Online entries for the Sussex Food and Drink Awards 2019 are open for just few more days until 24 October 2018 and organisers are urging all the great Sussex food and drink businesses and members of the public to enter their heroes at www.sussexfoodawards.biz
Enter now for Sussex Food Producer of the Year sponsored by Southern Co-op; Sussex Farmers’ Market of the Year sponsored by Harvey’s Brewery; Sussex Butcher of the Year sponsored by RP Meats Wholesale Ltd; Sussex Food Shop of the Year sponsored by Sussex Food & Drink Network; Sussex Drink Producer of the Year sponsored by Natural PR; and Sussex Eating Experience of the Year sponsored by Natural Partnerships CIC. The top ten in each of these categories will be published for the public to vote for their favourites in November.
Entries for Young Sussex Farmer of the Year category, sponsored by the South of England Agricultural Society in association with Farmers Weekly, as well as Sussex Newcomer of the Year, sponsored by SRC-Time and Sussex Young Chef of the Year, sponsored by Blakes Foods will close slightly later on 17 January 2019.
The Sussex Street Food of the Year category entries have now closed and the hugely popular finals day will be held in Horsham Carfax on Sunday 21 Octoberfrom 10am until 4pm. Sponsors of this category, Horsham District Foodies supported by Food Rocks, will be organising the competition and exciting market day which offers free entrance to all members of the public. To help decide on who to vote for, visitors can choose from an array of great value lunches from the top ten finalists who will be presenting their street food delights alongside some fantastic street entertainment and live music.
Award winning super chef, Matt Gillan will lead the judging panel alongside Ian Swainson, Head Chef from The Pass at the South Lodge Hotel and Cllr Kate Rowbottom, Deputy Chairman of Horsham District Council, supported of course by the public votes on the finals day.
Said Kate Rowbottom, “We are very happy to support the Sussex Food Awards for the fourth year running with this hugely exciting and growing category of Street Food. Horsham is fortunate to have an abundance of artisan food and drink producers in the District and this event is very successful in promoting them to the general public.”
Finalists involved in this exciting event include: a tempting global feast from Boca Loco in Arundel; ethically sourced, delicious global tacos from Box Trot in Worthing; gorgeous Asian fusion dishes from Chu Chu Burmese Kitchen in Hove; inventive vegan and vegetarian filled flat breads from Finbar’s Flatbreads in Chichester; delicious slow roasted meats from Forgotten Cuts in Brighton; and Garlic Wood Events in Steyning will creatively pair their top quality meats with seasonal local ingredients.
Expect delectable home-made delights with award winning sauces from Ginger Rookes in Horsham; perfect pork dishes from the Pig & Jacket in Lewes; excellent barbequed and smoked meats from Mann & Moore in Horsham and finally delicious homemade barbequed dishes packed full of flavour from the Bbq project in St Leonards on Sea.
Sussex is blessed with a wealth of amazing food and drink producers and over the last 13 years the Sussex Food and Drink Awards have helped enormously to support and boost local farmers, food and drink producers and the outlets that use and sell this superb local fare.
As well as earning the huge respect and recognition that these awards now carry, Grand Finalists from all ten categories will be invited to attend a BAFTA-style ceremony on 15 May 2019at the Amex Stadium in Brighton, where the winners will be revealed and guests will enjoy a seven-course Sussex produce banquet, hosted by awards patron Sally Gunnell OBE and Danny Pike from BBC Sussex.
