We are most grateful to the following sponsors, associate sponsors, supporters and media partners of the 2024/25 Awards, without whose support the competition could not go ahead

Our sponsors:

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Our associate sponsors:

 

 

Our supporters:

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Our media partners:

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If you would like to find out more about getting involved in the Awards as a sponsor or supporter, please do get in touch via our Contact page.

 

Our Patrons:

 

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Susanna Booth

Susanna Booth is a journalist with over 10 years’ experience on health and lifestyle titles. She has always had an interest in food and worked as a cookery columnist for the Guardian newspaper, creating recipes that are free from ingredients like gluten, dairy, eggs, nuts and soya. Susanna graduated from Leeds University with a degree in Polymer Chemistry, which has helped her to explore the chemistry within cooking itself. This experience helps her to adapt common recipes to suit gluten-free requirements. She is a Member of the Guild of Food Writers and has written a number of books, such as “Gloriously Gluten Free” and “Simply Sugar Free” and “Sensationally sugar free”. Susanna also has expertise in digital marketing and non-fiction filmmaking.

 

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Professor David Foskett MBE CMA FIH Bed HONS

Previously Dean and Head of the London School of Hospitality and Tourism at the University of West London, Professor Foskett is a member of The Royal Academy of Culinary Arts, Craft Guild of Chefs and a Fellow of the Institute of Hospitality.

He is co-author of Practical Cookery Levels 1, 2 and 3, Theory of Hospitality and Catering, Food and Beverage Management, and Hospitality Supervision. These books have sold over 2 million copies and are used in 140 countries.  David has been voted one of the most influential people in the hospitality public sector.

 

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Mary Laing

Mary Laing became one of the founding Patrons of the Northamptonshire Food and Drink Awards in her capacity as both a former county cookery school director and a senior judge on Young Chef, Chef, Independent Tea Room/Café and Produce categories from the start of the competition.  When her husband, David Laing, retired as Lord-Lieutenant of the county in 2020 we invited him to join us as a Patron in supporting the sector.  Their passion for the county knows no bounds and their interest in good local food and drink extends across the range of categories we now enjoy.  Mary combines a no-fuss approach which calms, encourages and motivates the individuals who make Northamptonshire a great place to live and eat!

 

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Tom Warner

Tom Warner is co-founder of Warner’s Distillery, alongside his wife Tina Warner-Keogh. Born and raised in the Northamptonshire countryside, the Warner’s mission is to create 100% natural gin that showcases the flavour of the British countryside. We believe they arguably triggered the flavoured gin craze that we have seen in the UK over the past 10 years. Now a B-Corp organisation and winners of the Footprint Drinks Sustainability Awards (2021) alongside Gin masters and San Francisco World Spirits winners.

 

Previous Patrons

 

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William Sitwell

William Sitwell an award-winning editor and broadcaster and writer. He is an editorial director at globally-renowned content marketing firm John Brown media. A critic on the BBC1 show Masterchef, contributes regularly on the subject of food for a variety of magazine and newspapers. An acclaimed author, one of his more recent publications, The Really Quite Good British Cookbook, is a collection of recipes from 100 of Britain’s food heroes and includes contributions from some of our best-loved chefs, including Raymond Blanc, Rick Stein and Nigella Lawson.

 

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Sophie Grigson

Sophie Grigson started out as a mathematician but was soon seduced by the world of food and cooking. Her first cookery article was published in 1983 and she went on to spend six years as the London Evening Standard cookery columnist. Her first TV series in 1993, Grow your Greens, Eat your Greens, won the Caroline Walker Prize (Media Category) and she has gone on to make many more for both Channel 4 and the BBC. She has also written regular food articles for newspapers and magazines and has published more than 20 cookery books, gathering a clutch of awards along the way.