The fifteenth year of the Weetabix Northamptonshire Food and Drink Awards is now gaining pace with judging well under way. However, there are still three exciting categories open for nominations.
Local Food Hero of the Year, won last year by the amazing team at Towcester Community Larder, is sponsored by Moulton College and recognises businesses, organisations or individuals who go over and above in the hospitality industry.
One to Watch, sponsored by Whitworth Bros. is for businesses less than five years old. The Flavour Trailer, last year’s Gold award winners, are certainly living up to the One to Watch name. Finally, there’s the Healthy Food and Wellbeing Workplace Award, sponsored by wellbeing champions Delapre Abbey. If you think there’s someone that deserves to be recognised and celebrated send your nominations to sophie@themallowscompany.com
There were bumper entries for the Whitco Chef of the Year category. Trying to keep it current, the competition had a theme of ‘on a budget’. Produce kindly supplied by Booker and Aubery Allen was used in a skills test of vegetable soup, followed by a cooking challenge using limited ingredients with the main item of lamb leg single muscle cuts, all to be finished off with an egg-based dessert.
This led to some debating from the judges as to who the front runner might be.
The skills tests were kindly hosted by new Associate Sponsors Tresham College, Bedford Group at The Manna House in Corby. Principal Robin Webber-Jones said:
“We train people for this industry. It made sense that we supported the awards. I want to be able to showcase to our students what they can aspire to be. The chefs today have all interpreted the ingredients in their own unique styles. The dishes were not only stunning to look at but tasted great too”.
The Whitco Chef of the Year finalists for 2023/24 are: Laszlo Bodnarjuk from The Palmichael; Reece Coles from Hops and Chops; Piotr Czarnocki from Gourmand Pierre Private Dining; Zak Perrin from The Falcon at Fotheringhay; Adam Phillips from The Falcon at Castle Ashby; and Daniel Webster from Websters Catering and Events.
Last year’s Booker Young Chef of the Year Gold Award winners Hannah Dunne and Shawn Monk have been lucky enough to spend a day in the kitchen with decorated chef Chris Galvin. Along with his brother, Chris has spearheaded the revival of high-quality French bistro cuisine in the UK at Galvin La Chapelle.
Meanwhile, this year’s finalists met at the ever-supportive Northampton College to contest the title. With produce kindly supplied by Thomas Farm Shop, Friars Farm, Northampton Charcuterie Company and Shoots & Spores, their challenge was to delight the judges with belly pork and tenderloin of pork.
Awards patron Mary Laing, said:
“Huge amounts of credit is due to our young chefs today, producing such an amazing standard of dishes. They will also learn vast amounts from this experience and I hope it will help them to pursue their future career within the county.”
The Booker Young Chef of the Year Finalists for 2023/24 are: Thomas Giles from The Falcon at Castle Ashby; Levi Moukam from The Falcon at Fotheringhay; Harvey Tapp from the Snooty Fox at Lowick; and Jade Walter from Rushton Hall.
The Gold award winners for the Booker Young Chef of the Year and Whitco Chef of the Year categories will be announced at the awards celebrations taking place on November 1 at the Royal & Derngate theatre.
For more details on all the categories in the Weetabix Northamptonshire Food and Drink Awards 2023/24, including downloading entry and nomination forms, visit the awards website www.northamptonshirefoodanddrink.co.uk or call Sophie on 01933 664437 or email sophie@themallowscompany.com
Follow the awards on Facebook at @foodawards or Twitter and Instagram at @foodawardsHQ or on LinkedIn at @weetabixnfadawards
