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Cheers! Guests enjoying a drink at the Weetabix Northamptonshire Food and Drink Awards Networking event’

The Weetabix Northamptonshire Food and Drink Awards welcomed food and drink businesses from across the county to The Chester House Estate for the very first time, at their inaugural Summer BBQ and Networking Event.

Northamptonshire County Council purchased the Chester House Estate site in 2004 and secured grant funding through working with the National Lottery Heritage Fund to develop a sustainable visitor destination attraction with access for the public to learn about its history and heritage, as well as becoming the location to house countywide archaeological finds. Chester House Estate is a nationally significant heritage site, being one of the few places in the country which can demonstrate over 10,000 years of human activity. One of the aims of the visitor attraction is to establish, promote and grow local business, produce and tourism, making it an ideal venue to host Northamptonshire based Food and Drink business owners.

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Rachel Mallows MBE DL welcoming sponsors, award winners, finalists and guests at Chester House

Awards Founder Rachel Mallows MBE DL said, “What a flagship venue to host our Summer BBQ event’. The long-awaited opening of this historical site is upon us, and I’m thrilled that the Weetabix Northamptonshire Food and Drink Awards were able to host this event at Chester House Estate prior to the formal opening next month. Thank you to everyone who came along and supported us; Awards Sponsors, Finalists, Winners and Guests. You are all the fabric of what makes Northamptonshire’s food and drink scene so exciting and fresh”.

Councillor Helen Howell, Deputy Leader of North Northamptonshire Council said “Chester House Estate has undergone £14.5 million pounds of restoration to make it accessible to the public and we are delighted that the Weetabix Northamptonshire Food and Drink Awards are our very first guests. We aim to offer a diverse education programme, preserve our 10,000 years of history as a visitor attraction and hope to be able to grow local business, local food and tourism with our café and artisan shop stocking goods from across the county and Made in Northamptonshire will be big partners for us”.

New Awards Patrons Tom and Tina Warner of Warner’s Distillery spoke about their involvement with the Weetabix Northamptonshire Food and Drinks Awards. Tina enthused that, “Northamptonshire is the beating heart of our business, we want to remain authentic and put people and the planet above profit”. Tom added, “We owe our success to the county, a great place to do business from and travel to and from. We are thrilled to be here today and support other local food and drinks businesses in our role as Awards Patrons”.

Tom and Tina Warner went on to announce the finalist in the three eatery categories which were:

Independent Café / Tearoom of the Year finalists:

The Apothocoffee shop, Earls Barton

New Lodge Far, Bulwick

The Watermill Tearooms, Ringstead

The Grain Store Coffeehouse, Woodford

Tens Hand Café Bar, Towcester

The Good Loaf, Northampton

Booker Dining Venue of the Year finalists:

Murray’s at Whittlebury

The Falcon, Castle Ashby

The Palmichael Restaurant, Burton Latimer

The Pig and Waffle, Grafton Underwood

The Red Lion, Cranford

The Tollemache Arms, Harrington

The Folly Inn, Towcester

World Cuisine Restaurant of the Year finalists:

June Plum, Wellingborough

Saffron, Northampton

The Exotic Dining, Kettering

Tamarind, Northampton

The achievement and successes of the Weetabix Northamptonshire Food and Drinks finalists will be celebrated at the Awards ceremony and dinner due to be held on 20th October 2021 at the Royal & Derngate, Northampton.

For more information on the Weetabix Northamptonshire Food and Drink Awards 2021/22, call Rachel Mallows on 01933 664437 or email rachel@themallowscompany.com

Meanwhile, to keep up to date with the latest news, please follow the Awards on Facebook at @foodawards or Twitter and Instagram at @foodawardsHQ or on LinkedIn at @weetabixnfadawards using the hashtag #WFDA21.

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It was a wonderful sunny evening to be outside enjoying a BBQ in such good company. Everyone had a common interest at the event – a love for Northamptonshire’s food and drink

The Weetabix Northamptonshire Food and Drink Awards team have announced the next round of category finalists, for F&B Achiever of the Year, Local Food Hero, One to Watch and Weetabix Sustainability Award, ahead of the Awards Gala Dinner Ceremony on 20th October.

Founder Rachel Mallows MBE DL, brought together a team of dedicated judges to shortlist the finalists in the next four categories of the Weetabix Northamptonshire Food and Drink Awards.

Rachel commented ‘It’s important to be able to highlight great food and drink individuals, organisations and businesses across the county, recognising remarkable achievements, many of whom are adopting new practices, adapting to change, diversifying, or helping to reduce their impact on climate change.’

Each year the Awards are sponsored by loyal and committed Northamptonshire based businesses, who support the categories and businesses in the sector by assisting with judging, providing expertise and knowledge to and for the finalists, which is a key part of the Awards’ continued success.

