Hear what the 12 magnificent winners of the Kent Life and Kent on Sunday Food & Drink awards had to say when they realised they had won
Newcomer of the Year
Oyster Pearl Pub and Restaurant, Whitstable
Sponsor: Pomegranate Catering
Owner: Suzanne Lovett
“I’m so overwhelmed to win this award, it really means so much to me. Also thank you to my friends and family who supported me through a difficult time, but now we are doing really well. I have put so much hard work into the business, but it is down to all of the customers and all of my staff for the success. I’m just so very happy!”
Butcher of the Year
Fullers Butchers, Tunbridge Wells
Sponsor: Porsche Centre Tonbridge
Owner: Steve Fuller
“I’m absolutely delighted that we have won this award. It’s a family business that has been running for over 40 years. We have a great team of staff with us, who all work really hard, so it’s great recognition for all. We didn’t expect to even be nominated, so we were really surprised to win. Everybody works so hard and our customer service is right up there and I think it has paid off.”
Teashop of the Year
Mrs Knott’s Tea Rooms, St Margaret’s Bay
Sponsor: Audley Mote House
Staff : Cheryl Millard and Alex Horrobin
“We were hoping to win, but we were both so nervous to go on stage! Our teashop has such a lot to offer, we have quality products, in a unique location and pay attention to detail. People always seem to enjoy their experience, so it’s great to win this award. The award doesn’t really go with our bone china, but I’m sure we will find a place for it in the tea room!”
Independent Retailer of the Year
Macknade Fine Foods, Faversham
Sponsor: The Old Mill
General manager: Finnian Dunlop
“It’s fantastic to win this award, as I have only been there for six months. Stefano Cuomo (owner) brought me in to really take the company forward alongside him and it’s been great.
Macknade Fine Foods was established 35 years ago and has been always looking after its customers and staff. The fact this is a new award, it’s great to get the recognition and seek the first opportunity.
We always search for the best products from around the world, and we want to be an alternative supermarket and specialist farm shop, where people shop every day, not just for particular items.”
Farm Shop of the Year
The Barnyard at Gore Farm, Sittingbourne
Sponsor: Waggon at Hale
Staff: Janet Williams and Zuzana Zrakova
Zuzana said: “We are both really shocked but very happy. We all give 100 per cent in what we do and it’s a great how people have recognised that the farm shop offers such good, locally sourced produce.”
Janet Williams, who has worked at Gore Farm for 43 years, added: “People like picking their own fruit at the farm like our strawberries and apples. Everybody who comes to the shop says how lovely it is and we would like to thank everyone who has voted for us.”
Food and Drink Producer of the Year
Winterdale Cheesemakers, Wrotham
Sponsor: Z&B Vintners
Owners: Carla and Robin Betts
“We are both absolutely elated to have won the first Kent Food or Drink Producer Award, and to be picked by the readers and our customers is amazing. It’s the best award to win, so we can’t wait to put it on show.
We have a lot of passion and commitment for what we do and we are different. We have made great effort to go carbon neutral, which has been a highlight, so overall it has been a great year for us. Thank you!”
Family Dining Venue of the Year
Little Brown Jug, Chiddingstone Causeway
Sponsor: Eastwell Manor
Deputy Manager: Andy Mutter
“We have a very relaxed atmosphere, even though we are always really busy, but we are still able to be different. We have a variety of people who come through our doors and we can cater for everybody.
We have had a fantastic year, but this award will raise our profile. This is a testament for all those people who have visited us and they have recognised our hard work, so without the people we wouldn’t be here.”
Pub of the Year
Five Bells Inn, East Brabourne
Sponsor: Faversham.org
Owner: John Rodgers and inn keeper: Lydia Baker (pictured)
“We are very honoured to have won such an award. We are a true public house and the social need for a public house over the centuries has not changed, people come together for great food, great drink and to be looked after properly. It’s a great place for people to come together. Our guests have suggested the nomination, and we will have to have a little party towards Christmas, so we can tell all of our guests and say a proper thank you to them.”
Farmers’ Market of the Year
CAPTION: Cookery demo by Matthew Kearsey-Lawson from Kent Fine Foods at
Tonbridge Farmers Market
Sponsor: My Ferry Link
Steve Wood: manager
“I would like to think it’s all from all the effort we have put in over the years, but it’s down to the customers and the producers. Otherwise we wouldn’t be there and they make us the best. We have been nominated for a variety of things before, but we have never won anything, so it’s great. Just want to thank all of our customers and all of the producers who have stuck with us through thick and thin.”
