The Cotswold Life Food & Drink Awards are back, and we want to know your favourites... but make sure you get them in by the closing date of June 19!
Headline Sponsor:
Event Partner:
The 20th Anniversary Cotswold Life Food & Drink Awards, to be held at Cheltenham Racecourse on October 17, will champion and highlight the fantastic food and drink businesses in our region.
From local tea shops to pubs, independent retailers to restaurants, we want you to nominate your favourites.
We made the difficult decision – not once, but twice – to postpone the awards, in 2020 and 2021, because of the effect COVID-19 has had on the industry. Too many of our dearly-loved restaurants, pubs, hotels, cafés and producers found it a difficult time; with constantly changing government guidelines surrounding hospitality, staff being furloughed, challenges in recruiting – and re-recruiting – skilled people, and loyal patrons feeling nervous about leaving their homes. It simply didn’t feel like the right time to be celebrating our usually thriving food and drink businesses.
While some, sadly, had to call it a day, others found new ways in which to operate in challenging times; setting up takeaway services, delivering the complete restaurant service direct to homes, introducing subscription models, and installing all manner of shelters in gardens. In 2020 we saw quirky open-sided ‘pods’, fairy light-festooned marquees, geodesic domes and tipis – many staying as attractive long-term additions – and we’ve also seen traditional pubs transformed into village stores, selling everything from fruit and veg to daily papers.
The way in which independent Cotswold businesses have joined forces to share experiences and ideas during these difficult times has been truly heart-warming, and fills us with both hope and excitement for the days to come. And so, now's the time to show some love to our foodie heroes in our 20th Anniversary Food & Drink Awards, and don't delay as nominations close on Sunday, June 19.
Candia McKormack, Cotswold Life editor
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NOMINATION CRITERIA
Outstanding Contribution
This category recognises an individual working for Cotswold food and drink who excels in their role and deserves to be applauded for their work and commitment to the industry. The Outstanding Contribution award is not just a look back over a career, but also a look at the impact this businessperson is having both on the present and the future of Cotswold food and drink.
This is a non-entry category.
Pub of the Year
This category combines traditional country drinking pubs and those recognised as dining pubs. The whole experience needs to be taken into account for this category. Customer service, value for money and the quality of the food and drink should all be accounted for. How well does the establishment use and name local suppliers and do they clearly understand their market?
Café, Coffee or Teashop of the Year
This category recognises that tea and coffee shops are an integral part of the Cotswold food and drink scene, and this is a chance to nominate your favourites. Is there a good selection of coffees and loose-leaf teas to hand? Are the scones freshly baked and served with local jams? We’re looking forward to hearing about your favourites.
Fine Dining Restaurant of the Year
This category is open to any restaurant that makes a significant contribution to Cotswold food and drink culture in their area, offering quality locally sourced produce. This restaurant will offer an incomparable dining experience, everything from the ambience to the service and most importantly the food. Do they use locally sourced ingredients where possible? Look through their wine list, do they have local as well as international wines and champagnes and can the staff tell you more if you ask? We’d expect nothing less from the future Fine Dining Restaurant of the Year.
Best Food Product or Producer
Today’s Cotswold food culture is a competitive one with consumers demanding top quality products. This category gives you a chance to nominate a food product, made by a Cotswold farmer, producer, retailer or manufacturer. Think about a product you trust or one whose packaging and/or presentation you value and understand more than any other.
Best Drinks Producer
This is your opportunity to nominate your favourite drinks product made by a Cotswold producer. Consider the taste, indulgence and if the product is value for money. Does the packaging or presentation clearly state it is from the Cotswolds and what entices you to purchase the product?
Chef of the Year
The Cotswolds is filled with talented chefs who make up the fantastic array of restaurants we have here. The Chef of the Year will be someone who has devoted him or herself to the cause of serving the best possible food. They will display fantastic technical ability, use a wide range of seasonal ingredients, present food in a striking manor and have an understanding of how flavours work together.
Outstanding Service
This category is on the hunt for an outstanding level of service that makes for a truly enjoyable visit to the food and drink venue. The ability to understand and anticipate customer’s needs, good knowledge of menus, and dishes, provenance of ingredients and of familiarity of drinks will all be taken in to account. A personable approach that complements the establishment and enhances the visit is key. They are a person whose achievements have helped put the Cotswolds firmly on the map as an innovative and dynamic place within food and drink.
Best Newcomer
This category is open to anyone in the food or drink industry who has started a new venture within the last two years. We want to know what impact they have made on the local community and whether they have started to achieve any success further afield. Are they helping to promote Cotswold food and drink to a new audience?
