Winners announced for the Taste of Kent Awards 2019

The winners of Produced in Kent’s fifteenth Taste of Kent Awards 2019 have been revealed, Thursday 7 March at a glittering black-tie dinner at the Kent Event Centre. Kent’s ultimate food and drink champions have been crowned, from the tastiest food and drink products, best producers, growers, restaurants, pubs and shops. Stephanie Durling at Produced in Kent comments: “This year we are celebrating our fifteenth awards and we are giving more awards as our range of winning categories has increased in recognition of Kent’s booming, vibrant and of course tasty food and drink sector. Congratulations to all of the winners and finalists, it is a fantastic achievement to have reached this stage, as the number of nominations and standards have been very high. Once again, we are delighted to see many new names making our finalist lists from across the county. Incredibly, we have seen 25% more businesses nominated and 40% more votes cast overall than last year. The people of Kent have chosen the flavours, products, produce and venues they have enjoyed the most over the last 12 months. For the winners, these awards are the ultimate accolade from their customers and confirmation of their food and drink excellence.” The winners are: Hop Grower of the Year, Sponsored by BTF Partnership and Lupofresh Hukins Hops of Tenterden Garden of England Champions Top Fruit, sponsored by BTF Partnership Jazz apples - Grown by Chris Levett, Baretilt Farm, Cranbrook Concorde Pear - Grown by J L Baxter, Coxheath Kent Beer of the Year, sponsored by Eurostar International Winner: Reliant Robin by Rockin Robin Brewery, Maidstone Runners up: Gadds’ No 11 by Ramsgate Brewery Good Sheppard by Goody Ales, Herne Bay The Garden of England Champion tastiest soft fruit and cherry, sponsored by the Kent County Agricultural Society Cherries – Class 60 winner Brian Piper, Filmers Farm, Loose, Nr Maidstone with the variety Carmen. Strawberries – Class 70 winner John Myatt & Co, Mockbegger Farm, Rochester with the strawberry variety Magnum. Raspberries – Class 80 winner Total World Fruit with the Raspberry variety Ovation. Blackberries – Class 90 John Myatt & Co, Mockbegger Farm, Rochester with the Blackberry variety Incentive. Kent Cider or Perry of the Year, sponsored by Wilkins Kennedy Winner: High Diver, Kentish Pip, Bekesbourne Runners up: Biddenden Strong Kentish Cider, Biddenden Vineyards Disco Dudda, Dudda’s Tun Cider, Doddington Kent Food Product Classes Awards, sponsored by Shepherd Neame Winners: Ambient - Cold Pressed Rapeseed Oil blended with Garden Mint – Kentish Oils, Bridge Bakery and confectionery - Apple Fruit Crisps – Nim’s Fruit Crisps, Sittingbourne Dairy Class - Farmhouse Butter – Plurenden Manor Farm, High Halden Prepared food - Boerewors Farmers Sausage – North Downs Real Food, Lenham Specialist Drinks - Pineapple, Beetroot & Parsnip Edible Tea - Nim’s fruit crisps Sittingbourne Farm Diversification Award, sponsored by South East Farmer Winner: Dudda’s Tun Cider, Doddington Runners up: Romney Marsh Wools, Aldington The Wonky Parsnip, Chartham Kent Wine of the Year, sponsored by NFU Mutual Winner: Kits Coty Chardonnay, Chapel Down, Tenterden Runners up: Bacchus, Chapel Down, Tenterden Ortega, Biddenden Vineyards Kent Local Food Retailer of the Year, sponsored by Opies Winner: Barham Village Store, Barham Runners up: Austen's of Rochester MB Farms Food Hall, Faversham Kent Restaurant of the Year – Sponsored by Thomson, Snell & Passmore Winner: The Small Holding, Kilndown Runners up: The Corner House, Canterbury Thackeray’s, Royal Tunbridge Wells Kent Butchers Shop of the Year Winner: S.W.Doughty, Doddington Runners up: Hammond's Butchers, Matfield Shaun and Steve O'Meara butchers, Isle of Sheppey Kent Food Producer of the Year, sponsored by Insight6 Winner: Precious Porkers, Collier Street Runners up: Kent Crisps & Kentish Oils, Bridge Vegan Perks, Faversham Kent Tastiest Juice of the Year, sponsored by AC Goatham & Son Winner: Red Love Apple Juice, Biddenden Vineyards Runners up: Kentish Cherry Juice, Dallaways Cherries, Northiam Park Farm Apple juice, Taywell farm shop, Goudhurst Kent Dining Pub or Bistro of the Year – Sponsored by University of Kent Winner: The Butcher’s Block, Burham Runners up: The Ferry House Inn, Isle of Sheppey The King’s Head, Wye Kent Coffee Shop or Tea Room of the Year – Sponsored by Barretts of Canterbury Winner: Café Nucleus, Chatham Runners up: The Independent Pedaler, Bridge The Yard, Faversham Kent Countryside Award – Sponsored jointly by Kent Downs AONB and High Weald AONB Winner Large Farm award: GL Boulden & Sons with Romney Marsh Wools and Romney Marsh Shepherd Huts, Aldington Winner Small Farm award: Homestead Beef, Church Hougham near Dover Highly commended: Courthope Farm, Shadoxhurst near Ashford Runners Up: Frasers of Egerton, Egerton near Ashford Mackays Court Farm, Lower Stoke, Rochester Ripple Farm Organics, Crundale, Wye Solley’s Ice Cream, Ripple near Deal Food product: Sponsored by HSBC Winner: Farmhouse Butter, Plurenden Manor Farm, High Halden Excellence Award for Customer Service 2019: Sponsored by Insight6 A surprise new award this year selected from this year’s retail and hospitality entries Winner: The Butcher’s Block, Burham The Taste of Kent Awards are organised by Produced in Kent are open to all Kent’s food and drink businesses and showcase the very best products and food and drink businesses across Kent and Medway. Stephanie Durling, Manager at Produced in Kent concludes: “The brand-new category coffee shop/tea room received the most votes for any new category ever and we also had a record number of fruit juice votes this year. Also, for the first time ever a low alcohol beer Gadds’ No. 11 and Vegan Perks from Faversham is the first vegan business to have reached the finals, reflecting current trends, tastes and choices consumers are now making.