June is shaping up to be a busy and exciting month for Northamptonshire’s food and drink sector.
First comes Northamptonshire Food & Drink Week which runs until June 7 and is dedicated to celebrating the county’s fantastic producers, venues, chefs and hospitality businesses.
Now in its third year, the event is organised by Made in Northamptonshire and the Northamptonshire Tourism Business Network, with headline sponsorship from Wilson Browne Solicitors. Building on the success of previous years, Food & Drink Week has quickly become a firm favourite in the county calendar, shining a spotlight on the people, places and produce that make Northamptonshire such a vibrant food and drink destination.
A packed programme of events has been created for this year’s celebration, featuring everything from special menus and tasting experiences to food and drink festivals and pop-up events across the county. Highlights include the Northampton and County Beer Festival, Delapré Food and Drink Festival, and a special four-course lunch prepared by Culinary Arts students at Northampton College’s The Lane Restaurant.
Meanwhile, the Delta Hotel by Marriott in Northampton has been working hard to develop new partnerships with independent local producers; on the menu for the first time during Northamptonshire Food & Drink Week will be Revival Rum, Stonyfield Wine and produce from The Northampton Cheese Company.
Wayne Jenkins, Business Development and Marketing Director at Wilson Browne Solicitors, said: “Northamptonshire Food & Drink Week is one of my favourite weeks of the year. Not only does it get me away from the desk but, more importantly, it’s a brilliant celebration of local food, drink and the people behind it all.
“Meeting the people who put so much passion and effort into hospitality and local produce, whether venues or food and drink businesses, is without doubt one of the highlights of the calendar, and we’re proud to support them.”
The celebrations continue on June 4 when Joe and Flo Buckley from The Tollemache Arms head to the VisitEngland Awards for Excellence, where they will discover whether they have secured a national title in the Pub of the Year category.
Then attention turns back to this year’s Weetabix Northamptonshire Food and Drink Awards, with entries for four venue categories closing on June 19: Booker Gastro Pub of the Year, Community Café of the Year, Restaurant of the Year and World Cuisine Restaurant of the Year. Awards Director Rachel Mallows has been reflecting on some of the competition’s past success stories.
She said: “One of the very first winners of the Pub of the Year title back in 2011/12 clearly continues to set a strong benchmark, having returned to take victory again in last year’s Booker Gastro Pub of the Year competition – The Red Lion in Yardley Hastings.”
Meanwhile, Fawsley Hall Hotel & Spa has supported the awards from the very beginning and enjoyed success along the way. Graeme Nesbitt, Fawsley Hall Hotel & Spa General Manager said: “It’s wonderful to look back on the Food & Drink Awards over the years and reflect on how far they – and we – have come: from being runner-up in the Restaurant of the Year category in the very first year to celebrating our Head Chef, Joe Gould, winning Chef of the Year in 2024, and our more recent achievement of being awarded our third AA Rosette for the Cedar restaurant, which is now home to our fine dining seven-course tasting menu.
“The awards continue to showcase the strength and spirit of our fantastic food and drink community, and we’re incredibly proud to be part of it.”
To find out more information, visit the Weetabix Northamptonsire Food and Drink Awards website.