Matthew Talbot, Partner at Howes Percival, enthused, “Howes Percival are delighted to be sponsoring the F&B Achiever of the Year category again for 2021/22. I was blown away by the high standard of the finalists this year, not only in this category but the other business categories as well. It’s wonderful to see such quality from across the county, from a range of businesses, all working hard to put Northamptonshire on the map!”

Moulton College’s Principal, Corrie Harris, added “In our 100th anniversary year, Moulton College are over the moon to be celebrating the Local Food Heroes who are making a difference in their communities and going far beyond the normal requirements. Congratulations to all the finalists being announced this month”.

The finalists are:

F&B Achiever of the Year

(sponsored by Howes Percival)

Laurence Connisbee of Wharf Distillery, Towcester

Matt Fountain of Bewiched, Higham Ferrers

Greta McDonald of Sweet Lounge, Brixworth

Steve Reid of Friars Farm, Northampton

Jeeva Sanmugam of Classic Cuisine, Northampton

Local Food Hero of the Year

(sponsored by Moulton College)

The Gurdwara, Northampton

Northampton Hope Centre, Northampton

The Old Swan, Earls Barton

The Old White Hart, Far Cotton

One To Watch

(sponsored by Whitworth Bros. Ltd)

Brothers Pub Co., Northampton

Explore Chocolate, Finedon

Good Folk Brewery, Weedon

Vicky’s Kitchen, Northampton

Yum Chop, Towcester

Weetabix Sustainability Award

(sponsored by Weetabix)

Applegate Organics, Northampton

Blue Skies, Pitsford

The Food Library, Northampton

Re, Flore

Sol Laug Haven, Moulton

Syan Farms, Horton

The achievement and successes of Northamptonshire Food and Drinks businesses will be celebrated at the Awards ceremony and dinner due to be held on 20th October 2021 at the Royal & Derngate.

For more information on the Weetabix Northamptonshire Food and Drink Awards 2021/22, call Rachel Mallows on 01933 664437 or email rachel@themallowscompany.com

Meanwhile, to keep up to date with the latest news, please follow the Awards on Facebook at @foodawards or Twitter and Instagram at @foodawardsHQ or on LinkedIn at @weetabixnfadawards using the hashtag #WFDA21.

The Love Lamb Week campaign runs from 1st – 7th September each year and this time around the campaign has had a focus on the sustainability benefits of sheep farming in the UK, as well as promoting the nutritional value of the meat.

The campaign was originally founded by Cumbrian sheep farmer Rachel Lumbley, who wanted to raise awareness of the low market values prices farmers were receiving for their lambs across the country, whilst raising high quality stock for the meat.

Sadly, prices are still low and there are increasing pressures on many lamb producers with the shortage in labour, fall out from the pandemic and low domestic consumption of lamb.

In Northamptonshire we have an abundance of lamb producers. According to the National Farmers Union, there are approximately 292,000 sheep in the county. Meanwhile farmers farm 77% of the county’s land area and 69% of which is involved in some form of countryside stewardship or environmental scheme.

So why don’t we take advantage of these local producers and eat lamb? Worth around £2.5 billion to the national economy, and has potential both at home and abroad, according to NFU livestock board chairman Richard Findlay who spoke out about the campaign; “British sheep farmers produce some of the finest quality lamb in the world. What’s more, sheep farmers are proud to say that they have some of the most sustainable systems, using natural resources and landscapes – landscapes which are often unsuitable for other types of food production – to turn inedible grass into a tasty, nutritious protein.’’

Throughout the county there are an array of independent meat producers, farm shops and microbusinesses selling locally raised lamb. From your Barnsley chop to your lamb and mint burger or a simple roasting joint, lamb has so much versatility and flavour.

Weetabix Northamptonshire Food and Drink Awards finalist The Elliott family of Noborough Lodge Farm Shop on the outskirts of Daventry, produce a range of native breeds of sheep including Romneys, Lleyns and Polled Dorset. These breeds are perfectly suited for the UK climate and great converters of grass to meat.

And when it comes to the eating, why not have a go at making a lamb curry or stew using some spices from fellow Weetabix Northamptonshire Food and Drink award winner Bite Me Spices.

Bite Me Spices have over 75 spice blends available on their online shop https://bite-me-spices.co.uk/collections/all so you’ll be spoilt for choice with the options available to pep up a mealtime favourite.

A recipe which combines lamb from Elliotts Butchers and Ras El Hanout blend from Bite Me Spices is an aromatic Moroccan lamb stew using dried apricots and sweet potato. Have a look at this recipe from the No Fuss Meals for Busy Parents food blog: https://www.facebook.com/NoFussMealsForBusyParents/posts/160255482487026

You can find more information on the Love Lamb Week campaign and tasty lamb recipes here: https://ahdb.org.uk/lovelambweek

#LoveLamb #LoveLambWeek

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Two exciting cook offs took place in the county’s prestigious catering colleges last month, highlighting just how important chef skills are to our hospitality businesses.

The Booker Young Chef of the Year final in the Weetabix Northamptonshire Food and Drink Awards competition took place on 29th July at Northampton College.

