Time to enter Cumbria Food Awards

Cumbria’s dedicated food and drink awards are now open for entries.

Food fans are encouraged to get behind Cumbria’s hospitality sector and nominate their favourite restaurants, pubs, takeaways, cafés and food producers.

And business owners are urged to put forward their venue or staff for the coveted trophies.

The independent awards, held in association with headline sponsor Caterite, take place at Kendal College on Thursday March 20.

The host will be chef and TV presenter Matt Tebbutt, star of BBC’s Saturday Kitchen.

The awards were launched in 2022 to recognise and celebrate excellence in Cumbria’s hospitality industry. The 2024 awards attracted more than 1,400 entries and nominations.

Co-organiser Harry Atkinson said: “Over the last few months, we’ve been working hard on the awards to make them even more competitive.

As well as a new category for takeaways, we have refreshed our dining categories and we have some exciting news to announce about the awards evening.

“Now it’s over to everyone in Cumbria to have their say. If you love a restaurant or café, chef or pub, visit our website to find out how to nominate them for an award.

“Business owners are also invited to submit entries. We’re looking forward to seeing the nominations and entries and we hope everyone will spread the word about the awards.”

The awards are free to enter, are judged by an independent panel of industry experts and are supported by sponsors throughout the county.

The newest sponsor is Westmorland Farmshop, which is part of Westmorland, the family business started by John and Barbara Dunning in 1972, after the M6 motorway was built across their farm near Tebay.

Today, the Westmorland business includes Tebay, Gloucester and Cairn Lodge motorway service areas, with their renowned Farmshops and Kitchens; Westmorland Hotel; Rheged near Penrith and Junction 38, which is dedicated to HGV drivers.

Brand director Rachel McHugh said they were delighted to sponsor the Chef of the Year category.

She said Westmorland has always had a strong affiliation with real food and Cumbrian produce: “For us, championing proper food – and that means responsibly grown and sourced and made in a very traditional way – is something that’s so symbolic of what our farmshops have been about from the beginning.

“Highlighting local food and engaging people in where food comes from are two of our core principles. That’s why it’s such a natural partnership between us and the Cumbria Food Awards.

“Cumbria Food Awards are also doing what we strive to do, which is to shout about Cumbrian food and drink.”

The Chef of the Year category is a particularly good fit because the business has launched a 12-month chef apprenticeship scheme. The aim is to produce homegrown chefs for Westmorland and the wider sector and provide young people with skills to enable them to stay in their home county.

The apprentices spend time in the Westmorland motorway services Kitchens, the butchery, Westmorland’s own large-scale production centre, the farm and the Westmorland Hotel.

How the awards nominations and entries work

People are invited to nominate their favourites in as many categories as they wish.
The awards are not decided by public vote but the nominations will inform the judges’ selection.
Business owners can enter the appropriate category.
The nominations and business entries are used to create a long list for the judges’ consideration.
The long list will be whittled down to a shortlist of three or four finalists for each category.
Judging visits and tastings take place before the winners are selected.

More than 160 finalists, sponsors and special guests will attend the awards presentation at Kendal College, where students will cook and serve canapés and a two-course dinner while Matt Tebbutt announces the winners.

Cumbria Food Awards are supported by headline sponsor Caterite, media partner Cumbria Crack, Kendal College, Booths, Patron Simon Rogan and sponsors.