Press release: 11 January 2016
Finalists announced for The Taste of Kent Awards 2016
The wait is finally over, the finalists for The Taste of Kent Awards 2016 are revealed today (Monday 11 January). From over 500 Kent nominated businesses, the top three with the most public votes from each category will now enter the final stages, with the hope of being crowned the winner on 3 March 2016.
This year’s results demonstrate the largest increase in votes in the independent retailer category as well as a surge in voting for locally brewed beers.
Stephanie Durling of Produced in Kent, organisers of the Taste of Kent Awards comments: “Kent is experiencing an exponential growth in micro breweries reflecting and we hope outstripping, the trend nationwide. We are delighted that the public is so enthusiastic to celebrate the very best Kent produce and are supporting so many of their local businesses.”
The Taste of Kent Awards is a showcase for Kent’s finest food and drink products and provides the general public with their only opportunity to choose and vote for their favourite producers, retailers, restaurants, dining pubs and farmers’ markets.
James Beatton, Partner at Cripps LLP, the awards’ main sponsor, said: “Cripps is very proud to be the main sponsor of the Taste of Kent Awards for the fifth year running. The Taste of Kent Awards is a great way to celebrate the quality on offer in the county, so it is brilliant to see an increase in public voting in the beer and retail categories. It just goes to show that the awards really do represent the changing tastes of people who live Kent.”
The three finalists in each category will now go forward to be judged by independent mystery shoppers, diners or expert judging panel to find Kent’s ultimate ‘food and drink heroes’. The final winners will be revealed at a black tie awards dinner on Thursday 3 March, at the Kent Event Centre, which will be catered for by Jason Freedman at Curiously Kentish from Birchington.
Stephanie concludes: “From all over the county, the people of Kent have chosen the flavours, products, produce and venues they have enjoyed the most over the last 12 months. For the winners, the awards are the ultimate stamp of approval from their customers and confirmation of their food and drink excellence. We are delighted to see so many new names in the top three this year and we wish all finalists good luck. It is a fantastic achievement to have been short listed from such stiff competition.”
The finalists in each category (in no particular order) are:
Kent Beer of the Year, sponsored by Rix & Kay Solicitors
Gadds Number 3 – Ramsgate Brewery, Broadstairs
Good Life – Goody Ale, Herne Bay
Romney Amber – Romney Marsh Brewery, New Romney
Kent Butcher Shop of the Year, sponsored by Stephens
Carnivore Food Ltd, Sidcup
Stour Valley Game, Chilham
Worgans Butchers @ The Goods Shed, Canterbury
Kent Cider or Perry of the Year, sponsored by Wilkins Kennedy FKC
Biddenden Strong Kentish Cider – Biddenden Vineyards
Kentish Pip Craftsman – Kentish Pip, Bekesbourne
Wise Owl Cider – Wise Owl, Ashford
Kent Dining Pub of the Year, sponsored by Page & Wells
The George Inn, Molash
King and Queen, East Malling
Kings Head, Wye
Kent Wine of the Year, sponsored by Eurostar
Bacchus – Chapel Down Vineyard, Tenterden
Herbert Hall Brut – Herbert Hall, Marden
Ortega, Biddenden Vineyards, Biddenden
Kent Juice Producer of the Year, sponsored by AC Goatham & Son
Chegworth Valley Juices, Harrietsham
The Cherry Berry Company, Bexleyheath
Nightingales (Gibbet Oak), Tenterden
Kent Local Food Retailer of the Year, sponsored by Opies
Holwood Farm Shop, Keston
Monty’s of Birchington, Birchington
Peters Produce, Herne Bay
Kent Fishmonger of the Year, sponsored by The University of Kent
Aldington Fresh Foods, Ashford
Hollowshore Fisheries – Bluey & Fiona Walpole, Faversham
Hudson’s Fish, Herne Bay
Kent Food Producer of the Year, sponsored by Shopper Anonymous
AMC Foods (Kent Crips/ Kentish Oils), Manston
Samovar Foods, Aylesham
Thomas Cookie Co., Maidstone
Kent Restaurant of the Year, sponsored by Thomson Snell & Passmore
Ambrette, Margate
The Corner House, Minster
Googies, Folkestone
Kent Farmers Market of the Year, sponsored by Hadlow College
Cliftonville Farmers Market
A wide range of products have also been entered for the Kent Food Product Classes Awards, sponsored by Shepherd Neame. These will all be judged by an independent expert panel who will then select an overall winner.
The Best Kent Food Product of the Year Award is sponsored by HSBC.
Other awards that will be presented at the dinner but which are not open to public voting, are:
Kent’s Young Food & Farming Entrepreneur – in its inaugural year, sponsored by Rusbridge Family Bakery & Kent Farmers’ Markets Association
Kent Countryside Award, sponsored by Kent Downs and High Weald AONBs
Garden of England Champions – Soft Fruit, sponsored by East Malling Research
Garden of England Champions – Top Fruit, sponsored by BTF Partnership
Tickets for the awards presentation dinner are available from Produced in Kent and full details of the awards dinner and the menu are available on the website www.tasteofkentawards.co.uk.
This year’s awards are run with sponsorship from Cripps LLP (Main Sponsor), Biddenden Vineyards, BTF Partnership, East Malling Research, Eurostar, AC Goatham & Son, Hadlow College, HSBC, High Weald AONB, Hush Heath Estate, Kent Downs AONB, Moors, Opies, Page & Wells, Rix & Kay, Rusbridge Family Bakery/Kent Farmers Market Association, Shepherd Neame, Shopper Anonymous, Stephens, Thompson Snell and Passmore, The University of Kent, Wilkins Kennedy FKC, Kent Event Centre, and InsideKent.
