After much anticipation and a great deal of excitement, the winners in the Carlsberg UK Northamptonshire Food and Drink Awards 2016 /17 are finally celebrating being named the best of the county’s best!

 

The competition, now in its eighth year 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 3rd November) staged at Northamptonshire County Cricket Club in Northampton and watched by the evening’s special guest, Michel Roux OBE (Snr). Those were (in presentation order and, in the case of two winners or runners-up, in alphabetical order):

 

F&B Achiever of the Year

 

Winner: Angus and Kirsty Clarke of Waterloo Cottage Farm, Great Oxendon

Winner: The Jeyes Family of The Apothocoffee Shop, Earls Barton

 

Chairman’s Award

 

Winner: Paul McManus of The McManus Pub Company, Northampton

 

Healthy Eating Workplace of the Year (sponsored by Northamptonshire County Council)

 

Winner: St Andrew’s Healthcare, Northampton

Runner-up: RCI Europe, Kettering

 

Independent Café / Tea Room of the Year (sponsored by Pidy UK)

 

Winner: Dreams Coffee Lounge, Northampton

Runner-up: The Green Room, Brackley

 

Best Bar None – Late Night Venue of the Year (sponsored by the Office of Northamptonshire Police and Crime Commissioner)

 

Winner: Jeckyll & Hyde, Northampton

 

Best Bar None – Town Pub of the Year (sponsored by the Office of Northamptonshire Police and Crime Commissioner)

 

Winner: The Princess Alexandra, Northampton

 

Best Bar None – Rural Pub of the Year (sponsored by the Office of Northamptonshire Police and Crime Commissioner)

 

Winner: The Sun Inn, Hardingstone

 

New Local Drink of the Year

 

Winner: Elderflower Vodka – Jelley Distilleries, Brixworth

Runner-up: Podium Gold – Towcester Mill Brewery, Towcester

 

Artisan Local Drink of the Year

 

Winner: Lucky IPA – Maule Brewing Co, Northampton

Runner-up: Bad to the Bone – Gun Dog Ales, Woodford Halse

 

Artisan Local Savoury Product of the Year (Sponsored by Heygates Flour and Animal Feed)

 

Winner: Marinated Hogget Cannon – Waterloo Cottage Farm, Great Oxendon

Runner-up: Cobblers Nibble Cheese – Hamm Tun Fine Foods, Hannington

 

Artisan Local Sweet Product of the Year (sponsored by Moulton College)

 

Winner: Strawberries Ice Cream – I’m Real, Northampton

Runners-up: Orange Polenta Cake – The Happy Little Cake Company, Northampton

 

New Local Product of the Year (sponsored by Whitworth Bros. Ltd)

 

Winner: Munchable Multiseed Crackers – Most Marvellous Baking, Northampton

Runner-up: Blackjack Ice Cream – Gallone’s Ice Cream, Northampton

Runner-up: Northamptonshire Blue Cheese – Hamm Tun Fine Foods, Hannington

 

Farming Innovation Award (sponsored by the Weetabix Growers Group)

 

Winner: New Lodge Farm, Bulwick

Winner: Turney Partners, Quinton

 

Weetabix Local Food Hero of the Year (sponsored by Weetabix)

 

Winner: Elsie’s Pay As You Feel Café, Northampton

Runner-up: Adam Church of Bread and Pullet, Northampton

Runner-up: Magee Street Bakery, Northampton

 

Chef of the Year (sponsored by TMI Foods and Cordant People)

 

Winner: Shane Clarke from 185 Watling Street, Towcester

Runner-up: Grant Wentzel from Rose & Crown Bistro, Yardley Hastings

 

Restaurant of the Year (sponsored by Whitco Catering and Bakery Equipment)

 

Winner: The Palmichael, Burton Latimer

Runner-up: Olive, Corby

 

Booker Food Pub of the Year (sponsored by Booker)

 