Resilience and Innovation
This category recognises businesses within the Cotswold food and drink industry who have demonstrated innovation, resilience and adaptation, along with support for their local communities. Which business to you has stood out above the rest in overcoming a major challenge?
Sustainability and Environmental
This award recognises businesses that implement sustainable practices and recognise the importance of their impact on the environment. Judges will look for businesses that have reduced their impact on the environment through a specific initiative or can demonstrate a long-term sustainability improvement. Has your local café ditched disposable coffee cups or your favourite restaurant only serving seasonal produce?
HOW TO NOMINATE
Visit foodawards.cotswoldlife.co.uk to nominate in any or all of the categories.
Closing date: Sunday, June 19. Contact events coordinator Ben Hope: ben.hope@archant.co.uk
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Our 2022 Sponsors
Headline Sponsor:
Warner’s Supermarkets
Event Partner:
Cotswold TV
Sponsors:
Headline Outstanding Contribution
Warner's Supermarket
Pub of the Year
NFU Mutual: Moreton-in-Marsh & Cheltenham
Fine Dining Restaurant of the Year
Peter Hickman Hairdressers
Best Food Product or Producer
The Royal Agricultural University
Best Drinks Producer
Hazlewoods
Chef of the Year
NFU Mutual: Moreton-in-Marsh & Cheltenham
Outstanding Service
Barrington Decorators
Sustainability and Environmental:
Severn Wye’s Gloucestershire Target 2030 programme
Each month, we'll be learning a little more about each of our sponsors, starting with Headline Sponsor, Warner’s Supermarkets:
Warner’s has been the headline sponsor of the Cotswold Life Food & Drink Awards since 2008. As a champion of local food and drink, store owner Guy Warner works closely with Cotswold-based artisans and producers, also providing them with a great route to market through Warner’s stores in and around the Cotswold area. The goal is to make shopping for great-tasting local food and drink as easy as shopping for your everyday essentials. See the latest range of Warner’s local food and drink heroes at warners-stores.co.uk
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Event Partner:
Cotswold TV
Cotswold TV is a TV and video production company filming for clients nationally and internationally. We've all got the ability to capture high-quality video using the device in our pocket – Cotswold TV steps in when it requires a 'little more effort'. Producing content for business and TV of all sizes, spanning a vast array of themes. From Long Covid to Nuclear Power and from Theatre to Food and Drink. Cotswold TV is proudly filming our Cotswold Life Food and Drink Award nominees for the 12th year.
At the heart of Cotswold TV, you’ll find Tom Wakefield planning, filming, producing, directing and editing. There may be support around allowing the creativity to exist, but it’s very important to Tom that when he sits down and plans a film with you it’s him who will be back to film you and create the edit.
‘I’ve been doing this a long time now and one thing I've realised is when you are a creative person, you want to create which is why if someone comes to Cotswold TV for a video – I'll be producing it. With over 3,000 videos made in over 15 years, I'm still fascinated by discovering insight into all of the businesses I film for. I write this having just filmed a Chief Constable talk about the mounted police before I start to edit footage about street food style school dinners!
No matter the production you have in mind, I’m always happy to have a coffee (at a Cotswold Life Food and Drink Award Winner) and talk it through. Planning, concepts, and storyboarding play a huge part in filmmaking. There is no reason your business intro, online TV series, corporate film or event video can’t be a Hollywood epic.’
To contact Cotswold TV and kick start a production contact the team via info@cotswoldtv.com or visit cotswoldtv.com
Sponsor Profile
Barrington Decorators
Established in the small Cotswold village of Little Barrington, near Burford, Barrington is a friendly, family-run company which specialises in traditional and high-end painting, decoration, period restoration, gilding and bespoke decorative finishes. We provide our services for residential and luxury commercial projects, including private residencies, estates and historical conservation work. Now based in Cheltenham and with our restoration workshop based in Winchcombe, we are perfectly situated to cover all of The Cotswolds, Gloucestershire and the surrounding areas.
At the heart of Barrington is a family run team with roots in the decorating and building industry dating back to 1967. Since then, we have grown through our reputation for exceptional craftsmanship, punctuality and responsiveness.
Today, Barrington operates as a friendly and focused small company of decorators, gilders, and restorers. With exceptional work ethics and a genuine passion for perfection in our work. Along the way we have attracted widespread recognition and accreditation for our high end, quality finishes and successful completion of many prestigious projects throughout Cheltenham, The Cotswolds and UK.
Available to sponsor:
- Best Newcomer
- Resilience and Innovation
- Café, Coffee or Teashop of the Year
For further details about sponsorship, contact client sales team manager Richard Southall: richard.southall@archant.co.uk
