Press Release: 12 January 2015
Finalists for Produced in Kent’s The Taste of Kent Awards 2015 have today (12 January) been revealed. From over 550 businesses nominated, the top three with the most public votes from each category will now enter the next stage with the hope of being crowned a winner in March.
Stephanie Durling of Produced in Kent, comments: “This year has again seen people voting in their thousands with the number of votes we received up by around 50 per cent. We are delighted that the public is so enthusiastic to celebrate the very best Kent produce, and this year we received nominations for a record number of businesses.”
The Taste of Kent Awards, organised by Produced in Kent to showcase Kent’s finest food and drink products, provides the general public with a unique opportunity to hand pick and vote for their favourite producers, retailers, restaurants, dining pubs and farmers’ markets.
James Beatton, Partner at Cripps LLP, the awards’ main sponsor, said: “We are proud to be the main sponsor of The Taste of Kent Awards again. It is great to see so many new entrants and such a large increase in votes. It is very clear that the awards continue to go from strength to strength, underlining the importance of the food and drink sector to this county.”
Stephanie Durling continues: “We have seen many newcomers to the finalists list this year including: Juice Executive, Wise Owl Cider, The Milk House, Capel-le-Ferne Farmers’ Market, MB Farms, Peters Produce, Chegworth Valley, Stour Valley Game, Hush Heath, Hudsons’ Fish, Hales & Moore, Peter’s Produce, Great Preservations, Kentish Pieman, Hotface Sauces, The Corner House, The King’s Head and Monty’s Greengrocers.”
“There are also a number of last year’s winners who continue to win the public votes, with Goody Ales, Duddas Tun, Biddenden Vineyard, Court Farm and Macknade Fine Foods all making it into this year’s top three.”
The three finalists in each category will now go forward to be judged by mystery shoppers and diners or an 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 12 March 2015 at the Kent Events Centre, Kent County Show Ground, which will be catered for by Maddie Allen owner of Mama Feelgoods from Bekesbourne near Canterbury.
Stephanie Durling concludes: “From all across the county, the people of Kent have chosen the tastes, flavours, products, produce and venues that 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.”
The finalists in each category are:
Kent Butcher or Meat Producer of the Year, sponsored by Stephens
Court Farm, Halling
MB Farms, Stockbury
Stour Valley Game, Chartham
Best Kentish Beer, sponsored by Rix & Kay Solicitors
Good Health – Goody Ales, Herne
Gadds No.3 – Ramsgate Brewery, Ramsgate
Whitstable Bay Pale Ale – Shepherd Neame, Faversham
Best Kentish Wine, sponsored by Investaco
Ortega – Biddenden Vineyard, Biddenden
Bacchus – Chapel Down, Tenterden
Balfour Brut – Hush Heath, Staplehurst
Best Kentish Cider or Perry, sponsored by Wilkins Kennedy FKC
Strong Kentish Cider – Biddenden Vineyard, Biddenden
Cheery Old Dudda – Duddas Tun, Doddington
Wise Owl Cider – Wise Owl Cider, Ashford
Best Kent Juice Producer, sponsored by Kent County Council
Chegworth Valley, Harrietsham
Juice Executive, Maidstone
Pine Trees, Doddington
Kent Local Food Retailer of the Year, sponsored by Opies
Macknade Fine Foods, Faversham
Monty’s Greengrocer, Birchington
Peters Produce, Herne Bay
Kent Fishmonger of the Year, sponsored by Chapman’s of Sevenoaks Ltd
Folkestone Trawlers, Folkestone
Hales & Moore, Rainham
Hudsons Fish, Herne Bay
Kent Food Producer of the Year, sponsored by Shopper Anonymous
Great Preservations, Tonbridge
Hotface Sauces, Maidstone
Kentish Pieman, New Romney
Kent Restaurant of the Year, sponsored by Henkelman UK Ltd
The Ambrette, Margate
The Corner House, Minster
Wyatt & Jones, Broadstairs
Kent Dining Pub of the Year, sponsored by Page & Wells
The George Inn, Molash
The Kings Head, Wye
The Milk House, Sissinghurst
Kent Farmers Market of the Year, sponsored by Hadlow College
Aylesford
Capel-le-Ferne
Elm Court
A wide range of products has also been entered for the Kent Food Product Category Awards. These classes include Ambient and Specialist Drinks, Dairy, Bakery and Confectionery, Prepared Foods and Catering, all sponsored by Shepherd Neame. These will all be judged by an expert panel who will then select an overall winner for the Best Kent Food Product of the Year which is sponsored by kff.
The other awards that will be presented at the awards dinner include:
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, BTF Partnership, Chapman’s of Sevenoaks, EMR (East Malling Research), Hadlow College, Henkelman UK Ltd, Investaco, Kent Downs and High Weald AONBs, KCC (Kent County Council), kff (Kent Frozen Foods), Opies, Rix and Kay Solicitors, Shopper Anonymous, Shepherd Neame, Stephen’s, Moor’s, Biddenden Vineyards, Chapel Down and Wilkins Kennedy as well as event support from the Kent Event Centre.
