Taste of Kent Awards 2013’s glittering dinner is set to reward Kent’s food & drink heroes
As the online public voting lines closed in the county’s most popular food and drink awards at the beginning of January on www.tasteofkentawards.co.uk, the organisers at Produced in Kent were delighted to report consumer votes reached the 10,000 mark.
Stephanie Durling of Produced in Kent said, “I would like to extend a huge thank you to all those who took the trouble to go online and cast their votes for their local food and drink heroes, be they our county’s dining pubs and restaurants using local produce and Kentish drinks; our artisan food producers; the region’s wines, beer, cider and juice; the retailers supporting Kent’s farmers, fisherman and manufacturers; and the county’s fantastic farmers’ markets.”
According to Produced in Kent, voting proved particularly strong this year in all the drinks categories including Best Kentish Beer, Best Kentish Wine, Best Kentish Cider or Perry and Best Kent Juice Producer, as the reputation of the Garden of England as a centre of excellence for its wine, beer, cider and fruit juice grows year on year. Likewise voting was especially strong in the Kent Butcher or Meat Producer of the Year as the county recognises the important role played by local free range meat producers and the high quality independent butchers in our community. Now the top three in each category will be judged by mystery shoppers and diners and expert judging panels to find the ultimate ‘food and drink heroes’.
In addition to Vertex Law, the overall sponsor of the competition, more than a dozen other companies have sponsored the individual categories, including Archant Kent Life, Biddenden Vineyards, Chapel Down Winery, Hadlow College, Kent Downs and High Weald AONBs, Kent County Council, kff (Kent Frozen Foods), NFU Mutual, Opies, sff (Stephen’s Fresh Foods), Shepherd Neame, Shopper Anonymous, Visit Kent and Wilkins Kennedy. The Taste of Kent Awards also has widespread media support including the backing of insideKENT.
New venue… means insideKENT readers can be part of it
The move of the glittering Taste of Kent Awards Dinner to the larger venue at the Mercure Great Danes Hotel, Hollingbourne on the evening of Friday 8th March 2013 has meant that more people interested in the food and drink scene in Kent can be part of this stunning evening where the winners in each category are revealed.
Tickets for the Taste of Kent Awards Dinner are £90 including a Kentish sparkling wine reception on arrival, a three-course dinner, wine, coffee, chocolates and the glittering awards night. Table discounts are available on tables of 8-10 people. Please contact Produced in Kent for details 01732 853170 or info@producedinkent.co.uk
The winners of the following categories will be revealed on Friday 8th March at the sparkling Taste of Kent Award evening:
| TASTE OF KENT 2013 CATEGORIES |
| Kent Butcher or Meat Producer of the Year A retailer selling a good range of Kent produced meat. They will be required to provide evidence of traceability to substantiate this for judging. |
| Best Kentish Beer Beer produced predominantly from hops grown in Kent at a brewery based in Kent |
| Best Kentish Wine Wine produced from grapes predominantly grown in Kent at a vineyard based in Kent |
| Best Kentish Cider or Perry Cider or Perry made from apples or pears predominantly grown in Kent at a business based in Kent |
| Best Kent Juice Producer Producer of fruit juice made from made from fruit predominantly grown in Kent at a business based in Kent |
| Kent Local Food Retailer of the Year The retailer must sell a wide range of Kent produce/products. They will be required to provide details of the suppliers and product range for judging |
| Kent Fishmonger of the Year A retailer selling a good range of Kent caught fish. They will be required to provide evidence of traceability to substantiate this for judging |
| Best Kent Food Product of the Year A product selected by the judging panel as the overall winner from the entries in all the Kent Food Product Category Awards |
| Kent Food Product Category Awards (5 classes in this category) A product available in retailers and/or caterers made from Kent primary produce that has undergone a value added process over and above just being re-packaged |
| Kent Artisan Food Producer of the Year A Kent producer who creates a handmade food product using ingredients sourced from Kent where possible |
| Kent Restaurant of the Year The restaurant must actively use Kent produce and products where and when available and demonstrate this commitment in menus and marketing |
| Kent Dining Pub of the Year Must actively use produce/products, beer, cider and juices when available from within Kent and demonstrate this commitment in menus & marketing |
| Kent Farmers’ Market of the Year The market must be a current member of the Kent Farmers’ Market Association (KFMA) |
| Produced in Kent Award This award will be presented to an individual, business, product or products as a special award |
| Kent Downs and High Weald AONB Kent Food, Farming & Landscape Award |
