Submitted by Danielle Merchant.
Entries are now open for the prestigious 2021 Food Drink Devon Awards. The gold standard industry awards, which celebrate Devon’s finest food and drink, recognise the county’s most respected, influential and passionate artisan producers and establishments. The esteemed awards are open for entry until Friday 30th April 2021 and are open to both members of Food Drink Devon and non-members.
Covering food production, preparation, retailing, cooking and service, the awards honour businesses demonstrating a consistent commitment to quality, sustainability, provenance, excellent customer service and support for their local communities and other local businesses.
Categories open for entry include the ‘Producer Awards’ with Silver, Gold and Platinum awards available alongside ‘Food Product of the Year’ and ‘Drink Product of the Year’ awards. Recognising Devon’s best produce, Platinum awards are presented to tasted products given a perfect score of 100%, Gold awards to products achieving 90-99%, and Silver to those scoring 85-89%. The ‘Retail Awards’ include ‘Best Retailer’ and ‘Best Online Retailer’, while the always highly sought-after hospitality section of the awards cover ‘Best Fine Dining Restaurant’, ‘Best Restaurant’, ‘Best Pub’, ‘Best Bar or Bistro’, ‘Best Café or Tearoom’ and ‘Best Takeaway or Street Food’.
Barbara King, chair of Food Drink Devon says: “Devon boasts so many dynamic and innovative local producers and purveyors. The Food Drink Devon Awards give us the opportunity to recognise their success and contributions to the vibrant food and drink industry. We are proud to champion the county’s most esteemed and dedicated artisan producers and establishments and constantly impressed by the number and standard of entries.”
Barbara continues: “The success of the Awards over the last 10 years is a testament to the region’s passion for outstanding food and drink. I send my very best wishes to all who enter.” The Food Drink Devon Awards continue to grow, with 2020 recording a high number of entries despite the year’s difficult conditions. In order to ensure Devon’s deserving producers and establishments didn’t go unrecognised for their tireless hard work, determination and dedication, 2020 saw Food Drink Devon hold a virtual awards scheme and awards’ ceremony hosted by well-known Devon food and drink champion, Kerry White and co-host, Thomas Chartres-Moore.
Each year judging for the awards is carried out by a panel of independent and unbiased experts including a number of celebrated names from the region. All results and winners are verified by an independent adjudicator, with entrants receiving the opportunity to benefit from invaluable product feedback provided by the panel. This year’s winners are due to be announced at an awards’ ceremony on Monday 4th October 2021.
Food Drink Devon is committed to increasing the county’s profile, both nationally and internationally and represents a membership of Devon’s leading food and drink producers, speciality retailers, hospitality and catering businesses. Through working with like-minded businesses, together they showcase Devon as a county where the use of fantastic quality, seasonal and local produce is standard. The organisation and its members share a commitment to enjoy, inspire and discover more about food and drink. Look out for their green heart logo which is carried by over 250 producers and businesses across Devon.
For more information on Food Drink Devon please visit www.foodanddrinkdevon.co.uk and follow @FoodDrinkDevon on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. To enter the awards please contact Ali Neagle on 07789 666064 or email [email protected] .
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