The four finalists, all aged under 24, were asked to prepare, cook and present the judges with a chicken and ham pie using Northamptonshire produce, including chicken from Pastures Poultry, ham from Sauls of Spratton and Jeyes’s Northamptonshire Sauce from Jeyes of Earls Barton.

The young chefs had two hours to complete the challenge in front of the Award judges which included Chris Jackson (Catering Development Manager of Booker, Northampton), Phil Martin (Curriculum Manager for Culinary, Hospitality and Tourism at Northampton College), Mary Laing (Awards Patron) and Charles Banks (Director and Co-Founder of The Food People).

The judges commented that “the group of Booker Young Chef of the Year finalists this year were an exceptionally gifted and skilled group of individuals who each cooked a chicken and ham pie dish to a high standard”.

The four Booker Young Chef finalists were:

Shawn Monk – The Falcon, Fotheringhay

Ellie Galloway – The Church, Northampton

David Smith – The Palmichael, Burton Latimer

Louis Scott – formerly of the White Swan

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Here are the young chef’s chicken and ham pie dishes using Northamptonshire ingredients

Meanwhile, the senior Chef of the Year competition, sponsored by Dawn Farms, took place earlier in the month at The Manor House, Tresham College, Corby.

The chefs had to take part in a fifteen minute skills test, preparing two fillets of sea bass before cooking a dish using the sea bass and langoustines, followed by a dessert for a vegan diet using Weetabix.

The judges included Awards Patron and food writer Susanna Booth who noted that “the chefs were so impressive to watch and taste their own interpretations using the local ingredients provided”. The judging panel was also made up of highly decorated foodies including former Northampton College student, Simon Dyer, who was previously Executive Chef to the Virgin Group and Gordon Ramsey’s restaurants.  The judges commented that the standard of cooking and skills was impressive given the time restrictions for planning and execution.

The four Chef finalists are:

Michael O’Gorman – Side Order Catering

Jim Millar – The Willow and Brook, Apethorpe

Zak Perrin – The Falcon, Fotheringhay

Bart Polinski – The Orangery, Delapre Abbey

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Here are the chef’s sea bass main dishes followed by vegan desserts using Weetabix

The results of both competitions will be announced at the Awards ceremony and dinner held later in October.

For more information on the Weetabix Northamptonshire Food and Drink Awards 2021/22, call Rachel Mallows on 01933 664437 or email rachel@themallowscompany.com

Meanwhile, to keep up to date with the latest news, please follow the Awards on Facebook at @foodawards or Twitter and Instagram at @foodawardsHQ or on LinkedIn at @weetabixnfadawards using the hashtag #WFDA21.

This year the Weetabix Northamptonshire Food and Drinks Awards will be recognising food and drink businesses from around the county with two announcements culminating in the annual awards ceremony held in October.

Awards founder Rachel Mallows explains ‘We want to be able to celebrate successful food and drink producers throughout the year, providing a platform for finalists to champion their achievements at major events, food festivals and to their customer base’. The pandemic has created an opportunity for independent businesses to harness the buy local message and the Awards help to shine a light on those doing great things’.

The first of the category award winners were announced at Rockingham Castle during the Rockingham Food and Drink Fair on 17th July, which gave the Weetabix Northamptonshire Food and Drink Awards boosted exposure amongst the general public as well as an array of local, regional and national businesses.

The Finalists were:

Artisan Local Product of the Year

(Sponsored by Heygates)

Picklish - Bite Me Spices

Blueberry Jam - Friars Farm

Salted Caramel Ice Cream - Ganders Goat

Northamptonshire Blue - Hamm Tun Fine Foods

Jeyes’s Northamptonshire Sauce - Jeyes of Earls Barton

Mango Caramel Popcorn - What’s Poppin’

Artisan Local Vegetarian/Vegan Product of the Year

(Sponsored by Daily Bread)

Mushroom Biriyani - Bite Me Spices

Chilli Jam - Friars Farm

Little Bertie - Hamm Tun Fine Foods

Pecan, Pumpkin and Cranberry Cake - Sophisticake Creations

Vegan Sausage Roll - Whittlebury Bakery

Artisan Local Drink of the Year

Infusion Set - Jelley’s Vodka and Tea Lab

Black Cherry and Vanilla Rum - New Town

Solar Star - Phipps NBC

Pilsner - Silverstone Brewery

Steam Ale - Towcester Mill Brewery

Silson Gin - Wharf Distillery

The judges had a tough job in shortlisting category finalists as well as awarding the coveted gold, silver and bronze placings. Susanna Booth, food journalist, cookery writer and Patron of the Awards said ’Once again it was wonderful to see the passion in Northamptonshire for food made with the highest standards of care and attention, which has endured despite all the upheaval of the past 18 months.’

