponsored by Whitco

(Business Times)

 

Spice Restaurant of the Year’

sponsored by British Pepper & Spice

 

Independent Cafe’ / Tea Room of the Year’

sponsored by Pidy UK

(Northampton Life)

 

Chef of the Year’

sponsored by TMI Foods and Cordant People

(Northants Herald & Post)

 

‘Young Chef of the Year’

sponsored by Booker

(Northants Herald & Post)

 

Best Bar None” Town Pub of the Year’

sponsored by the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner at Northamptonshire Police

(Chronicle & Echo and Northamptonshire Telegraph)

 

Best Bar None” Rural Pub of the Year’

sponsored by the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner at Northamptonshire Police

(Chronicle & Echo and Northamptonshire Telegraph)

 

Best Bar None” Late Night Venue of the Year’

sponsored by the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner at Northamptonshire Police

(Chronicle & Echo and Northamptonshire Telegraph)

 

Local Food Hero of the Year’

sponsored by Weetabix with Northamptonshire CPRE

(Aspire Magazine)

 

Healthy Eating Workplace of the Year’ Health and Education’

sponsored by Northamptonshire County Council

 

Healthy Eating Workplace of the Year” Private Sector’

sponsored by Northamptonshire County Council

 

F&B Achiever of the Year‘

 

The details of the new-look competition were revealed at the launch in the new £1.2m Quality and Innovation Building of Whitworth Bros. Ltd flour millers’ Wellingborough headquarters (Tuesday 3rd March) by NEP’s Chairman John Markham OBE. Speaking before an audience made up of reigning champions, sponsors, judges and competition partners, he explained the importance of the awards in recognising the important role that the sector plays in the county; “It has long been recognised that Northamptonshire’s economy benefits hugely from the food and drink sector, currently contributing £1.5 billion each year. Moulton College’s recent announcement of a new £5m Food & Drink Technology Academy is testament to the importance of continuing to provide local people with the right skills to support the industry”.

 

“The long-running Awards are an opportunity to celebrate the talented individuals from a broad range of large and small businesses and their outstanding achievements year after year” he added.

 

Meanwhile Roger Butler, Managing Director of Whitworth Bros Ltd, gave an insight into why the company was keen to play its part in the competition again; “We’re delighted to be sponsoring the awards again this year as it is a great way to for us to raise our profile and to show our support for the sector here in the county”.

“We are also very proud of this fabulous new facility and hosting the launch has given us the opportunity to show it off to some of the other key local food businesses and demonstrate what a progressive and innovative company we are” he added.

 

Among those also present was Susie Keeping from Brasserie 23 at The Kings Head, Spratton which took the ‘Restaurant of the Year’ title in the 2014/15 Awards. Susie revealed what the venue’s success had meant to them; “Winning the title was a massive achievement for us, having only been open for just over a year, and it really boosted staff morale hugely” explained Susie.

 

“Perhaps more importantly, it gave us some great publicity further afield and in turn increased our bookings as we have had so many people come in who didn’t even know we were there!” she enthused.

 

Finally, the Awards’ Director, Rachel Mallows of The Mallows Company, thanked those who have enabled the competition to become the success it has over the last six years and how that can only help to further the excellence of the sector; “These awards were established to help drive the growth within food and drink in the county and we’ve seen the competition achieve just that through tourism spend, business development and job creation” explained Rachel.

 

“With the support of our fabulous brands in Northamptonshire, it is no wonder that the sector continues to thrive and we’re confident that this will indeed be another magnificent year!” she added.

To set taste buds watering, guests tucked into muffins and croissants freshly prepared in the on-site innovation bakery. Following the speeches, they were also treated to a tour of one of the four mills at the Wellingborough site to watch the milling process from start to finish, everything from the intake of the British-sourced wheat to the milling and grinding, before observing the flour being discharged into the company’s now famous bright yellow tankers!

Awards fever for Northampton food firm!

On the eve of the launch of the prestigious Carlsberg UK Northamptonshire Food and Drink Awards, a further sponsor has stepped up to the plate to share in its culinary glory!

 

Northampton-based TMI Foods, which supplies cooked ingredients across Europe and is the UK’s leading manufacturer of cooked sausages, bacon and roasted vegetables, is sponsoring the ‘Chef of the Year’ category.

 

The company joins the likes of Booker, Weetabix, Whitco, Heygates Flour and Animal Feed and the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner at Northamptonshire Police in supporting the competition devised by Northamptonshire Enterprise Partnership which is aimed at celebrating all that is great about the county’s produce and drink, recognising excellence within its dining venues and rewarding those who work so hard within the culinary sector.

