THE finalists of the inaugural Coventry and Warwickshire Foodie Awards for 2021 have been announced.
The new Foodie Awards, in partnership with Warwickshire County Council and Visit Coventry, is a celebration of the best of the region’s food and drink scene as they re-emerge from the pandemic year.
More than 40 food and drink businesses across the region will now come under the scrutiny of a panel of judges who include chef Glynn Purnell, appearing alongside his former employer Andreas Antona, owner of The Cross in Kenilworth, and Russell Allen, managing director of Aubrey Allen.
Also on the judging panel will be food blogger The Fat Foodie, Chris Hardy.
All the finalists will be invited to a finalists and supporters event in Coventry on July 22, at the opening of Coventry BID Food Festival weekend.
Kicking off on Friday July 23, the Festival is aiming to host the largest selection of artisan food producers in the region and will be headlined by Michelin Star chef Theo Randall and celebrity chef Lesley Waters, who regularly appears on the BBC’s Ready Steady Cook and This Morning on ITV.
Foodies organiser Jonathan Smith, of Talk Business UK, said: ”After the year we have all had, and especially for those across the food, drink and hospitality industry, I am so inspired by the positivity in the responses received from all those being told their business had been selected as a finalist in the inaugural Foodie Awards for Coventry and Warwickshire.
“Selecting the finalists in each category from the 200 entries received was a tough challenge and now the really hard work of deciding the category winners is left to our fantastic independent judges.”
The finalists in 11 categories are:
Best Artisan Drink Producer
Dhillons Brewery, Coventry
Cotswolds Distillery, Stourton
Pinnock Distillery, Kineton
Welcombe Hills Vineyard, Stratford
Best Artisan Food Producer
Price’s Spices, Leamington
Miss Ellie’s of Coventry
Birtelli’s, Leamington
Bluebells Cottage Fudge & Nougat, Stratford
Best Café/Coffee Shop
Warwick Street Kitchen, Leamington
Bumbles, Studley
Bean and Leaf, Coventry
Jack’s Shack, Warwick
Chef/Cook of the Year
George Cambridge, of Warwick Street Kitchen, Leamington
Jay Alan, of Tumeric Gold, Coventry
Baabzi Miah, of Baabzi Indian Takeaway, Warwick
Tony Davis, of Gourmet Food Kitchen, Coventry
Tobias Reutt, of Earlsdon Supper Club
Best Food/Drink Experience
The Dice Box, Leamington
Coombe Abbey, Coventry
Gourmet Food Kitchen, Coventry
Bread For Life, Warwick
Earlsdon Supper Club, Coventry
Best Farm Shop
The Farm, Stratford
Hilltop Farm, Leamington
Farmers Fayre, Stoneleigh
Best Independent Business
Proof Bakery, Coventry
Procaffinate, Leamington
The Steamhouse, Leamington and Redditch
Newcomer Award
Pasta Brothers, Bishops Tachbrook
Meon Pizza, Meon Vale
Bramble Dining, Leamington
Mor Bakery, Stratford
Green Dragon, Coventry
Pub or Bar of the Year
Dhillons Brewery, Coventry
The Drawing Board, Leamington
The Yard, Coventry
The Virgins and Castle, Kenilworth
Restaurant of the Year
Turmeric Gold, Coventry
Oscar’s French Steakhouse and Bistro, Leamington
Harringtons on the Hill, Kenilworth
Tasca Dali, Warwick
Street Food Trader of the Year
Paneer Wrap
Bad Boys Burgers
Full of Chaat
Salt and Pepper’s
Stripclub Street Food
Entries can still be made for the three remaining special awards recognising businesses and individuals who went above and beyond during the pandemic by Wednesday, March 31 – the Covid-19 Resilience Award backed by Visit Coventry; Food Champion Award, and The Godiva Award, sponsored by Coventry BID.
Judging the Covid Resilience Award will be entrepreneur, investor and speaker John Stapleton.
For more information or to enter the remaining three categories, visit: foodieawards.co.uk
The Foodie Awards will also be raising money for The Trussell Trust network of eight food banks in Coventry and Warwickshire.
Trish Willetts, Coventry BID Director, said: “I was delighted to help shortlist the finalists for the inaugural Foodie Awards. There was an incredible calibre of entries, so I don’t envy the judges having to make the final decisions. This will be a wonderful event, celebrating the best of the foodie scene across Coventry and Warwickshire, and I’m very much looking forward to raising a glass to them all on the July 22!”
