The team behind the Carlsberg UK Northamptonshire Food and Drink Awards is thrilled to announce that multi award-winning wine expert, TV personality, author and columnist Olly Smith is the special guest at this year’s Awards Dinner taking place at Northampton’s Royal & Derngate in November.

The vivacious presenter, who regularly appears on BBC 1’s Saturday Kitchen, hosts his own podcast A Glass With…. in which he drinks with the stars and who published his latest book on cocktails and mocktails, Fizz, earlier this year, has himself picked up numerous titles, including both ‘Drinks Business Young Achiever of the Year’ and ‘International Wine & Spirits Communicator of the Year’ in 2009, ‘UK Vineyards Association Communicator of the Year’ in 2012, while he was also named ‘Best Drinks Writer’ in the ‘Great British Food Awards’ in both 2016 and 2017.

As wine columnist for The Mail on Sunday, with a listing in Debretts as one of the 500 most influential people in the UK, and one of P&O Cruises’ Food Heroes, curating the wine list and hosting events across the fleet in his Glass House bars, Olly, will follow in the footsteps of fellow culinary luminaries Jason Atherton, Marcus Wareing and Michel Roux OBE in presenting the trophies at the competition’s end-of-year celebration and says he’s delighted to be heading to the county: “I’m absolutely thrilled to be coming to Northamptonshire to be part of this special event because, for me, wine and food is an ever-evolving journey of discovery, packed with innovative techniques, passionate craft and immersive history” explained Olly.

“It takes you straight to the heart of any destination and gives a real taste of what it’s like to be a part of that community so I’m looking forward to getting to know Northamptonshire’s increasingly successful food and drink community rather better!”

“After all, life’s greatest pleasure is to share a glass and a bite of something local, so how fabulous to be able to do so with a throng of those who feel the same at what will I know will be a fabulous  celebration!” he enthused.

Among those waiting to discover if they will be receiving their winner’s trophy from Olly are the quintet of finalists in the ‘One To Watch’ category (sponsored by Whitworth Bros. Ltd Flour Millers), which is aimed at those producers whose businesses are less than 5 years old and is designed to recognise their potential for major growth, their future significant impact on the market and thereby raising the profile of Northamptonshire at a regional or national level.

They are (in alphabetical order):

Jelley Distilleries, Brixworth

Racing Chocs, Bugbrooke

What’s Poppin’, Northampton

Whittlebury Bakery, Whittlebury

Xachoh, Silverstone

Meanwhile, as the finishing touches are put the big night, the next two months remain as busy as ever in the Awards calendar with the results in the last categories being determined, including those for ‘F&B Achiever’ (sponsored by Howes Percival LLP), ‘Restaurant’ (sponsored by Whitco Catering and Bakery Equipment) and ‘World Cuisine Restaurant of the Year’ (sponsored by British Pepper & Spice).

In addition, the seven products vying for the title of ‘Artisan Local Vegetarian / Vegan Product of the Year’ will face their third stage of judging by an expert panel from The Vegetarian Society, while former Northampton College student, Daniel Innes-Fitzhugh, who is now Assistant Development Chef to Raymond Blanc OBE at Le Manoir Aux Quat’Saisons, joins The Telegraph’s restaurant critic and Awards Patron William Sitwell on the panel deciding which treats will be named ‘Artisan Local Savoury Product’ and ‘Artisan Local Sweet Product of the Year’ (sponsored by Heygates Flour and Animal Feed and Moulton College respectively).

As the Awards reach the culmination of their eleventh year, Director Rachel Mallows MBE DL is reflecting on another successful twelve months and believes that Olly’s presence will be the perfect way to celebrate: “We’ve been blessed to enjoy the company of some of the greatest names in the food world at the dinner over the last decade, but it shouldn’t be forgotten that this is a drinks competition too, so what better way to raise a toast to some of the county’s best eateries, chefs and producers than with a man at the top of that game!” said Rachel.

“You’ve only got to look at the wealth of new drink producers in the mix for their two titles and indeed the depth of culinary talent across the board in the competition this year to appreciate that this year’s dinner promises to be a cocktail of Northamptonshire delights that Olly will never forget!“ she added.

The Awards Dinner is taking place at Northampton’s Royal & Derngate on Thursday 14th November, with tickets priced at £120 (plus VAT) or £1,320 (plus VAT) for a table of 12.