 

TMI Food’s General Manager Declan Kennedy explained why the firm was keen to play its part;

 

“It is great to be getting involved in the Awards which are so well respected for their support of the food and drink sector in the county and of the local community.

 

“For TMI Foods it is also a privilege to be able to give something back by sponsoring the prestigious Chef of the Year category” he added.

 

Full details of the seventh year of the competition were being kept under wraps until the launch (Tuesday 3rd March) being held at the Wellingborough headquarters of flour millers Whitworth Bros. Ltd but ahead of the unveiling the Awards’ Director, Rachel Mallows of The Mallows Company, explained why it is a great boost to have the company’s support;

 

“We’re thrilled that TMI Foods is joining us to support this year’s Awards. With a longstanding food heritage in the county town of over thirty years and as a key local employer of almost 200 full time local staff, we know that they are very proud of their Northamptonshire roots.

 

“Getting involved in the competition presents the ideal opportunity for them to demonstrate their commitment to the county and help support the continuing growth and prosperity of the local food and drink sector” she added.

Another major sponsor has stepped up to the plate in support of the Carlsberg UK Northamptonshire Food and Drink Awards 2015/16.

Another major sponsor has stepped up to the plate in support of the Carlsberg UK Northamptonshire Food and Drink Awards 2015/16. The Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner at Northamptonshire Police has joined the likes of Booker, Moulton College and Weetabix in becoming a category sponsor in the competition devised by Northamptonshire Enterprise Partnership to celebrate all that is best about the county’s food and drink sector.

 

The partnership will see the Awards categories of ‘Community Pub of the Year – Town and Rural’ – merge with the existing ‘Best Bar None’ scheme which has previously been operated in the county town by the Police, supported by Northampton Pubwatch and Northampton Community Safety Partnership, and which will now roll out across the county.

 

The result is that, over the next seven months, not only will the county’s finest restaurants, chefs and producers be battling it out to secure their respective titles, but there will also be the opportunity for pubs and clubs to gain recognition for their efforts in showing that they are well-managed, promote responsible drinking and take customer safety and the prevention of crime and disorder seriously.

 

Full details were being kept under wraps until the launch (Tuesday 3rd March), but ahead of the unveiling, the Police and Crime Commissioner, Adam Simmonds, explained the decision to get involved;

 

“I’m thrilled to be joining forces with this prestigious awards scheme. It can only serve to enhance the fantastic work already achieved by Best Bar None in helping make the county a safer place.

 

“My focus is on involving all agencies and communities in tackling alcohol related crime and getting tough on anti‐social drunken behaviour”.

 

“The pubs and clubs category will help serve as a catalyst for the successful continued development of high standards in the night-time economy across the county, strengthening the relationship between the licensed trade, police and local authorities” he added.

 

Meanwhile the Chief Constable, Adrian Lee, said;

 

“The Best Bar None schemes have demonstrated their value in reducing alcohol-related harms in the night time economy. This development of the scheme in conjunction with the Food and Drink awards will further spread the benefits of Best Bar None across the county so all our towns can benefit.

 

“The Best Bar None team nationally are looking with interest at this development to see if there is potential for these changes to be rolled out across the country.”

 

Meanwhile the Awards’ Director, Rachel Mallows of The Mallows Company, revealed some of the benefits that this new partnership will bring;

 

“We are delighted that Northamptonshire Police is joining us to support this year’s Awards. We know that they are very proud of their achievements through the Best Bar None scheme in Northampton in making pub-going a friendly, safe and enjoyable pastime and we’re very much looking forward to extending that success through our own competition across the county” she enthused.

 

The addition of the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner at Northamptonshire Police means there is an impressive line-up of sponsors lending their weight to this year’s Awards – including Carlsberg UK, Northamptonshire Enterprise Partnership, British Pepper & Spice, Heygates Flour and Animal Feed, Northamptonshire County Council, Pidy UK, Whitco and Whitworth Bros. Ltd.

 

Weetabix Northamptonshire Food and Drink Awards

The Mallows Company (07103621)

A Celebration and Recognition of Excellence within

Northamptonshire's Food and Drink Sector

Award News 2015

Weetabix Northamptonshire

Food and Drink Awards

The Mallows Company (07103621)

A Celebration and Recognition of Excellence within

Northamptonshire's Food and Drink Sector

Award News 2015

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Another major sponsor has stepped up to the plate in support of the Carlsberg UK Northamptonshire Food and Drink Awards 2015/16