Weetabix Marketing Director, Francesca Theokli commented that ‘We are delighted and immensely proud to be headline sponsors once again during the 13th year of the Weetabix Northamptonshire Food and Drink awards. The competition demonstrates the innovation, talent and creativity we have amongst the Food and Drinks community across Northamptonshire’.

The final results, announced by radio presenter John Griff and the Lord-Lieutenant of Northamptonshire James Saunders Watson, are (in presentation order and, in the case of more than one recipient of the Gold, Silver or Bronze, in alphabetical order):

Artisan Local Drink of the Year

GOLD = Steam Ale - Towcester Mill Brewery

SILVER = Silson Gin - Wharf Distillery

BRONZE = Infusion Set - Jelley’s Vodka and Tea Lab

BRONZE = Black Cherry and Vanilla Rum - New Town

BRONZE = Solar Star - Phipps NBC

BRONZE = Pilsner - Silverstone Brewery

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Image: John Evans of Towcester Brewery with James Saunders Watson

Artisan Local Product of the Year

(Sponsored by Heygates)

GOLD = Blueberry Jam - Friars Farm

GOLD = Jeyes’s Northamptonshire Sauce - Jeyes of Earls Barton

SILVER = Salted Caramel Ice Cream - Ganders Goat

SILVER = Northamptonshire Blue - Hamm Tun Fine Foods

BRONZE = Mango Caramel Popcorn - What’s Poppin’

BRONZE = Picklish - Bite Me Spices

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Image: Steve Reid of Friars Farm / Jeyes with James Saunders Watson

Artisan Local Vegetarian/Vegan Product of the Year

(Sponsored by Daily Bread)

GOLD = Pecan, Pumpkin and Cranberry Cake - Sophisticake Creations

SILVER = Little Bertie - Hamm Tun Fine Foods

SILVER = Vegan Sausage Roll - Whittlebury Bakery

BRONZE = Mushroom Biriyani - Bite Me Spices

BRONZE = Chilli Jam - Friars Farm

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Image: Mindy Robinson of Sophisticakes with James Saunders Watson

John Evans, Director of the Towcester Mill Brewery, who was presented with a Gold award in the Artisan local drink of the year category for his Steam Ale commented ‘The award has given us an extra boost to our business’. ‘We can now look forward to brighter days, producing a top quality product now we are back open for business following the pandemic.

Meanwhile Steve Reid owner of Friars Farm and Jeyes of Earls Barton scooped an array of awards including two Gold in the Artisan Local Product of the Year for his Blueberry jam and Jeyes Northamptonshire sauce. Steve commented ‘I’m over the moon’. ‘These awards put fire in my belly whilst providing recognition, which helps to raise the profile of my current products as well as our new ventures Northampton Charcuterie and Northampton Cheese Company’.

An emotional and heartfelt Gold award win was picked up by Mindy Robinson, founder of Sophisticake Creations for her pecan, pumpkin and cranberry cake in the local vegetarian / vegan product of the year. Mindy said ‘I was up against incredible competition and feel very humbled’. ‘The award gives me the reassurance and feedback that all the hard work and long hours I have put in to building my business is paying off’.

For the full list of the results across the first three categories in this year’s competition, or for more information on the Weetabix Northamptonshire Food and Drink Awards 2021/22, please visit www.northamptonshirefoodanddrink.co.uk or call Rachel Mallows on 01933 664437 or email rachel@themallowscompany.com

Meanwhile, to keep up to date with the latest news, please follow the Awards on Facebook at @foodawards or Twitter and Instagram at @foodawardsHQ or on LinkedIn at @weetabixnfadawards using the hashtag #WFDA21.

After a year best forgotten, the county’s hospitality sector now has double the reason to celebrate with not only the full re-opening of hospitality just days away, but also the launch of the Weetabix Northamptonshire Food and Drink Awards for 2021/22!

Created by the sector for the sector, the annual competition is aimed at raising a toast to 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.

Now in its thirteenth year, the Awards are thrilled to have the continuing support of Weetabix as headline sponsors for a second year – a sign of the Burton Latimer company’s commitment to the county’s flourishing food and drink sector – while the breakfast giant is  joined by existing category sponsors Booker, British Pepper & Spice, Daily Bread, Dawn Farms, Heygates Flour and Animal Feed, Howes Percival LLP, Moulton College, and Whitworth Bros Ltd Flour Millers as well as further continuing support from associate sponsors, Musk Process Services, SEMLEP (South East Midlands Local Enterprise Partnership) and Warner’s.

Additionally, this year’s competition sees the return of Thrapston-based Whitco Catering and Bakery Equipment Ltd as sponsors of the ‘Independent Café / Tearoom of the Year’ category, one which makes a welcome reappearance to the line-up of categories which are now open to chefs, producers and eateries as well as students, entrepreneurs and food heroes.

It also again features the ‘Weetabix Sustainability Award’, which was introduced for the first time last year to reflect the company’s ‘Change for Better’ commitment to sustainability.