Winner: The Plough @ Shutlanger, Shutlanger

Runner-up: The Hopping Hare, Northampton

 

Booker Young Chef of the Year (sponsored by Booker)

 

Winner: Sebastian McLean from Rushton Hall, Rushton

Runner-up: Marcus Franklin from The Plough @ Shutlanger, Shutlanger

 

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

 

Winner: Mem-Saab, Northampton

Runner-up: Taste of Spice, Northampton

Runner-up: The Exotic Dining, Kettering

 

Great Service Award

 

Winner: The Red Lion, East Haddon

 

The evening also put a spotlight on Eat Out Eat Well, a national scheme run here in the county by Environmental Health Northamptonshire which rewards caterers and eateries who make it easier for their customers to make healthy choices, and saw the top scoring Gold venues from five of the seven borough and district councils being celebrated for their achievement. They are:

Kafe Bloc in Kettering

Manvell Farm Tea Room in Walgrave

Millie’s Café in Wellingborough

Mrs B’s in Rushden

Reg’s Café in Kings Sutton

 

The winners of all the categories were presented with a trophy – a specially commissioned bone china jug designed by Newnham-based Susan Rose China – by Michel and the categories’ respective sponsors.

 

Welcoming guests to the event were the Awards’ Director, Rachel Mallows of The Mallows Company, Bruce Ray, VP Global Government Relations and UK Corporate Affairs at Carlsberg and Stephen Catchpole who is the Chief Executive of SEMLEP.

 

Guests made up of finalists, judges, sponsors, media partners and supporters including Awards Patrons William Sitwell, Sophie Grigson and Mary Laing then enjoyed a sumptuous three course meal designed and created by 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 duck parfait, sticky duck bun with local honey from Beeline Apiculture at Castle Ashby and toasted local sourdough from The Good Loaf in Northampton, the main course of beef generously provided by Booker, while the pudding was a twist on a black forest gateau using Caffè Mocha Milk Chocolate from finalists Seed and Bean in Corby and served with a kirsch cream using cream from Newlands Farm at Hannington. The culinary offering concluded with petits fours generously provided by Belflair Chocolates of Brackley.

With less than a fortnight to go till the winners in this year’s Carlsberg UK Northamptonshire Food and Drink Awards are announced, we can now reveal the finalists in all eighteen categories in the competition!

 

Those vying for the respective titles (in alphabetical order within their category) are:

 

Artisan Local Drink of the Year (sponsored by Carlsberg UK):

 

Ashmeads Kernal Apple Juice – New Creation Farm, Nether Heyford; 01327 344515

Bad to the Bone – Gun Dog Ales, Woodford Halse; 01327 264095

Big Bang Theory – Nene Valley Brewery, Oundle; 01832 272776

Guilsborough Gold – Nobby’s Brewing Company, Thrapston; 01832 730800

Lucky IPA – Maule Brewing Co, Northampton; 07818 057272

 

New Local Drink of the Year (sponsored by Carlsberg UK):

 

Apple Cider 2015 – New Lodge Vineyard, Earls Barton; 01604 811311

Attitude IPA – Brigstock Brewhouse, Brigstock; 01536 373428

Elderflower Vodka – Jelley Distilleries, Brixworth; 01604 882342

King Richard III Cider – Welland Valley Vineyard, Marston Trussell; 01858 434591

Podium Gold – Towcester Mill Brewery, Towcester; 01327 437060

Wakatu Pilsner – Maule Brewing Co, Northampton; 07818 057272

 

New Local Product of the Year (sponsored by Whitworth Bros. Ltd Flour Millers):

 

Apple-smoked Cobblers Nibble Cheese – The Little Smokehouse, Wellingborough; 01933 674649

Blackjack Ice Cream – Gallone’s Ice Cream, Northampton; 01604 715371

Caffe Mocha Milk Chocolate – Seed and Bean, Corby; 07984 561541

Munchable Multiseed Crackers – Most Marvellous Baking, Northampton; 01604 720884

Northamptonshire Blue Cheese – Hamm Tun Fine Foods, Hannington; 07701 089513

Pasture Fed Gravy – Waterloo Cottage Farm, Great Oxendon; 01858 467158

 

