After much anticipation and a great deal of excitement, the winners in the Carlsberg UK Northamptonshire Food and Drink Awards 2018/19 are finally celebrating being named the best of the county’s best!  Now in its tenth year, the competition is aimed at celebrating all that is great about local produce and drink, recognising excellence within the county’s dining venues and rewarding those who work so hard within the culinary sector.

The results were announced at a glittering Awards Dinner staged at Northampton’s Royal & Derngate in November.   The winners of all the categories were presented with trophies which had been specially designed by the Northampton firm Trinity Engineering – the figure 10 depicted as a bottle and plate to represent a decade of the Awards which was crafted out of tin, the metal traditionally associated with tenth anniversary gifts – by the evening’s special guest, the former Masterchef winner, author and Wahaca restaurant group owner, Thomasina Miers, and Awards Patrons William Sitwell and Sophie Grigson.

The results of the twenty categories include: F&B Achiever of the Year, sponsored by Howes Percival LLP, went to Nicky Dorwood of Limes Farm Ltd and School Meals Ltd, Farthinghoe, with Naz Islam of Saffron, Northampton, as runner-up. 

The Farming Innovation Award, sponsored by Warner Edwards, was won by Courteenhall Farms, with runner-up Waterloo Cottage Farm, Great Oxendon, who also was joint winner of the Artisan Local Savoury Product of the Year, sponsored by Heygates Flour and Animal Feed.

The Water Mill Tearooms in Ringstead was declared the Independent Café/ Tea Room of the Year, sponsored by Pidy UK; the team were thrilled to receive such an early stamp of approval, given the business was only opened in 2017.  The title of Restaurant of the Year, sponsored by Whitco Catering and Bakery Equipment, went to The Palmichael, Burton Latimer, with Murrays at Whittlebury Hall, Whittlebury, as runnerup.  The Great Service Award, sponsored by Northampton College, went to the The Red Lion, Culworth, with The Tollemache Arms, Harrington, as runner-up.

The title of Royal Showstopper of the Year, sponsored by Whitworth Bros Ltd Flour Millers, was jointly won by Jeyes of Earls Barton and Workbridge Coffee Shop from Northampton.  That of One To Watch, also sponsored by Whitworth Bros. Ltd Flour Millers, went to Boot Town Brewery, Burton Latimer, with Northampton’s Tea Lab Company as runner-up.  Artisan Local Drink of the Year was Lord Barker from Gun Dog Ales, Woodford Halse, with Hardwickbased Manor Farm Drinks’ Hardwick Elderflower Cordial as runner-up.  Rubio from Towcester Mill Brewery won the title of New Local Drink of the Year, ahead of joint runners-up Opal Gin from Phipps NBC, Northampton, and X-Strong Ale by Hoppy Family Brewery in Kettering.  Having been named both winner of the One To Watch category and runner-up in the Artisan Local Sweet Product of the Year category, sponsored by Moulton College, for 2017/18, Ganders Goat of Cottingham won the latter title this year with their Apple with a Blackberry Ripple Ice Cream

For the full results from the competition, including the chance to watch the videos of the cook-offs in the two chefs categories, please visit the Awards’ website at www.northamptonshirefoodanddrink.co.uk  or contact Rachel Mallows on 01933 664437 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  

Carlsberg UK Northamptonshire Food and Drink Awards 2018/19

Carlsberg UK Northamptonshire Food and Drink Awards 2018/19