Weetabix Northamptonshire Food & Drink Awards 2024/25 Shine a Spotlight on 93 Finalists in 18 Categories

Winners have been crowned in all 18 categories of this year’s Weetabix Northamptonshire Food & Drink Awards. Brilliant businesses, exceptional ambition, enviable talent and creativity were all on the menu at the awards ceremony yesterday evening, at the Royal & Derngate in Northampton.

An evening filled with inspiration, innovation, and delicious local food and drink, Stuart Branch, People, Digital, Environment, Health & Safety Director for Weetabix, congratulated the winners for their remarkable contributions to the county’s growing food and drink sector.

“Weetabix is delighted to headline sponsor these awards again, we are especially delighted that sustainability is such a strong element and is included in every category. We have said many times that sustainability is in our DNA at Weetabix, that remains true today and we know that Rachel and the team share our ethos, which makes our sponsorship and our connection with the brilliant people in this county even more special. We recognise the magnificent effort and hard work that has gone into every day to culminate in an awards ceremony such as this. Well done to all of you that achieved Gold, Silver and Bronze and to those that don’t, thank you for making these decisions really hard to make – you are inspiring, innovative and creative and we salute you.”

Awards Director Rachel Mallows thanked guests for continuing to champion and support local. “Good food and drink is a powerful force in creating vibrant, healthy, connected communities. And what a community we have here in Northamptonshire. Small businesses, supported by large businesses, farmers, artisans. The organisations in this room sustain local jobs, bring people and places together, and help us shine a spotlight on Northamptonshire Food and Drink”.

“This year’s awards have culminated in 93 finalists and looking back since 2008/9 we have received over 15,000 nominations or entries, given out over 120,000 samples of finalist produce and drink at food festivals, and worked with nearly 1,000 first stage mystery shoppers who have visited venues and eateries in that time.  Thanks to you, the Northamptonshire Food & Drink Awards are one of the most supported events in the county.”

The menu served by Portfolio Events included some wonderful examples of Northamptonshire produce including Terrine of Houghton Ham; The Falcon Inn Guinness bread; British chicken with Coppa by Northampton Charcuterie Co; Hamm Tun Fine Foods Shoetown blue and wild mushroom risotto; Vanilla Panna Cotta with Stonyfield English Quality Sparking Wine.

 

The results revealed at the ceremony are as follows:

Artisan Local Drink of the Year, sponsored by Warner’s Distillery 

GOLD – Blackberry, Rhubarb & Cardamom Gin Liqueur, The Food Library

SILVER – Earls Baron Saxon 2023, New Lodge Vineyard

BRONZE – Wild & Furrow Oat Drink, Wild & Furrow

HIGHLY COMMENDED – Nuggernaut, Great Oakley Brewery

HIGHLY COMMENDED – Queen & Co Mead, Made by the Beekeeper

HIGHLY COMMENDED – Stoneyfields English Quality Sparkling Wine 2019 Rose, Stoneyfields

HIGHLY COMMENDED – Equinox – Single Malt English Whisky, Wharf Distillery

 

Artisan Local Product of the Year, sponsored by Heygates Flour & Animal Feed Millers 

GOLD – Northamptonshire Blue, Hamm Tun Fine Foods

SILVER – Moorgate Farm Turkey and Leek Pie, Moorgate Farm

BRONZE – New Lodge Vineyard Marmalade with Honey, Made by the Beekeeper

BRONZE – Raspberry & Blackberry Jam, The Jam Queen

HIGHLY COMMENDED – Cinnamon Roll THICC Cookie, Cookie Babes

HIGHLY COMMENDED – Coppa, Northampton Charcuterie Company Ltd

HIGHLY COMMENDED – Guinness Bread, The Falcon Inn

 

Artisan Local Vegetarian/Vegan Product of the Year, sponsored by Daily Bread Co-operative 

GOLD – Chilli, Shallot & Coriander Jelly, The Jam Queen

SILVER – Pecan & Caramel Cake, Sophisticake Creations

SILVER – Lemon Dairy-free ‘Ice Cream’ with a Blueberry Swirl, Your Cool

BRONZE – Shoetown Blue, Hamm Tun Fine Foods

BRONZE – Tongue Taster, Northampton Cheese Company Ltd

BRONZE – Artisan Nettle and Walnut Soda Bread, The Loving Chef

 

Booker Gastro Pub of the Year, sponsored by Booker

GOLD – Althorp Coaching Inn, Great Brington

GOLD – The George, Great Oxenden

BRONZE – The Countryman, Staverton

BRONZE – The Kings Arms, Polebrook

HIGHLY COMMENDED – The Plough, Everdon

HIGHLY COMMENDED – The White Horse Inn, Stoke Albany

COMMENDED – The Rose & Crown, Yardley Hastings

 

Booker Young Chef of the Year, sponsored by Booker

GOLD – Levi Moukam, The Falcon Inn, Fotheringhay

SILVER – Dylan Warren, The Four Pears

BRONZE – Joe Thornton, Nuovo

HIGHLY COMMENDED – Kamil Podgorski, formerly Whitco Thrapston, now Woburn Golf Club

COMMENDED – Freddie Duke, June Plumb Food

 

Canape of the Year, sponsored by Portfolio Events 

GOLD – Oscar Plomer, Tresham College

 

Community Café of the Year, sponsored by Public Health in West Northants Council

GOLD – Woodford Halse Community Café

SILVER – Saints Coffee, Northampton

BRONZE – Whites Kitchen, Earls Barton

HIGHLY COMMENDED – Forge Coffee, Evenley

HIGHLY COMMENDED – Happy Mondays Coffee Co., Rushden

HIGHLY COMMENDED – New Lodge Farm, Bulwick

 