Artisan Sweet Product of the Year (sponsored by Moulton College):

 

Chocolate Brownie – Connie The Vintage Travelling Tearoom, Northampton; 07845 879262

Homemade Caramel Fudge – Sweet Sensations, Northampton; 07845 879262

Orange Polenta Cake – The Happy Little Cake Company, Northampton; 01604 720884

Strawberries Ice Cream – I’m Real, Northampton; 01604 754023

 

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

 

Chicken and Chorizo Pie – Most Marvellous Baking, Northampton; 01604 720884

Cobblers Nibble Cheese – Hamm Tun Fine Foods, Hannington; 07701 089513

Honeyed Real Ale Chutney – Nature’s Fayre, Thrapston; 01832 732720

Marinated Hogget Cannon – Waterloo Cottage Farm, Great Oxendon; 01858 467158

Pork Sausage Roll – Much A’Dough Bakery, Wellingborough; 01933 272733

Rob’s Traditional Pork Pie – Ashley Farm Shop, Ashley; 01858 565722

 

Independent Café / Tea Room of the Year (sponsored by Pidy UK):

 

Dreams Coffee Lounge, Northampton; 01604 636368

Nanna’s Kitchen, Northampton; 07716 907962

Tea Jenny Cottage, Corby; 07939 212722

The Apothocoffee Shop, Earls Barton; 01604 810289

The Green Room, Brackley; 01280 703123

 

Chef of the Year (sponsored by TMI Foods and Cordant People):

 

Shane Clarke from 185 Watling Street, Towcester; 01327 317177

Ondine Hartgroves from Dîner Privé Par Ondine, Northampton; 07527 471256

Carl Long from Barton Hall Hotel & Vines Brasserie, Kettering; 01536 515505

William Mountain from The Saracen’s Head, Lt. Brington; 01604 770640

Paul Vant from The Three Cranes, Gt. Cransley; 01536 790287

Grant Wentzel from Rose & Crown Bistro, Yardley Hastings; 01604 696276

 

Booker Young Chef of the Year (sponsored by Booker):

 

Marcus Franklin from The Plough @ Shutlanger, Shutlanger; 01604 864644

Mae Jackson from Sol Y Lunas Tapas, Northampton; 01604 456750

Sebastian McLean from Rushton Hall, Rushton; 01536 713001

Christian Young from Castello Lounge, Wellingborough; 01933 274653

Edyta Zieba from The White Hart, Flore; 01327 341748

 

Farming Innovation Award (sponsored by Weetabix Growers Group):

 

Brixworth Farming, Brixworth

Cranford Farming, Cranford

New Lodge Farm, Bulwick

Oak Farm, Naseby

Redlands Farm, Stanwick

Turney Partners, Quinton

 

F&B Achiever of the Year:

 

Angus and Kirsty Clarke of Waterloo Cottage Farm, Great Oxendon; 01858 467158

The Jeyes Family of The Apothocoffee Shop, Earls Barton; 01604 810289

Paul McManus of The McManus Pub Company, Northampton; 01604 713601

Alaric Neville of Phipps NBC, Northampton; 01604 946606

Phil Saxby of Saxby’s Cider, Irchester; 07966 558186

 

Best Bar None Town Pub of the Year (sponsored by the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner):

 

Bar Hygge, Northampton; 01604 655790

Barratts Club, Northampton; 01604 721777

Pike & Eel, Daventry; 01327 704828

The Abington, Northampton; 01604 631240

The Golden Horse, Northampton; 01604 7055565

The Princess Alexandra, Northampton; 01604 245485

 

Best Bar None Rural Pub of the Year (sponsored by the Office of the PCC):

 

Barley Mow, Paulerspury; 01327 811086

 

