Great Taste Awards: a constellation of local foodie stars

Award-winning local food and drink, you say? Hot off the press, the latest Great Taste Award 2023 winners have just been crowned. Take a look at the line-up of Kent producers.

Cellar Head Brewing Company

Buckle up for Kent’s gastronomic greats. The Great Taste Awards 2023 has dished out its stars to the UK’s best food and drink producers and our brilliant local indies have done us proud. 

Run by The Guild of Fine Foods, a panel of judges (all wearing their roomiest pants) scoff and quaff their way through hundreds of thousands of entries. Each one is blind tasted by chefs, cooks, buyers, retailers, restaurateurs, food critics and writers who are looking a party of flavours, texture and aroma. Not fancy packaging. They then award the few one, two or three stars.

So what do the stars mean? Three stars = exquisite. Extraordinarily tasty foods that you won’t want to leave the shop without buying. Two stars = outstanding. Above and beyond delicious. One star = Simply delicious. A food that delivers fantastic flavour.

Without further ado, let’s get stuck in…

TWO STARS

Rowcliffe Clemency Hall Westcombe Cheddar

Charrington Fruit Farms (Matfield) – Charrington’s Special Edition Single Variety Apple Juice

Biddenden Vineyards (Biddenden) – Biddenden Pear Juice

Wilson’s Provisions (Canterbury) – Bresaola

COOK Trading Ltd (Sittingbourne) – Cherry Bakewell, Chocolate & Raspberry Rouolade and Duck & Plum Pate

Rowcliffe (Tonbridge) – Clemency Hall Westcombe Cheddar

The Captain’s Crackers Ale & Rosemary

Shwen Shwen Ltd – Mango Sunshine and Tombe

Backyard Apiary Bees (Swanley) – Natural Wildflower Honey

Bradbourne Bakery (Sevenoaks) – Porridge & Honey Sourdough

Zingiberi Foods Ltd (Herne Bay) – The Captain’s Crackers Ale & Rosemary

Goodbluehouse Ltd – Too Good Chilli Oil

Zak’s Kombucha (Ashford) – Organic Ginger & Turmeric and Black Peppercorn

ONE STAR

White Cliffs Kent Dry Gin

Appledore Turkeys (Appledore) – Traditional Farm Fresh Bronze Turkey Crown

Eat & Mess (Sevenoaks) – Apricot, orange blossom and almond cake

Cheesemakers of Canterbury (Canterbury) – Ashmore Farmhouse, Cowslip Butter, Dargate Dumpy

COOK Trading Ltd (Sittingbourne) – Apricot & Orange Almond Torte; Beef Stroganoff; Belgium Chocolate Yule Log; Bramley Apple & Blackberry Crumble; Chicken & Mushroom Lasagne; Chicken, Pea & Bacon Risotto; Gin & Tonic Semifreddo; Halloumi, Red Pepper & Spinach Stacks; Hot Chocolate Pudding; Keralan Prawn & Mango Curry; Lemon Cheesecake; Mac & Cheese with Smoky Bacon; Meatballs in Rustic Tomato Sauce; Mini Mince Pies; Raspberry Pavlova; Red Thai Chicken Curry; Roasted Pepper & Goats Cheese Quiche; Roasted Vegetable Lasagne; Sticky Toffee Pudding; Summer Pudding; Tomato, Basil & Mozzarella Risotto

Biddenden Vineyards (Biddenden) – Clearly juice Red Love

Yes Chef Boxes (Aylesford) – Chicken & Mushroom Pie and Steak & Ale Pie

Karimix (Faversham) – Pad Thai Ready to Use Vegan Sauce

Condimaniac Ltd (Chatham) – Candied Jalapeños

Fieldfare (Edenbridge) – Chicken & Asparagus Puff Pastry Pie

Bramble Farm Bees (Maidstone) – Soft Set Honey

Rowcliffe (Tonbridge) – Clemency Hall Ashcombe

Madre Dark Chocolate Sourdough

Dulcie’s Pattiserie (Sevenoaks) – Gluten Free Peanut Butter Brownie

Kent Crisps Ltd (Canterbury) – Oyster & Vinegar, Kentish Condiments Garden Herbs Vinaigrette and Kentish Oils Cold Pressed Rapeseed Oil Blended with Garlic and Herbs

Madre (Margate) – Dark Chocolate Sourdough

BigPanFoods Ltd (Dover) – Mixed Veg Pickle

Crackle Bread Bakery Ltd (Medway) – Organic Wholemeal Sourdough and Spiced Fruit Loaf

Kingcott Dairy (Staplehurst) – Kingcott Blue Cheese

Shwen Shwen – Salone Spark, Salon Fire and Spiced Bissap

Owlet Fruit Juice (Maidstone) – Discovery

Cellar Head Brewing Company – Paraduicy and Session Pale Ale

Pleasant Land Distillery (Aldington) – White Cliffs Kent Dry Gin

The Maidstone Distillery (Maidstone) – Sharp’s Toffee Liqueur

The Finest Cake Co (Tonbridge) – Vietnamese Iced Coffee Cake

Wilson’s Provisions (Canterbury) – Pancetta

Plurenden Milk (Ashford) – Strawberry Greek Style Yoghurt

Zingiberi Foods Ltd (Herne Bay) – The Captain’s Crackers: Beetroot & Thyme, The Captain’s Crackers: Cracked Pepper & Sea Salt and The Captain’s Crackers: Warm Chilli

Zak’s Kombucha (Ashford) – Garden Fig Leaf (herbal)

For the full list of Great Taste winners click here.

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