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.
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
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
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
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
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.