Restaurant of the Year
Thackeray’s, Tunbridge Wells
Sponsor: Romney Marsh Fish Market
Head chef: Daniel Hatton
“We cook good food, and keep the consistency. We use the best produce locally and around Kent. We keep it seasonal and at the end of the day it’s about cooking good food that the customers like. There is always a lot of competition, as people like fine restaurants and eating out, but we try to make sure we are the best in what we do.’”
Chef of the Year
Graham Garrett, West House Restaurant
Sponsor: Swans Kitchens & Bathrooms
Owner and chef: Graham Garrett
“I’m really pleased, as we have been doing this for over 11 years, just doing what we are doing. Customers have been coming from the beginning, so to be nominated by your readers and actually winning is great. We are trying to build a cookery school and a private dinning room, but as it’s such a small restaurant it’s hard to do. Instead of us moving to bigger premises like everyone seems to do, we are going to try and expand from what we have, so that is the plan.”
Kent Food and Drink Hero
CAPTION: Stephanie Hayman with Pieter van Zyl
Stephanie Hayman, Cinque Ports Community Kitchen, Betteshanger
Sponsor: Vaughans of Maidstone
Founding Director: Stephanie Hayman
“I’m quite surprised but absolutely thrilled. It’s great to be recognised for what we are doing as not everybody understands how important it is for children to get the understanding of fresh produce.
Winning this award will hopefully make us go from strength to strength and we are starting a new social enterprise now, which will help teach parents to cook from low income and disadvantage families, who have no idea how to cook and their children can’t have a proper diet, but hopefully this award will push this forward.”
2013 Food & Drink Winners
Newcomer of the Year
Oyster Pearl Pub and Restaurant
185 Faversham Road, Seasalter, Whitstable CT5 4BJ
01227 272705
Runners up: The Corner House, Minster, East Coast Dining Room, Whitstable
Butcher of the Year
Fuller’s Butchers
5 Nelson Road, Tunbridge Wells TN2 5AW
01892 526563
Runners up: Haywards, Tonbridge, Dadds, Westgate-on-Sea
Teashop of the Year
Mrs Knotts Tea Rooms
The Front, South Foreland Lighthouse, St Margaret’s Bay, Dover CT15 6HP
01304 853892
Runners up: The Lavender Tea House, Folkestone, Fir Tree House Tea Room, Penshurst
Independent Retailer of the Year
Macknade Fine Foods
Selling Road, Faversham ME13 8XF
01795 534497
Runners up:
Farmshop of the Year
Gore Farm Shop
Upchurch, Sittingbourne ME9 7BE
01634 235059
Runners up: Quex Barn Farm Shop, Birchington, Stanhill Farm Shop, Dartford
Food or Drink Producer of the Year
Winterdale Cheesemakers
Platt House Farm, Wrotham TN15 7QB
01732 820021
Runners up: Nop from the Hop, Maidstone, Kent Fine Foods, Gillingham
Family Dining Venue of the Year
The Little Brown Jug
Chiddingstone Causeway, nr Tonbridge TN11 8JJ
01892 870318
Runners up: Bows Kitchen, Margate, Waggon at Hale, Chatham
Farmers’ Market of the Year
Tonbridge Farmers Market
Held on the 2nd Sunday of the month in Tonbridge’s Sovereign Way car park between Sainsburys and Waitrose TN9 1RG, 9.30am -1.30pm
Runners up: The Goods Shed, Canterbury, Cranbrook Farmers’ Market
Restaurant of the Year
Thackerays
85 London Road, Tunbridge Wells TN1 1EA
01892 511921
Runners up: The Ambrette, Margate, Culpeppers @ Chilston Park, Lenham
Chef of the Year
Graham Garrett
The West House Restaurant, 28 High Street, Biddenden, nr Ashford TN27 8AH
01580 291341
Runners up: Tom Batt, Deesons, Canterbury, Charlie Lakin, The Marquis at Alkham
Pub of the Year
Five Bells Inn
The Street, East Brabourne, nr Asford TN25 5LP
01303 813334
Runners up: The Three Tuns, Sittingbourne, The Vineyard, Lamberhurst
Food & Drink Hero of the Year
Stephanie Hayman
Almond House, Broad Lane, Betteshanger CT14 0LX
steph@wholeschoolmeals.co.uk
THE 2014 AWARDS
The 2014 Kent Life and Kent on Sunday Food & Drink Awards will launch in the Spring and in the meantime, we urge all local producers, chefs, restaurants et al to encourage their customers to vote for them next year either online or via the magazine and newspaper – because it’s their nominations that count!