Meanwhile for more information about Olly Smith, including details of his forthcoming events and TV appearances, please visit www.ollysmith.com

If ever you needed confirmation that the county’s food and drink sector is flourishing, look no further than the record number of those producers vying to take the latest prestigious titles in the Carlsberg UK Northamptonshire Food and Drink Awards!

The competition, now in its eleventh year, 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 recent shortlisting of the ‘New Local Drink’ and ‘Artisan Local Drink’ categories, staged at Barratt’s Club in Northampton, as reigning ‘Community Pub of the Year’, saw a panel of judges come together to sample their way through the competition’s largest number and widest variety of tipples – everything from beers to ciders, spirits to juices.

They included Jon Elks, Master Brewer at headline sponsor Carlsberg UK, CAMRA’s Company Secretary, Ken Owst, and Tina Keogh-Warner and Tom Warner, co-founders of the internationally award-winning craft gin distillers and the categories’ sponsor, Warner’s.

Indeed, with standards so high, the judges were simply unable to reduce their selection to the usual shortlists of just 4 to 6, with the resulting finalists being (in alphabetical order within the category):

Artisan Local Drink of the Year:

Bad Bitch – Bad Boy Cider, Pipewell

Black Star – Phipps NBC, Northampton

Cheeky Charlie – Healy’s of Winwick, Winwick

Classic IPA – Silverstone Real Ale, Syresham

Stonyfield Rosé – Painter’s Vineyard, Blisworth

Sundance American Amber Ale – Boot Town Brewery, Burton Latimer

Triple ‘F’ Medley – Floyers’ Fruit Farm, Flore

New Local Drink of the Year:

Frutas Do Bosque Catharina Sour – Boot Town Brewery, Burton Latimer

Kinky Boots – Phipps NBC, Northampton

Mulled Cider – Healy’s of Winwick, Winwick

Organic Elderflower Vodka – Jelley Distilleries Organic Vodka, Brixworth

Roly’s Ginger Beer – Manor Farm Drinks, Hardwick

Strawberry & Lime Cider – Bad Boy Cider, Pipewell

Triple ‘F’ Mr. Pippin – Floyers’ Fruit Farm, Flore

Xachoh Blend No. 7 – Xachoh, Silverstone

Meanwhile with a twenty percent increase in the number of entries, those at the second stage judging of the three equally hotly-contested product categories, held at Holdenby House, faced just as difficult a task. They included former cookery school owner and Awards Patron Mary Laing, chef Gavin Austin, who fed the England Lionesses on their way to World Cup semi-final glory in France earlier this summer and Vanessa Brown, who is Head of Business and Catering Services at the Vegetarian Society as well as representatives of each of the category sponsors, Heygates Flour and Animal Feed, Moulton College and Daily Bread. The finalists are (again in alphabetical order within the category):

Artisan Local Savoury Product of the Year (sponsored by Heygates Flour and Animal Feed):

Cobblers Nibble – Hamm Tun Fine Foods, Hannington

Evergreen Chutney – Evergreen Art Café, Daventry

Little Bertie – Hamm Tun Fine Foods, Hannington

Olive and Spinach Bread – Whittlebury Bakery, Whittlebury

Steak and Ale Pie – Butler’s Pie Company, Brackley

Togglers – Neneview Dairy, Stanwick

Artisan Local Sweet Product of the Year (sponsored by Moulton College):

Honey, Orange & Whisky Marmalade – Nature’s Fayre, Thrapston

Raspberry Fruity Chocolate – Belflair Chocolates, Brackley

Strawberry Jam – Green Kitchen Preserves, Northampton

Whittlebury Bun – Whittlebury Bakery, Whittlebury

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

Chocolate & Cherry Cake with Coconut Cream (vgn) – Sol Laug Havens CIC, Moulton

Cocoa Caramel Popcorn (vgn) – What’s Poppin’, Northampton

Creamy Leek and Mushroom Pie (vgn) – Butler’s Pie Company, Brackley

Savoury Crumble Pie (vgn) – The Moulton Pie Company, Moulton

Stanwick Blue (vgt) – Neneview Dairy, Stanwick

Sweet Potato, Spinach & Tomato Pie (vgn) – Sol Laug Havens CIC, Moulton

Zucchini and Walnut Cake (vgn) – SophistiCake Creations, Northampton

Among those to be celebrating are David and Kathryn Butler from Butler’s Pie Company in Brackley who, as first time entrants into the competition, are thrilled to have pies in the shortlists of both of the categories they entered: “As a small, family run business we are extremely proud, overjoyed and amazed at being double finalists in this prestigious competition and find it really humbling to know that all of the hard work that goes into producing our high quality products paid off with the judges” said Kathryn.