Francesca Theokli, Marketing Director at Weetabix, said: “As a business deeply rooted in our local community, we know how much the success of Northamptonshire matters. The food and drink produced in Northamptonshire is truly second to none, and that’s definitely something worth celebrating.

“We’re delighted to be returning this year as headline sponsors - after what we know was a very tough year for lots of local businesses, these awards are a fantastic way for the sector to come together and support its own. We’re looking forward to the great - and hopefully very tasty - things on the horizon for food and drink in Northamptonshire!”

The full details of the new-look competition were revealed by Awards Director, Rachel Mallows MBE, at the launch which took place (Thursday 13th May) at Northampton’s Delapré Abbey, home of Restaurant Hibiscus, which not only took Gold in the ‘Booker Dining Venue of the Year’ category in 2020, but also saw its head chef, Sam Squires, awarded the same accolade in the ‘Chef of the Year’ category.

Having put the finishing touches to their new menus in readiness for their re-opening next Thursday, Sam revealed how both awards have been a huge boost to the venue: “The increased exposure, prompted by the announcements, saw a massive influx in new customers making reservations, so much so that we had to open our booking line early to try to cope with the demand” said Sam.

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“It has also prompted us to review everything we do to ensure we create the best possible dining experience and inspired us to come up with some new and exciting ideas, not to mention generated such a feel-good factor across the team, meaning everyone is so looking forward to coming back after what has clearly been a rollercoaster year!” he enthused.

Those were sentiments echoed by Rachael Templeton of Blue Aurora Wine at Lutton Farm near Oundle, whose blueberry wines picked up a Gold and two Bronzes in the ‘Artisan Local Drink of the Year’ category, when she explained the valuable impact that their triple success has had on their business: “We were absolutely delighted when the results were announced as part of the virtual celebrations back in November, not least as these were the first awards we’d ever entered and we’ve found the detailed feedback from the judging panel to be both helpful and reassuring!” said Rachael.

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“The subsequent coverage we’ve received has certainly helped raise our profile, prompting an increased following across social media and has attracted new customers, leading to our taking on two new local stockists so, as you can imagine, we’re thrilled we took the plunge and entered!” she added.

Meanwhile, Richard Gordon of The Greedy Gordons at Twywell, who secured Gold in the ‘F&B Achiever of the Year’ category and who saw his Cranford venue, The Red Lion, take Gold in the ‘COVID-19 Local Hero of the Year’ category after being named co-winner of the ‘Booker Food Pub of the Year’ in the 2019 Awards, was keen to express his gratitude: “When the pub was named as a finalist in the summer of 2019, we saw huge growth week-on-week, prompting a 30% increase in year-on-year sales and once our win was then announced, our customer base again grew enormously and we were inundated with enquiries and bookings” revealed Richard.

“The social media effect of shares and likes drove tens of thousands of people to our platforms and it’s been fabulous therefore to celebrate our continued success with all of those supporters that we simply would not have reached otherwise.

“The entire team is very proud of our achievements in this competition and I would say that winning double gold this time was by far my career highlight, making all the blood, sweat and tears of the last year worthwhile!” he added.

The free-to-enter categories in this year’s Awards (with their respective sponsors) are:

Artisan Local Drink of the Year

Artisan Local Product of the Year (Heygates Flour and Animal Feed)

Artisan Local Vegetarian / Vegan Product of the Year (Daily Bread)

Booker Dining Venue of the Year (Booker)

Booker Young Chef of the Year (Booker)

Chef of the Year (Dawn Farms)

F&B Achiever of the Year (Howes Percival LLP)

Food and Drink College Student of the Year

Independent Café / Tearoom of the Year (Whitco Catering and Bakery Equipment Ltd)

Local Food Hero of the Year (Moulton College)

One To Watch (Whitworth Bros. Ltd Flour Millers)

Weetabix Sustainability Award (Weetabix)

World Cuisine Restaurant of the Year (British Pepper & Spice)

The results of the competition, which will again see finalists awarded Gold, Silver or Bronze,

will be announced at the Awards celebrations later this year.

To download entry and nomination forms, please click here.

Meanwhile, for more details on all the categories in the Weetabix Northamptonshire Food and Drink Awards 2021/22, please call Rachel Mallows on 01933 664437 or email rachel@themallowscompany.com

You can also follow the Awards on Facebook at @foodawards or Twitter and Instagram at @foodawardsHQ or on LinkedIn at @weetabixnfadawards

When a small group of food and drink firms gathered in January 2011 as inaugural members of a new county networking group, little could they have known the impact it would have on their business, not to mention the local culinary scene.

Now, ten years on, Made In Northamptonshire (MIN) has helped to support some of our finest local producers, retailers and eateries, culminating in the opening of not one, but two outlets selling everything from cheese to chocolate, beer to bread and sauces to spirits!

