The Taste of Kent Awards (TOKA) – the longest-running and most prestigious food and drink awards in the South East – are delighted to announce that entries and votes are now open!

Ahead of this year’s opening, a launch event took place at the University of  Greenwich, bringing together the county’s finest food and drink businesses ready to celebrate this major milestone. Industry leaders, previous winners and sponsors and partners (including official media partner insideKENT Magazine!) gathered together to hear from some of the sector’s most celebrated businesses about the impact that winning a Taste of Kent Award has had on their success.

Leigh from The Boathouse Fisheries in Hythe, who won Gold in Kent Ready Meal or Prepared Food Product of the Year at the 2024 awards said: “The awards weren’t just a moment – they’ve been a catalyst for growth, connection, and confidence in what we’re building.”

Organised by Produced in Kent, the county’s leading membership organisation for independent food and drink businesses, the 2026 awards feature 24 categories spanning food and drink products, hospitality and retail experiences, and whole-business excellence. The Awards Ceremony will take place on 8th October 2026 at the GlassBox Theatre, Gillingham.

What can you do?

Whether you’re a food and drink business, a regular customer, or just a lover of great Kent produce, there’s a way for you to get involved.

Here’s how it works:

Public Vote Categories – FREE to vote

Four categories open with a public vote – and this is where you come in. All you need to do is click on a category, find your favourite, and hit VOTE. Voting is completely free. The businesses with the most votes progress to a further judging round, which includes submissions from the businesses themselves and, for some categories, mystery visits from professional researchers.

The four categories are:

• Kent Dining Experience of the Year
• Kent Casual Food & Drink Experience of the Year
• Kent Food & Drink Market of the Year
• Kent Independent Retailer of the Year

Voting closes in July 2026, so don’t hang around – and please do share with anyone you think would want to support their local favourites.

For food and drink businesses – product and business categories are also open

If you run a Kent food or drink business, there are a further 20 categories for you to enter directly. These aren’t voted for by the public – businesses submit their own entries.

• Product Categories
  If you make a food or drink product, you can pay to submit it for blind taste testing by our expert panel of judges – chefs, buyers and food writers. Every entrant receives written feedback regardless of the outcome. There are 17 categories covering everything from beer and cheese to bakery, spirits and wine.
• Business & People Categories
  These categories recognise whole-business achievement and outstanding individuals. You’ll submit a written entry, and finalists are invited to a meeting with the judging panel.