Food Reader Awards winners revealed

Michael Caines, Paul Ainsworth and Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen Cornwall were among the 13 winners in this year’s Food Reader Awards, one of the largest and most highly acclaimed annual events in the South West calendar.

The awards were launched by Salt Media five years ago through its publication Food magazine with the aim of celebrating the very best restaurants, cafes, pubs, chefs, producers, retailers, cookery schools and bloggers in the South West.

The voters were readers of Food magazine and www.food-mag.co.uk and this year saw the biggest response yet with more than 110,000 votes cast across the 13 categories.

The ceremony took place at Yeo Valley HQ in Blagdon on Monday, January 25, and was attended by high profile figures from across the industry. It was hosted by Salt Media founding directors Jo Rees and Nick Cooper and Yeo Valley’s Dan Rusga. Supporters and sponsors included some of the best food brands in the country including Sharp’s Brewery, Thatchers, Rodda’s, Frobishers Juices and Yeo Valley.

Food on the evening was cooked and served by the team at Yeo Valley in its trendy and quirkily decorated headquarters overlooking the Blagdon valley.

After canapes including charcuterie and smoked fish, ewes’ cheese, rock samphire and Mendip wallfish (snails) all supplied by local artisan producers and chefs  and accompanied by Cornish fizz from Knightor Winery, guests sat down at trestle tables decorated with fake grass runners and model toy farm set cows for a four course meal. The starter was hake brandade and carpaccio  with Yeo Valley’s own Holt Farms beef served five ways creating a unique, medley-style main course. A cheese course was followed by a poached yorkshire rhubarb and ginger dessert. Unusually, but totally in keeping with the rustically stylish setting, each course was matched with a selection of West Country beers and ciders.

food magazine editor Jo Rees said, ‘All the finalists exemplify the leading, creative and groundbreaking food and drink businesses we’ve got in the South West. It was a fabulous evening and we’re thrilled that this year’s top 13 will now join our list of previous winners which includes Nathan Outlaw, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, Cornish Sea Salt, Riverford Field Kitchen and Waitrose.’

Winners:

LOCAL FOOD HERO (sponsored by Frobishers)

Winner: Michael Caines

Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall

Paul Ainsworth

BEST CHEF (sponsored by Sharp’s Brewery)

Winner: Steve Pigeon, The Arundell Arms

Robert Allcock, The Longs Arms

Emily Scott, St Tudy Inn

BEST RESTAURANT (sponsored by Total Produce)

Winner: Paul Ainsworth at No 6, Padstow

The Salutation Inn, Topsham

Wild Garlic, Nailsworth

BEST FOODIE HOTEL (sponsored by Forest Produce)

Winner: Watergate Bay Hotel, Watergate Bay

Ston Easton Park, Bath

The Arundell Arms, Lifton

BEST CAFE 

Winner: Strong Adolfo’s, Wadebridge

Strangers with Coffee, Wells

The Exploding Bakery, Exeter

BEST FOODIE PUB (sponsored by Thatchers)

Winner: Star & Garter, Falmouth

The Five Bells, Clyst Hydon

The Longs Arms, South Wraxall

BEST DRINK (sponsored by Impact)

Winner: Thatchers Cider

Tarquin’s Gin

St Austell Brewery’s Tribute

BEST FOODIE PRODUCT (sponsored by Michelmores)

Winner: Beetroot and Kale Soup, Tideford
Organics

Mango Chilli Sauce, Wiltshire Chilli Farm

Cornish Clotted Cream, Roddas

BEST INDEPENDENT
FOOD RETAILER

Winner: The Real Food Store, Exeter

Philip Warren, Cornwall

Stein’s Deli, Padstow

BEST FOOD BLOGGER

Winner: Tin & Thyme

Veggie Desserts

Eating Exeter

BEST COOKERY SCHOOL
(sponsored by Salt Media)

Winner: Stein’s Padstow Seafood School

Ashburton Cookery School

Demuths, Bath

BEST WINE LIST (sponsored by Jelf)

Winner: Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen Cornwall,
Watergate Bay

Fistral Beach Hotel, Newquay

Lewtrenchard Manor, Okehampton

BEST FARM SHOP

Winner: Padstow Farm Shop

Trevaskis Farm, Hayle

Darts Farm, Topsham