Farming Environment Award, sponsored by Weetabix 

GOLD – FRW Farrington & Son, Bottom Farm, Hargrave

COMMENDED – Johnny Wake, Courteenhall Estate

COMMENDED – Will Green, White House Farm, Bozeat

COMMENDED – Jim Beaty, Wold Farm, Burton Latimer

 

F&B Achiever of the Year, sponsored by J Sweeney Accountants

GOLD – Luke Bavester, The Sheaf Inn and The Olde Red Lion

SILVER – John Lashley, Brooklyn Brownie

SILVER – Laurence Connisbee, Wharf Distillery

BRONZE – John Evans, Towcester Mill Brewery

BRONZE – Phil Saxby, Saxby’s Cider

 

Food and Drink College Student of the Year, sponsored by University of Northampton

GOLD –  Chloe Smith, Moulton College

SILVER –  Dumitru Poroseci, Northampton College

SILVER – Oscar Plomer, Tresham College

 

Showcasing Healthy Food Produced in Northamptonshire, sponsored by Delapré Abbey Preservation Trust 

GOLD – Classic Cuisine

HIGHLY COMMENDED – Nattok2

HIGHLY COMMENDED – Eat Curious

HIGHLY COMMENDED – Friars Farm

HIGHLY COMMENDED – Breds Food

 

Healthy Food and Wellbeing Award (Workplace), sponsored by Delapré Abbey Preservation Trust 

GOLD – Mercedes AMG High Performance Powertrains Ltd

SILVER – Silverstone Circuits Ltd

SILVER – Northampton General Hospital

 

Local Food Hero of the Year, sponsored by Howes Percival 

GOLD – Jo West, Veggie Patch, Daylight Centre

SILVER – Katie Steele and Ian Angus, SNVB Community Larders

BRONZE – Steve Reid, Friars Farm

HIGHLY COMMENDED – Debbie Cull and Jane Gurney, The Farm Kitchen Bakery and School

HIGHLY COMMENDED – Milly Fyfe, No Fuss Meals for Busy Parents CIC.

 

One to Watch, sponsored by Whitworth Bros. Ltd.

GOLD – Northampton Cheese Company Ltd

SILVER-The Farm Kitchen Bakery and School

SILVER – Bad Butler Hospitality

BRONZE – Vaha Lounge

BRONZE – The Althorp Coaching Inn

 

Outstanding Contribution to Food & Drink Northamptonshire, sponsored by All Things Business 

Georgina Jeyes, Jeyes of Earls Barton

 

Restaurant of the Year, sponsored by Greedy Gordons

GOLD –  Hibiscus Fine Dining, Northampton

GOLD – The Hopping Hare, Duston

SILVER – Nuovo, Northampton

SILVER – The Falcon, Castle Ashby

BRONZE – Restaurant Ember, Wellingborough

BRONZE – The Cedar Restaurant, at Fawsley Hall Hotel & Spa

HIGHLY COMMENDED – The Flavour Trailer, Brixworth

 

Weetabix Sustainability Award, sponsored by Weetabix

GOLD – Blue Skies

SILVER – Waterloo Cottage Farm

SILVER – Jute Coffee

BRONZE – SNVB Community Larders

BRONZE – Incredible Bakery Company

 

Whitco Chef of the Year, sponsored by Whitco

GOLD – Joe Gould, Fawsley Hall Hotel & Spa, Fawsley

SILVER – Ambroise Dupont, The Falcon, Castle Ashby

BRONZE – Zak Perrin, The Falcon Inn, Fotheringhay

HIGHLY COMMENDED – Hannah Dunne, Ember, Wellingborough

HIGHLY COMMENDED – Asa Cosgrove, formerly The Woolpack Inn, Islip, now The Wheatsheaf, Titchmarsh

 

World Cuisine Restaurant of the Year, sponsored by British Pepper & Spice

GOLD – The Tamarind Restaurant, Northampton

GOLD – Mexican Fire Garden Ltd, Kettering

SILVER – Alacati Grill, Daventry

SILVER – Saffron Fine Indian Dining, Brackley

BRONZE – Sakura Sushi Ltd, Northampton

BRONZE – Moghul Rooms, Towcester

 

Recognising and paying tribute to the extraordinary talent in the room, Gold award winners were delighted to accept their awards.

Joint Gold winners with the Hopping Hare, Northampton, the Hibiscus team were thrilled to take home the Gold Restaurant of the Year accolade.

Executive Head Chef Bart Polinski commented: “Over 70% of our produce is local. That wouldn’t be possible without these wonderful awards and the people in this room. We are so grateful to be working with you all, and for this incredible award, and look forward to exploring many more opportunities together”.

One such supplier to Hibiscus is Gary Bradshaw of Hamm Tun Fine Foods, winner of the Artisan Local Product category for ‘Northamptonshire Blue’ cheese.

Gary enthused: “Even when they announced it, I was convinced I hadn’t won. It’s been a tough year but things like this make it all worthwhile. I’m a very happy man this evening”.

Also jubilant was Joe Gould, Head Chef, Fawsley Hall Hotel & Spa. “I’m so surprised to have won Whitco Chef of the Year because the competition really was fierce. I feel proud to now ‘officially’ be part of the Northamptonshire Food and Drink scene.”

For more information about the Weetabix Northamptonshire Food and Drink Awards 2024/25 and how to get involved in 2025/2026, please visit www.northamptonshirefoodanddrink.co.uk.

 

Keep up to date with the latest awards news on our socials:

Facebook @foodawards

X and Instagram @foodawardsHQ

LinkedIn @weetabixnfadawards

 

 

 

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