“Entering the Awards has definitely raised our business’s profile so we’re excited for the future and are now keeping everything crossed that one if not both pies go on to take their respective titles!” she added.

While most professional chefs endure the heat of the kitchen on a daily basis, one former local catering student has taken welcome respite from his usual Caribbean temperatures, coming back to the county to help determine the destination of one of the prestigious titles in this year’s Carlsberg UK Northamptonshire Food and Drink Awards!

Simon Dyer, who learned his craft at Awards category sponsor Northampton College, now works as Sir Richard Branson’s private chef on Necker Island, but was delighted to return to home territory to help judge the ‘Booker Young Chef of the Year’ category aimed at budding stars aged under 25.

The cook-off, staged in the impressive kitchens of the college on Booth Lane, saw the young chefs battle it out in the semi-final, at which they had to demonstrate their culinary skills by creating a main course in just ninety minutes using a basket of general ingredients as well as their key local ingredients of stout from Phipps NBC in Northampton, sourdough from Whittlebury Bakery, smoked ham hock from Great Oxendon’s Waterloo Cottage Farm and duck eggs from Smiths Farm Shop at Chapel Brampton, all carefully selected by Simon.

Among those joining him in the tricky but enjoyable task of choosing the finalists were fellow former Northampton College student, Dean Hoddle, who has also climbed to culinary excellence, being Head Chef at Silverstone Circuit, and Awards Patron and former cookery school owner, Mary Laing.

Having acted as a judge in this category for the last two years, Simon said he was amazed by the increase in standards he witnessed yet again this year; “Speaking on behalf of the rest of the panel, I know we were all really blown away by the skills shown by the young chefs and I was delighted that, in choosing ingredients that I really loved, they all rose to the challenge brilliantly and created dishes that wouldn’t have been out of place in a fine-dining venue” explained Simon.

“None of them seemed at all nervous despite being watched by us throughout the morning and so our task was particularly hard this year but I hope that they can all take inspiration from the likes of Dean and me in seeing how far cooking can take them and indeed if any of them wants a work placement with me in the Caribbean, I’d be delighted to have them!” he added.

The four finalists, who now go forward to compete for the ‘Booker Young Chef of the Year’ title in the final cook-off in September, are (in alphabetical order):

Charlie George Garrett – The Plough, Shutlanger

Kenny Markham – The Church Restaurant, Northampton

Jack Matthews – The White Horse, Kings Sutton

David Arthur Smith – The Palmichael, Burton Latimer

Just a week later, the finalists in the ‘Chef of the Year’, co-sponsored by Dawn Farms and Route 1 express couriers and aimed at those aged 25 and over, gathered again at the college to compete in a similar ‘Ready Steady Cook’ style challenge, this time with three hours to plan, prepare and serve a two course meal, having no prior knowledge of the ingredients. The main course was their own creation while their pudding had to be a summer berry roulade and for which they were also given the additional local ingredients of strawberries from Harpole’s Grange Farm and raspberry gin from Awards category sponsors Warner’s in Harrington.

The six aiming for the senior title were (in alphabetical order):

Reece Brooks – Freelance Chef, Northampton

Seamus Bryans – Greens Restaurant at Collingtree Park Golf Club, Northampton

Michael O’Gorman – The Granary at Fawsley, Fawsley

James Peck – Burnt Lemon Catering, Finedon

Danny Tompkins – Danny Tompkins Chef, Harlestone

Richard Walker – Fawsley Hall, Fawsley

Throughout the entire process, the sextet were watched by an expert panel of judges including Aaron Melly and Lee Haines, representing category co-sponsors Dawn Farms and Route 1 express couriers respectively, Northampton College’s Head of Catering, Phil Martin, and the chef-owner of the Paris House in Woburn, Phil Fanning, who then tucked into the various and imaginative range of dishes produced, including a poussin pearl barley risotto and a spinach and wild mushroom risotto served with ham hock and tarragon bonbons.

The finalists in both categories now have until Thursday 14th November to discover their fate, when the winners and runners-up in all the categories of this year’s competition will be announced at the Awards Dinner, taking place at Northampton’s Royal & Derngate. Tickets are now available at £120 (plus VAT) or £1,320 (plus VAT) for a table of 12.