The Champions of the 2015 Taste of the West Product Awards and the winners of the 2015 Taste of the West Hospitality & Retail Awards have been announced today at a prestigious ceremony held at the Somerset County Cricket ground in Taunton, Somerset.
The Awards, now in their 22nd year, celebrate the best food and drink across Cornwall, Devon, Somerset, Dorset, Wiltshire and Gloucestershire and are a benchmark for excellence across the region. In 2015, nearly 1,000 products and over 300 hospitality and retail establishments entered the awards, with an incredibly high standard being set for judges from which to select winners. At today’s ceremony, the overall winners of each of the Hospitality & Retail classes were announced, followed by the Champions of each Product Category. Also announced were the winners of the Local Food in Schools & Colleges and the winner of the Carol Trewin Producer of the Year award. The ceremony culminated in the announcement of the coveted Supreme Champion award, won by Favis of Salcombe for their White Crab Meat, which was described by the judges as “An outstandingly high quality product, which sums up the best of South West produce.”
The ceremony was attended by over 300 people, with representatives from award winning producers, hospitality establishments, retailers, top chefs, food writers and others involved with and supporting the industry. With a lunch menu specially created using Taste of the West Award winning products from across the region, the event was a culinary feast and a great celebration of the quality of food and drink in the South West and the passion of those who produce, serve or sell it.
John Sheaves, Chief Executive of Taste of the West, announced the winners who were presented with their awards by consultant chef and champion judge Peter Gorton.
John Sheaves said, “Our goal as the Regional Food Group for this region, is to build our collaborative brand based on our core values – Quality, Integrity and Provenance. These awards announced today underpin those values and strengthen the brand, a brand which is attracting considerable interest from new markets – both nationally and internationally, and is now opening up new opportunities for the region’s foodie sector. I am delighted with the standard this year, as we seek investment through our Share Issue which is currently live, to grow the organisation to take advantage of these new opportunities. There is a real energy and excitement about our group now which is very gratifying.”
2015 Taste of the West Hospitality & Retail Winners
| Class | Winner – Name of establishment & location | |
| Best South West Bed & Breakfast | Elmdene Hotel | Devon |
| Best South West Restaurant | Tudor House Hotel | Gloucestershire |
| Best South West Dining Pub | The White Post | Somerset |
| Best South West Café Or Tea Room | Worth Matravers Tea & Supper Room | Dorset |
| Best South West Local Food To Go | Sweet Cumin | Somerset |
| Best South West Casual Diner | Pickle Shack | Devon |
| Best South West Butcher | Gribbles Butchers – Plympton | Devon |
| Best South West Speciality Retailer Or Delicatessen | Ashburton Delicatessen | Devon |
| Best South West Online Retailer | Cornish Fishmonger | Cornwall |
| Best South West Farm Shop | White Row Farm Shop | Somerset |
| Best South West Farmers’ Market | Crediton | Devon |
| Local Food In Schools & Colleges Award | Collaton St Mary C of E Primary School | Devon |
2015 Taste of the West Product Champions
| 2015 Supreme Champion Product | ||
| White Crab Meat | Favis of Salcombe Ltd | Devon |
| Product Category | Champion Winner – Product Name, Company Name, Location | ||
| Savoury Bakery | Vicky Anna Hand Picked Crab & Asparagus Quiche | Tanglewood Kitchen | Isles of Scilly |
| Sweet Bakery | Lime & Coconut Cake | Nelson & Priest | Wiltshire |
| Confectionery & Chocolate | Salted Peanut Bar | Lick The Spoon | Wiltshire |
| Ice Cream | Lemon Pavlova | Orange Elephant Ice Cream | Devon |
| Cheese | Cornish Blue – Vegetarian | Cornish Cheese Co. | Cornwall |
| Dairy Product | Luxurious Natural Yoghurt | Jess’s Ladies Organic Milk | Gloucestershire |
| Meat & Poultry | Unsmoked Gammon | Denhay Farms Ltd | Devon |
| Cured Meat | Confit Duck Gésiers | Capreolus Fine Foods | Dorset |
| Sausage | Butcher’s Classic Sausage | Pork Heaven From Devon | Devon |
| Bacon | Spoiltpig Dry Cured Unsmoked Back Bacon | Denhay Farms Ltd | Devon |
| Burgers, Faggots & Meatballs | Duck Burgers | The Cornish Duck Company | Cornwall |
| Fish | White Crab Meat | Favis Of Salcombe Ltd | Devon |
| Ready Meals, Soups & Light Eats | Organic Smoked Houmous | Natural Vitality | Somerset |
| Sauces & Accompaniments | Pickled Lemon Spread | Yossi Ltd | Bristol |
| Sweet Preserve | Early River Prolific Plum Jam | The Artisan Kitchen | Gloucestershire |
| Savoury Preserve | Bread & Butter Pickles | Shute Fruit & Produce | Devon |
| Wines, Spirits & Liqueurs | Collectors’ Whisky Ginger | Lyme Bay Winery | Devon |
| Beer | Padstow Sundowner | Padstow Brewing Company | Cornwall |
| Cider | Premium Vintage Cider | Worley’s Cider | Somerset |
| Non-Alcoholic Hot Drink | H&J Original Chai Infusion | Henny & Joe’s Ltd | Bath |
| Non-Alcoholic Cold Drink | Cox/Bramley Apple Juice | Four Elms Fruit Farm | Devon |
| Most Innovative Product Winner | ||
| Pickled Lemon Spread | Yossi Ltd | Bristol |
| The Carol Trewin South West Producer Of The Year Award | ||
| Recognising an entrepreneurial, successful producer of food and drink. | Tregassow Farming Operations Ltd | Cornwall |