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MIN Shop at Rushden Lakes

The decade-long vision for a venue dedicated to stocking only Northamptonshire’s finest artisan treats, held by the group’s founder and Awards Director, Rachel Mallows MBE, was initially realised when the first MIN shop opened at Rushden Lakes just before Christmas, before it was sadly forced to close when the third lockdown was announced in January.

But, with restrictions now lifted, the store is once again enticing shoppers to the retail park, while a second branch is also in full swing, thanks to the recent opening of MIN at Jeyes of Earls Barton.

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MIN Shop at Jeyes

With the group originally established to provide tailored guidance, business advice and crucially, to expand sales opportunities, Rachel says there couldn’t be a better way to mark its tenth anniversary: “We’ve been delighted to offer hundreds of hours of support to our dedicated and passionate producers over the last decade, helping many new businesses to launch and well-established firms to flourish but, ultimately, their success depends entirely on their P&L!” said Rachel.

“It’s why the opening of these two MIN shops is the icing on the cake, offering not only the chance for them to reach more customers but also the opportunity for discerning buyers to try some of their wonderful treats for themselves and head home, laden with local, quality produce, knowing it’s all been made just a stone’s throw from where they’re standing” she added.

Among the delights being stocked are a range of goat milk ice-creams from Gander’s Goat at Cottingham near Corby, run by recent stars of ITV’s Love Your Weekend with Alan Titchmarsh, husband-and-wife team Ian and Lauren Horton and the couple believe they simply would not still be operating without MIN: “Lauren and I searched the country for the perfect place to set up our business, and it was really only by chance that we ended up buying the farm here in 2016, but that was arguably the best thing we ever did!” explained Ian.

“That’s because the help we’ve received through Made In Northamptonshire, whether tapping vital business advice, accessing a trustworthy sounding board or, crucially, increasing our sales opportunities through events and festivals, not to mention these two new shops, has been simply amazing and, having reflected on the last five years, we really don’t think we would have survived without the kind of unique support we’ve received, if we’d gone anywhere else” he enthused.

Similarly, spice-blend producer Sera Harmon of Bite Me Spices in Northampton says Made In Northamptonshire has been vital to her company’s growth: “When I first joined MIN, I found myself alongside many other food producers just starting out and we leaned on each other within the group for support, knowledge and, especially for those of us running sole trader businesses, sanity, not to mention a much-needed social aspect to our working weeks” explained Sera.

“The meetings, which have included meet the buyer events or talks from experts in fields such as food technology, food safety or social media, have been invaluable and, even when proficient in a subject, these provide refreshers and allow a focus on a specific area of the business.

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MIN meeting

“After a break from the business through ill health, I’ve recently re-joined the network and am thrilled to be back with the chance to create even more positive working relationships and build on sales again over the coming years” she added.

MIN was set up to bring like-minded businesses together to help promote quality on the doorstep and to forge new working partnerships.

Over the last decade, its quarterly meetings – held online over the last year - have been regularly attended by around 50 members, gaining expertise from guest speakers, accessing sector news, grant and event information and, perhaps most importantly, the chance to share best practice. Membership is £75 per year.

It also produces a directory which promotes over 100 tasty treats to the county’s foodies.

The Rushden Lakes store is a collaboration with generous support from The Crown Estate, owners of the shopping and leisure complex, and the ‘Recovery Through Enterprise’ Hub, situated beneath the multiplex cinema in the West Terrace.

For details of its opening times, and for the latest news of plans for further stores across the county, please visit its Facebook page at @MINFoodandDrink while, for more information about MIN, including becoming a member, please call 01933 664437, or email hello@madeinnorthamptonshire.org

For further information about MIN at Jeyes of Earls Barton, please visit its Facebook page at @JeyesEarlsBarton

While 2021 still offers the county’s culinary sector little for which to be thankful, more of its finest are enjoying a well-earned reason to celebrate after picking up top accolades in this year’s Weetabix Northamptonshire Food and Drink Awards.

The competition, now in its twelfth year, is run by the sector for the sector and is aimed at publicly applauding all that is great about local produce and drink, recognising excellence within the county’s dining venues and rewarding those who work so hard to ensure the sector’s continuing success.

The Awards year usually culminates in a glittering celebration staged at Northampton’s Royal & Derngate but, owing to social distancing rules, the results in six of the categories were announced online back in November, while a further three category results were revealed last night (Tuesday 23rd February) during another specially-recorded virtual ‘second course’ celebration, with those of the remaining categories in the hospitality sector to be revealed in the ‘third course’ next month.