The George at Tiffield, Tiffield; 01327 350587

The Red Lion, Thornby; 01604 740238

The Sun Inn, Hardingstone; 01604 700007

The Sun Inn, Kislingbury; 01604 833571

 

Best Bar None – Late Night Venue of the Year (sponsored by the Office of the PCC):

 

Aspers Casino, Northampton; 01604 623580

Jeckyll & Hyde, Northampton; 01604 634929

The Yards Bar and Kitchen, Kettering; via Facebook

 

Healthy Eating Workplace of the Year (sponsored by Northamptonshire County Council):

 

John Lewis Plc, Northampton

Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team, Brackley

RCI Europe, Kettering

St Andrew’s Healthcare, Northampton

Weatherbys Ltd, Wellingborough

 

Restaurant of the Year (sponsored by Whitco Catering and Bakery Equipment):

 

Brasserie 23 at The Kings Head, Spratton; 01604 847351

Bread and Pullet, Northampton; 01604 638520

Kettering Park Hotel, Kettering; 01536 416666

Olive, Corby; 01536 266066

The Cedar Restaurant at Fawsley Hall, Fawsley; 01327 892000

The Palmichael, Burton Latimer; 01536 723641

 

Booker Food Pub of the Year (sponsored by Booker):

 

The Hopping Hare, Northampton; 01604 580090

The Plough @ Shutlanger, Shutlanger; 01604 864644

The Red Lion, East Haddon; 01604 770223

The Saracen’s Head, Little Brington; 01604 770640

The Tollemache Arms, Harrington; 01536 711770

The Wheatsheaf Pub & Dining Room, Northampton; 01604 758871

 

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

 

Lasaan, Northampton; 01604 844244

Mem-Saab, Northampton; 01604 630214

Royal Tandoori, Corby; 01536 399700

Saffron, Northampton; 01604 630800

Taste of Spice, Northampton; 01604 754999

The Exotic Dining, Kettering; 01536 411176

 

Weetabix Local Food Hero of the Year (sponsored by Weetabix):

 

Adam Church of Bread and Pullet, Northampton; 01604 638520

Eco Kids, Northampton; 01604 401445

Elsie’s Pay As You Feel Café, Northampton; 07968 535020

Magee Street Bakery, Northampton; 01604 634407

Roy Crutchley of Hoggleys at Phipps NBC, Northampton; 01604 946606

WH Thomas Butchers, Ecton; 01604 948904

 

The results of these eighteen categories, and those of two additional titles being presented this year – the Chairman’s Award and the Great Service Award – as well as those venues being celebrated in the county’s Eat Out Eat Well scheme, will be revealed at this year’s Awards Dinner being held at Northamptonshire County Cricket Club on Thursday 3rd November in the presence of Michel Roux OBE (Snr).

 

Getting a table at some of the county’s finest eateries just got that little bit tougher with the announcement of the finalists vying for three of the prestigious venue titles in this year’s Carlsberg UK Northamptonshire Food and Drink Awards!

 

The Awards, now in their eighth 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 accolades up for grabs are those for ‘Restaurant of the Year’ (sponsored by Whitco Catering and Bakery Equipment), ‘Booker Food Pub of the Year’ (sponsored by Booker) and ‘Spice Restaurant of the Year’ (sponsored by British Pepper & Spice) and the respective finalists are (in alphabetical order in each category):

 

Restaurant of the Year:

 

Brasserie 23 at The Kings Head, Spratton

Bread and Pullet, Northampton

Kettering Park Hotel, Kettering

Olive, Corby

The Cedar Restaurant at Fawsley Hall, Fawsley

The Palmichael, Burton Latimer

 

Booker Food Pub of the Year:

 

The Hopping Hare, Northampton

The Plough @ Shutlanger, Shutlanger

The Red Lion, East Haddon

The Saracen’s Head, Little Brington

The Tollemache Arms, Harrington

The Wheatsheaf Pub & Dining Room, Northampton

 

Spice Restaurant of the Year:

 

Lasaan, Northampton

Mem-Saab, Northampton

Royal Tandoori, Corby

Saffron, Northampton

Taste of Spice, Northampton

The Exotic Dining, Kettering

 

Meanwhile, although not shortlisted, the Barley Mow in Paulerspury and The White Hart at Grafton Regis were awarded a ‘Highly Commended’ in the ‘Booker Food Pub of the Year’ category.

