Culinary bosses are being invited to give their food and drink businesses a boost by entering them for prestigious awards which celebrate the county’s finest.
Applications are now open for Derbyshire County Council’s annual Derbyshire Food and Drink Awards.
The awards have been running for over a decade – celebrating the county’s best catering businesses serving locally sourced food on their menus.
Celebrity chef Simon Rimmer, star of Channel 4’s Sunday Brunch programme, will present winners with awards in 12 categories during a celebration dinner at Chesterfield Football Club’s Proact Stadium on 23 January, 2014.
Categories in the awards – which are jointly sponsored by HSKS Greenhalgh Chartered Accountants and Business Advisors and Holdsworth – are:
- Restaurant of the Year
- Gastro Pub of the Year
- Traditional Pub of the Year
- Best International Restaurant
- Tea Room/Coffee House of the Year
- Café of the Year
- Best Derbyshire Breakfast
- Best Family Friendly Venue
- Local Producer of the Year
- Best Healthy Eating Venue
- Best Newcomer
- Local Food Hero
Councillor Joan Dixon, Derbyshire County Council Cabinet Member for Jobs, Economy and Transport, said: “The quality and range of food and drink businesses across Derbyshire is fantastic and they play a key role in the county’s economy.
“Our annual awards recognise the excellence of people working in the industry. They’ve developed a strong reputation and are an excellent way for restaurants, bistros, pubs and cafes to put themselves on the map.”
Entries are judged on a number of criteria including the quality of food and drink served, customer service, use of county produce and acknowledgement of it on menus.
They are assessed by an independent panel of food specialists and each short-listed venue has a mystery shopper visit before final decisions are made.
Shortlisted entries in four categories – Restaurant of the Year, Gastro Pub of the Year, Best International Restaurant, and Best Newcomer – will be visited by experts from the Taste Derbyshire scheme and will be awarded bronze, silver or gold status.
Councillor Dixon added: “With a dozen categories there’s something for every Derbyshire businesses to enter and I’d urge people to give serious consideration to nominating themselves. We’ve sent forms to all registered catering firms and anyone serving food or drink in the county can enter.
“All winners will be able to display Derbyshire Food and Drink Awards certification and use it for marketing purposes and Taste Derbyshire accreditation is an extra bonus for businesses which are shortlisted in those categories because it gives another recognised industry mark to display.”
To download an application form for the Derbyshire Food and Drink Awards go to www.derbyshirefoodanddrink.co.uk or contact Stephanie Walsh: Stephanie.walsh@derbyshire.gov.uk or 01629 538464.
