Press release: 19 January 2017
The wait is finally over, the finalists for The Taste of Kent Awards 2017 are revealed today (Thursday 19 January). From over 520 Kent nominated businesses, the top three from each category will now enter the final stages, with the hope of being crowned a winner on 9 March 2017.
This year’s results show a massive increase in votes for the Dining Pub/Bistro category as well as a surge in voting for butchers.
Stephanie Durling, Manager of Produced in Kent, organisers of the Taste of Kent Awards comments: “This years awards are bigger and better than ever. We are delighted to see such growth in the Dining Pub/Bistro category. Informal dining has changed immeasurably over recent years and voters in this year’s awards have clearly shown their enthusiasm for Kent’s fabulous eateries. The increase in voting for the county’s butchers demonstrates the confidence that is placed in buying local meat from independent shops. Your local butcher has a wealth of knowledge to pass on to its customers and they have voted in their droves which is great to see.”
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, eateries and farmers’ markets.
Erica Dennett, partner and head of the food and drink sector team at Cripps, the awards’ main sponsor, said: “Cripps is very proud to be the main sponsor of the Taste of Kent Awards for the sixth 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 both the dining pub/bistro and butcher categories. It just goes to show that the awards really do represent the changing tastes of people who live in Kent.”
The public voted for their favourite businesses and 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 9 March, at the Kent Event Centre, which will be catered for by Jason Freedman at Curiously Kentish from Birchington and the drinks reception is sponsored by NFU Mutual in Tenterden.
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 accolade from their customers and confirmation of their food and drink excellence. We are delighted to see yet more 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 alphabetical order) are:
Kent Beer of the Year, sponsored by Rix & Kay Solicitors
Good Life – Goody Ale, Herne Bay
Romney Amber – Romney Marsh Brewery, New Romney
Smoked Oatmeal Stout – Boutilliers, Faversham
Kent Butcher Shop of the Year, sponsored by Stephens
S W Doughty, Doddington
Stour Valley Game, Chilham
C A Worgans Butchers, Canterbury
Kent Cider or Perry of the Year, sponsored by Wilkins Kennedy
Skylark – Kentish Pip, Bekesbourne
Tenterden Cider – Gibbet Oak, Tenterden
Wise Owl Medium Sparkling Cider – Wise Owl, Ashford
Kent Dining Pub of the Year, sponsored by Page & Wells
The Ferry House Inn, Isle of Sheppey
The George, Molash
Samphire, Whitstable
Kent Wine of the Year, sponsored by Eurostar
Gribble Bridge Sparkling White Wine, Biddenden Vineyards, Biddenden
Ortega, Biddenden Vineyards, Biddenden
Sparkling Rose 2011, The Mount Vineyard, Shoreham
Kent Juice Producer of the Year, sponsored by AC Goatham & Son
Biddenden Vineyards, Biddenden
The Cherry Berry Company, Bexleyheath
Nightingales (Gibbet Oak), Tenterden
Kent Local Food Retailer of the Year, sponsored by Opies
Gibbet Oak Farm Shop, Tenterden
Groombridge Farm Shop, Groombridge
Macknade Fine Foods, Faversham
Kent Fishmonger of the Year, sponsored by The University of Kent
Aldington Fresh Foods, Ashford
Hales & Moore, Rainham
Hollowshore Fisheries, Faversham
Kent Food Producer of the Year, sponsored by Shopper Anonymous
Bessie’s Tea Parlour, Broadstairs
Crossways Pigs, Sissinghurst
MightyFineThings, Faversham
Kent Restaurant of the Year, sponsored by Thomson Snell & Passmore
The Corner House, Minster
The Mulberry Tree, Boughton Monchelsea
Saltwood on the Green, Saltwood
Kent Farmers Market of the Year, sponsored by Hadlow College
Cliftonville Farmers Market
Shipbourne 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 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 Young Food & Farming Entrepreneur of the Year – sponsored by Create with Impact
Kent Countryside Award, sponsored by Kent Downs and High Weald AONBs
Garden of England Champions – Soft Fruit, sponsored by Kent County Agricultural Society
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 (Main Sponsor), Biddenden Vineyards, BTF Partnership, Create with Impact, Eurostar, AC Goatham & Son, Hadlow College, HSBC, High Weald AONB, Kent County Agricultural Society, Kent Downs AONB, Kent Farmers Market Association, Moors, Opies, NFU Mutual Tenterden, Page & Wells, Rix & Kay, Shepherd Neame, Shopper Anonymous, Stephens, Thomson Snell and Passmore, The University of Kent, Wilkins Kennedy, Kent Event Centre, InsideKent and South East Farmer.