The latest results, announced by representatives of the category sponsor, are (in presentation order and, in the case of more than one recipient of the Gold, Silver or Bronze, in alphabetical order):

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Local Food Hero of the Year

(sponsored by Northampton College):

GOLD:

The Plough at Shutlanger, Shutlanger

SILVER:

The Fox and Hounds, Whittlebury

BRONZE:

Elliott Family of Noborough Lodge Farm Shop, Norton

BRONZE:

Hamm Tun Fine Foods Deli, Long Buckby

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Chef of the Year

(sponsored by Dawn Farms):

GOLD:

Samuel Squires – Restaurant Hibiscus, Northampton

SILVER:

Zak Perrin – The Falcon, Fotheringhay

BRONZE:

Jim Millar – The Willow and Brook, Apethorpe

BRONZE:

Michael O’Gorman – Side Order Catering, Wellingborough

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Booker Young Chef of the Year

(sponsored by Booker):

GOLD:

Kenny Markham – Burnt Lemon Chefs, Woodford

SILVER:

Louis Scott – Stanford-on-Avon

SILVER:

David Arthur Smith – The Palmichael, Burton Latimer

BRONZE:

Austin Howsam – The Spencer Arms, Chapel Brampton / Cheeky Chomp, Northampton

Among those now celebrating is Northampton’s Kenny Markham, one of the team from Burnt Lemon Chefs at Woodford, who, having competed in the ‘Booker Young Chef of the Year’ category twice before, was surprised with the news of finally achieving the top spot by Booker’s Catering Development Controller, Nathan Portess.

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Kenny Markham gets to grips with his cook-off ingredients

Once the result had sunk in, Kenny explained why the honour meant so much to him; “I’m genuinely shocked but very happy to have won as I really only entered again for the experience, so to take the gold at last is fantastic!” revealed Kenny.

“I have met some great chefs of my age and made some positive connections through the Awards, while, perhaps even more importantly, I learned so much from the amazing judges who were part of the cook-offs in the previous years I took part.

“I’ve taken on their feedback to really progress and improve my skills, so I feel that the competition has helped me to become a better chef and I guess this proves it!” he grinned.

Speaking of behalf of the sponsor, Nathan Portess explained why the company’s commitment to the competition is unerring: "Booker is proud to be supporting Northamptonshire's rising culinary talent by sponsoring this category once again. However tough the challenges being faced by the sector currently are, Booker is here to help and support all chefs and the advanced skills by all four finalists at the cook-off suggest that the future of food and drink in the county is in very safe hands” said Nathan.

"It is also fantastic that our winner was a former finalist and indeed runner-up last year, which just goes to show that this is a title worth fighting for and one which we hope will help to act as a great springboard to Kenny for a successful career ahead" he added.

The online ceremony began with a welcome from former member of The Communards and now author, broadcaster, Finedon parish priest and Awards supporter Reverend Richard Coles, who commended the valuable role of the competition in celebrating not only the skills of those in the sector but also the resilience and character they have shown during what has been such a difficult year.

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Rev Richard Coles congratulates the Awards finalists

After mocking his own cook-off experience, when his attempt at devilled kidneys on BBC Masterchef was blasted by host John Torode as “possibly the most terrible thing he’d ever had to eat on the programme”, he also spoke of how much he is relishing the opportunity to venture out to dine locally when the lifting of restrictions allows: “There is nothing I am looking forward to more once our lockdown ends than to getting my knees under the table somewhere posh, having a lovely old nosh-up and seeing what can be achieved with the fantastic produce that the county provides” explained Richard.

Those were sentiments then echoed by Weetabix Marketing Director, Francesca Theokli: “At Weetabix we have a very strong focus on our people, because we know that people make the difference and this has been a year more than any other in which the character of the people who feed the nation has shone through” said Francesca.

“The dedication that has been on display day in, day out through the past year has been truly inspiring and it’s fair to say that the nation owes a debt of gratitude to you all” she added.

The celebration also included some words of encouragement for the future of the sector from former Northampton College student, Simon Dyer, who has just stepped down from his role as Head Chef on Sir Richard Branson’s Caribbean retreat, Necker Island.

Having himself previously participated in Masterchef: The Professionals, Simon revealed how pleased he was to have again stepped behind the scoresheet to act as a cook-off judge in his home county’s Awards, a role he has generously performed for a number of years, and commended the four talented finalists for making the task of determining the results as demanding as ever.

The broadcast concluded with a closing toast from Awards Director, Rachel Mallows MBE DL, who congratulated all the finalists, thanked those who play their own vital role in the competition, including sponsors, media partners, judges and mystery shoppers, and urged the county’s food lovers to support all those producers, chefs, pubs and eateries who have worked tirelessly to make the local food and drink sector so successful.

The results of the remaining categories in the hospitality sector will be announced at the ‘third course’ of the Awards celebration on Wednesday 17th March. Those categories are:

Food and Drink College Student of the Year (sponsored by Moulton College)

Booker Dining Venue of the Year (sponsored by Booker)

World Cuisine Restaurant of the Year (sponsored by British Pepper & Spice)

For the full list of the first and second course results and of the remaining category finalists, or for more information on the Weetabix Northamptonshire Food and Drink Awards 2020/21, please see the results leaflet (pdf) or call Rachel Mallows on 01933 664437 or email rachel@themallowscompany.com

To watch the videos of the first and second courses, please visit www.youtube.com and search for #WNFAD20.

