HENNEY’S Cider, near Worcester and Wye Valley Brewery, near Hereford, have both been shortlisted for the new Best Drinks Producer Award in this year's BBC Food and Farming Awards 2010.
The awards will be hosted by Radio 4's The Food Programme presenter, Sheila Dillon and will take place on Wednesday, November 24 at this year's BBC Good Food Show at Birmingham’s NEC.
Awards presenters will include chefs, James Martin and Raymond Blanc, Countryfile’s John Craven, Blur member turned cheese-maker Alex James and Oz Clarke, who will present this year's new award category for Best Drinks Producer.
Described by Jamie Oliver as “the Oscars of the food world”, the BBC Food & Farming Awards are now in their 11th year.
The awards, to be broadcast in a special edition of BBC Radio 4’s The Food Programme, on November 26, at 9am, celebrate the best of British food and all the finalists have been nominated by the public.
The categories are Best Food Market, Best Takeaway, Best Food Producer, Best Local Food Retailer, BBC Farmer of the Year; Best Dinner Man/Lady/Public Caterer, Best Retail Initiative, The Derek Cooper Award and the new award for Best Drinks Producer.
Judges chairman, chef, Angela Hartnett, said: “This year’s new drinks category is going to be an important way of recognising the dedication of a much neglected group of producers.
“Not only are drinks a crucial part of any meal, they can be the end product of someone determined to keep a tradition alive or guarantee the future of an orchard. That’s what these awards offer, a chance to celebrate something delicious that’s also part of our social fabric.”
The finalists for this year’s awards are:
BEST FOOD MARKET
St George’s Market, Belfast
Stoke Newington Farmers’ Market, London
Stroud Farmers’ Market, Gloucestershire
BEST TAKEAWAY
Kenniford Farm Hog Roast Van, near Exeter
Mr Dutchy’s Caribbean Takeaway, Northampton
BEST FOOD PRODUCER
Alex Gooch (baker), Hay-on-wye, Powys
Brenda Leddy, Stichill Jerseys (dairy), Kelso, Scottish Borders
Guy Tulberg, (The Tracklements Co.) Malmesbury, Wiltshire
BEST DRINKS PRODUCER
Henney’s Cider, near Worcester
Sipsmith, London Dry Gin, London
Wye Valley Brewery, near Hereford
BEST LOCAL FOOD RETAILER
Cranstons Food Hall, Penrith, Cumbria
Darts Farm Shop, near Exeter, Devon
Welsh Seafoods, Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire
BBC FARMER OF THE YEAR AWARD
Jonathan Birchall, Farm Manager for Pilkington Farms, Hitchin, Hertfordshire
Geoff Kidd, Marine Farm Manager, Scottish Sea Farms, Isle of Mull
Paul Mansfield, Nickle Farm, Canterbury, Kent
BEST DINNER MAN/LADY/PUBLIC CATERER
Bob Davies, Easingwold Secondary School, York
Rose Southern, Normanton Retirement Home, Shrewsbury
Ralf Strunz, Grove Children and Family Centre, Peckham, London
BEST RETAIL INITIATIVE
Sainsbury’s Carbon Footprint Initiative
The Hand Made Bakery, Slaithwaite
Fodder, Great Yorkshire Showground, Harrogate
THE DEREK COOPER AWARD
Richard Lutwyche.
Middlesborough Environment City
The National Trust
More details at www.bbc.co.uk/foodawards
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