The winners of Radio 4’s Food and Farming Awards were announced at the awards ceremony held at the NEC in Birmingham on Wednesday November 26th. Among those presenting awards were Jamie Oliver, Jimmy Doherty, Angela Hartnett, Gregg Wallace, Alex James and Ainsley Harriott.
BEST FOOD PRODUCER – Calon Wen, Whitland, Carmarthenshire
BEST DINNER LADY OR MAN – Nick Copson, Teesdale School, County Durham
BEST TAKE-AWAY – Adam’s Fish & Chips, St Martin’s, The Isles of Scilly
BEST LOCAL FOOD RETAILER – (Joint Winners) - Conrad Davies’ Spar Store, Pwllheli, Wales, and Unicorn Grocery, Chorlton, Manchester
FARMER OF THE YEAR – Mary Mead, Holt Farms Ltd, Blagdon, Somerset
BEST FOOD MARKET – Bury Market, Bury Town Centre
DEREK COOPER AWARD for best food campaigner/educator –Geoff Tansey, writer and consultant on sustainable food systems
BEST RETAIL INITIATIVE – Mey Selections, Caithness
ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ FOOD PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR – Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall
On being named ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Food Personality of the Year, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, said:
"I'm really thrilled and genuinely excited to receive this award…. especially as I was nominated by ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ radio listeners, that's what makes something like this extra special. It's been a very exciting and an intense year - so this award is genuinely coveted and I'm chuffed to bits".
Sheila Dillon, presenter of Radio 4’s The Food Programme, and host of this year’s awards ceremony, said: “In these financially and environmentally chaotic times there's never been a more important time to honour our food producers, retailers, cooks and campaigners. These award winners have all been helping to keep alive the tradition of the best local and sustainable food. They are a model for the future.â€
This year’s judging panel, chaired by Michelin starred chef, Angela Hartnett, are writer, farmer and broadcaster, Alex James; Dr Martin Caraher, Reader in Food and Health Policy at the Centre for Food Policy, City University; Simon Parkes, Food journalist, broadcaster and former Michelin inspector; Margaret Rayman, Professor of Nutritional Medicine, University of Surrey; Robert Clark, Retail Analyst; General Manager of the Co-operative Farms, Christine Tacon; Gillian Carter, Editor, ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Good Food Magazine; Sheila Dillon, food journalist and presenter of ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Radio 4’s The Food Programme; and Steve Peacock, Editor of ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Radio 4's Farming Today.
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Presenting The Food ProgrammeÌýhas been Sheila's perfect job.