Having already been secretly assessed as part of the shortlisting process, the finalists will now be visited by two external Mystery Shoppers to score them on everything from staff knowledge of the menu, 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 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, now in their eighth 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 drink and product judging sessions, staged at the reigning ‘Best Bar None – Town Pub of the Year’, The Artisan in Northampton, and Holdenby House 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 Local Drink of the Year:

 

Ashmeads Kernal Apple Juice – New Creation Farm, Nether Heyford

Bad to the Bone – Gun Dog Ales, Woodford Halse

Big Bang Theory – Nene Valley Brewery, Oundle

Guilsborough Gold – Nobby’s Brewing Company, Thrapston

Lucky IPA – Maule Brewing Co, Northampton

 

New Local Drink of the Year:

 

Apple Cider 2015 – New Lodge Vineyard, Earls Barton

Attitude IPA – Brigstock Brewhouse, Brigstock

Elderflower Vodka – Jelley Distilleries, Brixworth

King Richard III Cider – Welland Valley Vineyard, Marston Trussell

Podium Gold – Towcester Mill Brewery, Towcester

Wakatu Pilsner – Maule Brewing Co, Northampton

 

New Local Product of the Year (sponsored by Whitworth Bros. Ltd Flour Millers):

 

Apple-smoked Cobblers Nibble Cheese – The Little Smokehouse, Wellingborough

Blackjack Ice Cream – Gallone’s Ice Cream, Northampton

Caffe Mocha Milk Chocolate – Seed and Bean, Corby

Munchable Multiseed Crackers – Most Marvellous Baking, Northampton

Northamptonshire Blue Cheese – Hamm Tun Fine Foods, Hannington

Pasture Fed Gravy – Waterloo Cottage Farm, Great Oxendon

 

Artisan Sweet Product of the Year (sponsored by Moulton College):

 

Chocolate Brownie – Connie The Vintage Travelling Tearoom, Northampton

Homemade Caramel Fudge – Sweet Sensations, Northampton

Orange Polenta Cake – The Happy Little Cake Company, Northampton

Strawberries Ice Cream – I’m Real, Northampton

 

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

 

Chicken and Chorizo Pie – Most Marvellous Baking, Northampton

Cobblers Nibble Cheese – Hamm Tun Fine Foods, Hannington

Honeyed Real Ale Chutney – Nature’s Fayre, Thrapston

Marinated Hogget Cannon – Waterloo Cottage Farm, Great Oxendon

Pork Sausage Roll – Much A’Dough Bakery, Wellingborough

Rob’s Traditional Pork Pie – Ashley Herb Farm, Ashley

 

Meanwhile, a further eight entries into the three product categories were named as ‘Highly Commended’, those being (again in alphabetical order within the category):

 

New Local Product of the Year:

 

Ale and Cheese Loaf – Much A’Dough Bakery, Wellingborough

Black Grape & Chilli Jam – The Moulton Pie Company, Northampton

LIC Mojito – LIC, Welford

 

Artisan Sweet Product of the Year:

 

Madagascar Vanilla Truffles – Belflair Chocolates, Brackley

Middle Eastern Marmalade – Friars Farm, Northampton

Salted Caramel Brownie – The Good Loaf, Northampton

 

Artisan Savoury Product of the Year:

 

Punjabi Rice Kit – Punjaban, Northampton

Sausage Roll – WH Thomas, Wellingborough

 

Among the new finalists to be celebrating success in being shortlisted in both drinks categories is Tom Maule, the founder of The Maule Brewing Co; “We’re delighted that two of our drinks have been shortlisted as finalists after having entered this prestigious competition for the first time this year” explained Tom.

