Food Reader Awards 2018 winners revealed …

Judging by this lovely lot, you guys know your onions – and your dining pubs, top chefs and foodie hotels

After much anticipation, the Food Reader Awards 2018 winners were revealed at a foodie-studded ceremony at Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen Cornwall on February 5.

Following a whopping 20,000 reader votes in two rounds of voting, the new kings and queens of South West dining were crowned at the bash at Watergate Bay. Between gongs, Fifteen’s head chef Adam Banks and brigade treated lucky guests to a lip-smacking menu of next level Italian dishes, while Sharp’s Brewery, Enotria & Coe and Frobishers supplied a lustworthy line-up of Cornish beers, noteworthy wines and sensational softies.

Missed all the live action on Twitter? Here’s who scooped top honours this year …

Best Chef – sponsored by Sharp’s Brewery

Winner: Michael Caines – Lympstone Manor

Grand finalists: Steve Pidgeon – Arundell Arms Hotel, Nathan Outlaw – Restaurant Nathan Outlaw

Best Restaurant – sponsored by Total Produce

Winner: Oliver’s – Falmouth

Grand finalists: The Square – Porthleven, Olive Tree Restaurant – Bath

Best Foodie Hotel – sponsored by Enotria & Coe

Winner: Arundell Arms Hotel – Lifton

Grand finalists: Soar Mill Cove Hotel – Devon, The Scarlet – Mawgan Porth

Best Cocktail Bar – sponsored by Wrecking Coast Gin

Winner: Dr Ink’s Curiosities – Exeter

Grand finalists: North Coast Wine Co – Bude, The Dark Horse – Bath

Best Cafe – sponsored by Frobishers

Winner: Gylly Beach Cafe – Falmouth

Grand finalists: Block – Barnstaple, Society Cafe – Bath

Best Foodie Pub – sponsored by Flying Fish Seafoods and  Philip Warren

Winner: The Star & Garter, Falmouth

Grand finalists: The Methuen Arms – Corsham, The Rising Sun – Truro

Best Drink – sponsored by Impact

Winner: Black Cow Vodka

Grand finalists: Wrecking Coast Clotted Cream Gin, Salcombe Gin

Best Foodie Product – sponsored by Michelmores

Winner: Cornish Gouda Co Gouda

Grand finalists: Primrose Herd Cornish Hogs Pudding, Eat The Smoke Rubs

Best Indie Retailer – sponsored by Salt Media

Winner: Riverford Organic, Buckfastleigh

Grand finalists: Fillet & Bone – Chipping Campden, Johns of Instow – north Devon

Best Cookery School – sponsored by Fifteen Cornwall

Winner: Exeter Cookery School – Devon

Grand finalists: Rick Stein’s Cookery School – Padstow,  Ashburton Cookery School – Devon

Best Wine List – sponsored by Trencherman’s Guide

Winner: Gidleigh Park – Chagford

Grand finalists: The Idle Rocks -St Mawes, Ben’s Wine & Tapas – Totnes

Best Farm Shop – sponsored by Rodda’s

Winner: Darts Farm – Topsham

Grand finalists: Greendale Farm Shop – Woodbury, Daylesford – Moreton-in-Marsh

These fabulous awards wouldn’t be possible without our fantastic sponsors. Big love to Total Produce, Sharp’s Brewery, Enotria & Coe, Wrecking Coast Gin, Frobishers, Impact, Michelmores, Philip Warren and Flying Fish Seafoods.

Food Reader Awards 2017 winners …

Local Food Hero – sponsored by Frobishers

Winner: Pete Sanchez-Iglesias, Casamia
Grand finalists: Nathan Outlaw – Outlaws, Rick Stein – Stein’s, Mitch Tonks – The Seahorse

Best Chef – sponsored by Sharp’s Brewery

Winner: Scott Paton, Boringdon Hall Hotel
Grand finalists: Josh Eggleton – The Pony & Trap, Guy Owen – The Idle Rocks, Dave Jenkins – Rock Salt Cafe

Best Restaurant – sponsored by Total Produce

Winner: Rock Salt Cafe, Plymouth
Grand finalists: The Mint Room – Bath & Bristol, Casamia – Bristol, Appleton’s at the Vineyard – Padstow

Best Foodie Hotel – sponsored by Jelf

Winner: The Queensberry, Bath
Grand finalists: The Arundell Arms – Lifton, The Scarlet – Mawgan Porth, The Idle Rocks – St Mawes

Best Cafe – sponsored by Indy Coffee Guide 

Winner: Exploding Bakery, Exeter
Grand finalists: Strong Adolfo’s – Wadebridge, Cafe Lucca – Bath, Spicer + Cole – Bristol

Best Foodie Pub – sponsored by Forest Produce

Winner: Jack in the Green, Rockbeare
Grand finalists: The Mill House – Tintagel, The Cornish Arms – Tavistock, The Inn at Fossebridge

Best Drink – sponsored by Impact

Winner: Sharp’s Doombar
Grand finalists: Wicked Wolf Gin, The Wrecking Coast Gin, Thatchers Gold

Best Foodie Product – sponsored by Michelmores

Winner: Roddas Cornish Cream
Grand finalists: Cornish Sea Salt, LittlePod Vanilla Paste, Chococo Chocolate

Best Indie Food Retailer – sponsored by Yeo Valley

Winner: Great Cornish Food Store, Truro
Grand finalists: Philip Warren Butchers – Launceston, The Shops at Dartington, Arch House Deli – Bristol

Best Street Food – sponsored by Blue Fizz Events

Winner: The Shellfish Pig
Grand finalists: Beautiful and the Feast, Craftworks Street Kitchen, Cornish Pod

Best Cookery School – sponsored by Salt Media 

Winner: Ashburton Cookery School
Grand finalists: River Cottage HQ – Axminster, Demuths – Bath, Philleigh Way Cookery School – Truro

Best Wine List – sponsored by Trencherman’s Guide

Winner: Soar Mill Cove, Devon
Grand finalists:  Rendezvous Wine Bar – Exeter, The Horn of Plenty – Tavistock, The Rummer Hotel –  Bristol

Best Farm Shop – sponsored by Old Mill Accountants 

Winner: Trevaskis Farm, Hayle
Grand finalists: Darts Farm – Topsham, Lifton Farm Shop, Farrington’s Farm Shop