FOOD + DRINK
2016 winners
FINALISTS ANNOUNCED FOR THE
Taste Of Kent Awards 2017
Jason Freedman, Curiously Kentish at the TOKA 17 Launch
THE WAIT IS FINALLY OVER; THE FINALISTS FOR THE TASTE OF KENT AWARDS 2017 HAVE BEEN REVEALED. FROM OVER 520 KENT NOMINATED BUSINESSES, THE TOP THREE FROM EACH CATEGORY WILL NOW ENTER THE FINAL STAGES, WITH THE HOPE OF BEING CROWNED THE WINNER ON 9TH MARCH 2017.
The public voted for their favourite businesses and the three finalists in each category will now go forward to be judged by independent mystery shoppers, diners or expert judging panels to find Kent’ s ultimate‘ food and drink heroes’. The final winners will be revealed at a black tie awards dinner on Thursday 9th March, at the Kent Event Centre, which will be catered for by Jason Freedman at Curiously Kentish from Birchington.
The finalists in each category( in alphabetical order) are:
KENT BEER OF THE YEAR
Good Life – Goody Ale, Herne Bay Romney Amber – Romney Marsh Brewery, New Romney Smoked Oatmeal Stout – Boutilliers, Faversham
KENT BUTCHER SHOP OF THE YEAR
Stour Valley Game, Chilham S. W. Doughty, Doddington C A Worgans Butchers, Canterbury
KENT CIDER OR PERRY OF THE YEAR
Skylark – Kentish Pip, Bekesbourne Tenterden Cider – Gibbet Oak, Tenterden Wise Owl Medium Sparkling Cider – Wise Owl, Ashford
KENT DINING PUB OF THE YEAR
The Ferryhouse Inn, Isle of Sheppey The George, Molash Samphire, Whitstable
KENT WINE OF THE YEAR
Gribble Bridge Sparkling Wine – Biddenden Vineyards, Biddenden Ortega – Biddenden Vineyards, Biddenden Sparkling Rose 2011 – The Mount Vineyard, Shoreham
KENT JUICE PRODUCER OF THE YEAR
Biddenden Vineyards, Biddenden The Cherry Berry Company, Bexleyheath Nightingales( Gibbet Oak), Tenterden
KENT LOCAL FOOD RETAILER OF THE YEAR
Gibbet Oak Farm Shop, Tenterden Groombridge Farm Shop, Groombridge Macknade Fine Foods, Faversham
KENT FISHMONGER OF THE YEAR
Aldington Fresh Foods, Ashford Hales & Moore, Rainham Hollowshore Fisheries, Faversham
KENT FOOD PRODUCER OF THE YEAR
Bessie’ s Tea Parlour, Broadstairs Crossway Pigs, Sissinghurst MightyFineThings, Faversham
KENT RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR
The Corner House, Minster The Mulberry Tree, Boughton Monchelsea Saltwood on the Green, Saltwood
KENT FARMERS MARKET OF THE YEAR
Cliftonville Farmers Market Tonbridge Farmers Market Shipbourne Farmers Market
A wide range of products have also been entered for the Kent Food Product Classes Awards. These will all be judged by an independent expert panel who will then select an overall winner who will be crowned The Best Kent Food Product of the Year.
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
KENT COUNTRYSIDE AWARD
GARDEN OF ENGLAND CHAMPIONS – SOFT FRUIT
GARDEN OF ENGLAND CHAMPIONS – TOP FRUIT
Tickets for the awards presentation dinner are available. Full details 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, Create with Impact, Eurostar, AC Goatham & Son, Hadlow College, HSBC, High Weald AONB, Kent County Agricultural Society, Kent Downs AONB, Moors, NFU Mutual, Opies, Page & Wells, Rix & Kay, Shepherd Neame, Shopper Anonymous, Stephens, Thompson Snell and Passmore, The University of Kent, Wilkins Kennedy FKC, Kent Event Centre, insideKENT and South East Farmer.
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