Jill
FOOD + DRINK
Kent Wine of the Year Silverhand Strawberries and Cream Rose 2025, Silverhand Estate, Luddesdown Silver Reign, Silverhand Estate, Luddesdown 2019 Cuvee Sparkling White- Limited Edition, Terlingham Vineyard, Hawkinge Wandering Wayfarer Oaked Bacchus 2023, Wayfarer Wine, Woodchurch Rosé Brut 2022, Woodchurch Wine Estate, Woodchurch
Kent Cider of the Year Greenhorn, Duddas Tun Cider, Doddington Grafter, Kentish Pip Cider, Bekesbourne Skylark, Kentish Pip Cider, Bekesbourne
Kent Product Innovation of the Year Doubleday Cherry Wine, Doubledays( Bax Farm Juice Ltd.), Sittingbourne Earthnutz Peanut Protein Crisps, Earthnutz, Hildenborough Croissant Crisps, Pit Stop General Store, Folkestone
Kent Independent Retailer of the Year Algar Lodge Farm Shop & Cafe, Deal Groombridge Farm Shop, Tunbridge Wells Little Wave Deli, Broadstairs
Kent Food & Drink Market of the Year Cliftonville Farmers Market, Cliftonville, Margate Lenham Country Market, Lenham Whitstable Foodies Market, Whitstable
Kent Dining Experience of the Year The Dove at Dargate, Dargate Drift., Whitstable The PIG at Bridge Place, Bridge
Kent Casual Food & Drink Experience of the Year Macknade, Faversham Spadework, Offham Woodchurch Wine Estate- Vineyard, Tasting & Dining Rooms, Woodchurch
Kent Sustainable Business of the Year HatHats Coffee Co, Whitstable Silverhand Estate, Luddesdown Whitstable Oyster Co, Whitstable
Kent Food & Drink Innovation Award Kingcott Dairy, Staplehurst Lost Sheep Coffee, Whitstable Speciality Breads, Margate
Kent Food & Drink Superstar Award Winner announced on the night!
Gold, Silver and Bronze winners of the Taste of Kent Awards 2026 will be announced on 8 October at The GlassBox theatre at MidKent College’ s Medway campus- follow the announcements live on the night at @ TasteofKentAwards.
LOCAL INGREDIENTS, GLOBAL FLAVOURS
As we head into autumn what better way to bring back that holiday feeling than taking a trip to a warmer climate? Buying local doesn’ t mean limiting yourself to local flavours. In fact, some of the most exciting food experiences come from combining the best ingredients from close to home with inspiration from around the world. Why not support brilliant local producers while taking your taste buds on a journey?
Take the delicious Nigerian-inspired sauces created by Obas Kitchen( obaskitchen. com). Their bold, vibrant flavours can transform a familiar favourite into something exciting. Use as a marinade, sauce or a dip to bring a taste of Nigeria straight to your dinner table. Local ingredients, global inspiration – the perfect combination.
And what better way to wash it down than with an African-inspired drink? The lovely team at Korko( korko. uk), based in Medway, have created refreshing drinks bursting with distinctive flavours. Fiery Root Ginger, anyone? It’ s a fantastic way to discover something new while supporting an independent business closer to home.
Take a trip without leaving your kitchen with Little Big Flavour’ s Sri Lankan-inspired kits( littlebigflavourkits. co. uk), which take the guesswork out of creating authentic curries. Simply add your favourite locally sourced meat, fish or vegetables and let the carefully selected spices do the rest. Whether you’ re cooking a midweek meal or entertaining friends, you can enjoy the flavours of Sri Lanka while keeping your food miles low and supporting local suppliers.
Of course, no food journey would be complete without a drink and a snack. Local breweries often combine Kent hops with hops from around the world, creating exciting beers that celebrate both local craftsmanship and international brewing traditions. Pair your pint with an Indian-inspired snack from Curry Smugglers( currysmugglers. co), who have created tasty treats in a can that are perfect for sharing.
Buying locally is about more than simply shopping close to home. It’ s about supporting the people, businesses and communities around us while still enjoying the incredible flavours the world has to offer- create a global feast with a distinctly local heart.
The Taste of Kent Awards 2026 are made possible by the generous support of headline sponsor: University of Greenwich and sponsors & supporters: Brachers, Crowe UK, Defined Wine, Digitom, EKC Group, Found Food & Drink, insideKENT, Jestic Foodservice Solutions, Kent County Council, MidKent College, NFU Mutual Ashford, Tenterden & Whitfield, Oxbury Bank, Select Technology, Shepherd Neame and Southeastern Railway.
tasteofkentawards. co. uk tasteofkentawards
Jill
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