Meanwhile for further details on how you can join the ‘third course’ of the virtual Awards celebration, please follow the Awards on Facebook at @foodawards or Twitter and Instagram at @foodawardsHQ or on LinkedIn at @weetabixnfadawards.

While a New Year is traditionally associated with hopes of a fresh start, the announcement of a third lockdown just four days in to last month meant that the county’s food and drink sector had little reason to toast the arrival of 2021.

But just as they had demonstrated through the struggles of the previous nine months, resilience, endurance and creativity have been key to their survival – and success – and some of our finest food firms are once more calling upon those attributes to meet the ongoing challenges head on.

So it is for the four amazing businesses named as finalists in the ‘Local Food Hero of the Year’ category (sponsored by Northampton College) in the Weetabix Northamptonshire Food and Drink Awards, which, having come to the rescue of their local communities throughout last year’s restrictions, are at it again!

Take Hamm Tun Fine Foods Deli at Long Buckby, who are continuing not only their online store, supplying a wealth of delicious Northamptonshire goodies (including their own award-winning cheese) to customers, but also their free shopping delivery service to those who are elderly, vulnerable or isolating, even collecting items from the pharmacy and other shops in the village when needed.

In addition, co-owner Rachael Bradshaw sets her alarm clock for a very early start every Friday to produce her much-vaunted hot pots, which act as a warming boost for those missing the fare usually provided by the village’s currently closed pubs.

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Hamm Tun Fine Foods Deli's famous hot pots

It’s clear that Rachael is committed to supporting her local community, even forgoing her only holiday of the year to remain open: “We normally close for a fortnight in January to take a bit of a break and to re-decorate, but with another lockdown upon us, we just didn’t feel we could that this year as we know how vital we are to our loyal customers” explained Rachel.

“Of course I missed the burst of sunshine and the feeling of sand between my toes but their heartfelt appreciation helps to make the long hours worthwhile and being in the reckoning for such a prestigious title is really the icing on the cake!” she added.

Meanwhile, with the third enforced closure of its restaurant, not to mention its own shutdown due to a kitchen fire last summer, The Fox and Hounds at Whittlebury has also shown that diversification is key, swapping its in-house dining offering for a takeaway collection and delivery service Wednesdays to Saturdays, as well as dedicating part of the pub to act as a shop, again crammed with local produce.

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The shop at The Fox and Hounds at Whittlebury

Alongside his furloughed team, who have generously volunteered their time throughout the pandemic, General Manager, Robert South, says that the switch has not only helped them to develop an extended customer base but also kept them all out mischief: “Throughout last year it was great to see old and new faces alike coming in to support us, and lockdown three is proving to be no exception” revealed Robert.

“I’ve also learned that being in charge of a pub is child’s play compared with running a shop – yet another reason why we can’t wait for all this chaos to be over!” he grinned.

Similarly, The Plough at Shutlanger, which was co-winner of the ‘Booker Food Pub of Year’ category in the 2019/20 Awards, is hoping to add the ‘Local Food Hero’ title to its list of accolades, following its nomination which commended its Thursday to Sunday takeaway service, thereby ensuring its award-winning dishes could still be enjoyed at home, and its impromptu community grocery store.

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Fully stocked shelves at The Plough Barn Shop at Shutlanger

Indeed, the pub has taken that latter project further, having converted one of its outbuildings to last month open The Plough Barn Shop, selling everything from fresh bread to baked goods, locally-sourced jams, chutneys, cheese and of course wine, for whose list the venue is renowned!

Finally, finalist number four is the Elliott family, the team behind Noborough Lodge Farm Shop between the A5 and Norton near Daventry, which, remarkably, opened at the height of the pandemic last summer.

The family business is based on the foundations of provenance, traceability, short supply chain and reducing food miles and by rearing and butchering their own animals, supplying eggs from their flocks of hens and ducks, offering additional items from local producers and suppliers, as well as extending their opening hours and launching a free delivery service for the most vulnerable, it’s hardly surprising that that their nominator described them as the ‘lifeblood of the community’.

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The Elliott family and team at Noborough Lodge Farm Shop (photo courtesy of Kirsty Edmonds)

With the latest lockdown prompting a further delay to the announcement of the results in this category and those others in the Awards not yet revealed, the four finalists have a little longer to wait to learn whether they will be rewarded with a Gold, Silver or Bronze for their remarkable efforts, more of which you can discover on their respective Facebook pages.

For the full list of the ‘first course’ results in the Weetabix Northamptonshire Food and Drink Awards 2020/21, and for details of the finalists in the categories yet to be revealed, please download the leaflet on our homepage or call Rachel Mallows on 01933 664437 or email rachel@themallowscompany.com

Meanwhile for further information on how you can join the ‘second course’ of the virtual Awards celebration when they are announced, please follow the Awards on Facebook at @foodawards or Twitter and Instagram at @foodawardsHQ or on LinkedIn at @weetabixnfadawards.