 

“As a truly independent, Northampton-based business it means a lot to us that our hard work and the quality of products have been recognised in a very competitive market” he added.

 

The team behind the Carlsberg UK Northamptonshire Food and Drink Awards is delighted to announce that the competition has been launched for 2016 for what is expected to be its best year yet!

 

The Awards 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 its existing sponsors, including headline sponsor Carlsberg UK, Booker, British Pepper & Spice, Cordant People, Heygates Flour and Animal Feed, Moulton College, Northamptonshire County Council, Northamptonshire Enterprise Partnership, the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner at Northamptonshire Police, Pidy UK, TMI Foods, Weetabix, Whitco Catering and Bakery Equipment, Whitworth Bros Ltd Flour Millers, and the addition of a new sponsor, the Weetabix Growers Group, the category line-up has a new look (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 Flour Millers (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 Catering and Bakery Equipment (Business Times)

 

‘Spice Restaurant of the Year’ sponsored by British Pepper & Spice

 

‘Independent Café / 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)

 

‘Booker 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)

 

‘Weetabix Local Food Hero of the Year’ sponsored by Weetabix with Northamptonshire CPRE (Aspire Magazine)

 

‘Healthy Eating Workplace of the Year’ sponsored by Northamptonshire County Council

 

‘F&B Achiever of the Year’ sponsored by Northamptonshire Enterprise Partnership

 

‘Farming Innovation Award’ sponsored by the Weetabix Growers Group with the NFU

 

The details of the 2016/17 competition were unveiled at the launch at Mercedes AMG High Performance Powertrains in Brixworth (Thursday 17th March) – one of the winners of the ‘Healthy Eating Workplace of the Year’ category in 2015 – by the Awards Director, Rachel Mallows of The Mallows Company.

 

Among the changes she announced to the audience made up of reigning champions, sponsors, judges and competition partners was the introduction of the new category for 2016, the Farming Innovation Award, which will recognize those primary producers who have introduced modern techniques on their arable, livestock or mixed farms to become more environmentally friendly or to raise standards in animal welfare and food production.

 

The category has been introduced thanks to the support of new sponsor, the Weetabix Growers Group, which is made up of environmentally aware farmers within a 50 mile radius of the company’s Burton Latimer mills who grow and harvest wheat for the cereal-maker, and is backed by the NFU (National Farmers Union).

 

Meanwhile winners of the five product and drink categories will be given a boost by receiving not only tailored business support from experts on the newly-created Awards Mentoring Board but also free entry into the Great Taste Awards 2017.

 

In addition, the Awards Dinner in November will also provide a platform to highlight successes in the county’s ‘Eat Out Eat Well’ scheme which is managed by Environmental Health Northamptonshire and which celebrates those eateries and catering companies which offer healthy and nutritious options on their menus.

 

Rachel explained the value of the awards in recognizing the important role that the sector plays in the county; “With one in seven jobs now in food and drink, this industry is a vital player in Northamptonshire’s economy and we’re delighted that the competition has played its part over the last seven years in increasing tourism spend, boosting business development and creating jobs.”

 

“So on behalf of the hundreds of pubs, cafés, producers chef and indeed all of our finalists, runners-up and winners of the last seven years, we are thrilled not only to have the continuing support of our sponsors but also to welcome the Weetabix Growers Group to the fold and are confident that this year will be the biggest and best yet!”

 

To set taste buds watering, guests tucked into a selection of some of the healthy breakfasts which led in part to Mercedes’ success in the competition, created by Catering Manager James Ingram. Following the speeches, they were also treated to a tour of the company’s state-of-the-art, purpose-built factory where it designs, manufactures and tests Formula 1 power units.

 

Rachel would like to thank all of those who have sent messages of congratulations and kind wishes on her being awarded an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honour list.