Chester Food & Drink Awards - The Winners Announced

13th April 2012

Categories: News

Chester’s very best restaurants, pubs and food outlets attended a glittering award ceremony at Chester Racecourse on the evening of Wednesday, 11^th April to find out who would be crowned this year’s winners of the 11^th Chester Food and Drink Awards.

The evening began with a superb champagne, cocktail reception followed by a fantastic five course meal, which was prepared using Cheshire’s finest ingredients. Each course was cooked by an outstanding regional chef including, Paul Askew (The London Carriage Works, Liverpool), Michael Caines (Abode Chester) and Steve Doherty (Previously Gordon Ramsey Scholarship School and the Savoy).

After dinner, over 300 guests eagerly awaited to find out who would be crowned this year’s winners. From the many hopefuls there were a few newcomers to the awards evening who did extremely well, as well as some old favourites who still prove to remain at the top of their game in Chester and Cheshire’s food industry.

Kim Scott of Made in Cheshire presents Alan Downes of Hawarden Estate Farm Shop with their award for Best Local Produce Shop of the Year.

Chester Food and Drink Chairman, Jane Mooney said: “I would like to thank the thousands of people who voted for this year’s food and drink awards, without the people who vote, and are passionate about Chester and Cheshire’s food and drink industry, there would be no awards at all.

Jane continued: “Out of all of the awards that the catering industry in Chester receives, the Chester Food and Drink Awards are the most exciting as they are voted for by the people who eat and drink in their pubs and restaurants. They are the very best indicator of what Chester people think are the best food places in the city and those that win are hugely proud to do so.”

The evening drew to a close with the presentation of the Outstanding Contribution to the Industry Award, which was awarded to Phil Dougherty, Catering Manager at Restaurant 1539 and Chester Racecourse, by the Lord Mayor of Chester, Councillor Elanor Johnson.

The 2012 Chester Food and Drink Awards winners are as follows:

Local Produce Shop of the Year

Gold: Hawarden Farm Estate

Silver: The Hollies

Bronze: Edens of Handbridge

Family Friendly

Gold: Hickories

Silver: The Ring ‘o’ Bells

Bronze: The Greyhound

Best Use Of Local Produce In A Menu

Gold: The Lord Binning

Silver: 1539

Bronze: The Brewery Tap

Best Small Restaurant

Gold: Sticky walnut

Silver: Joseph Benjamin

Bronze: Upstairs at the Grill

Best Sandwich

Gold: Panini Press

Silver: Cheshire Sandwich Company

Bronze: Prêt a Mange

Best Pub

Gold: Golden groves

Silver: Ring o bells

Bronze: Greyhound inn

Best Newcomer

Gold: The Chester Fields

Silver: The Gunnery

Bronze: The Lord Binning

Best Large Restaurant

Gold: Restaurant 1539

Silver: Blackhouse Grill

Bronze: The Living Room

Best Deli

Gold: Hawarden Farm Estate

Silver: Deli Vert

Bronze: The hollies

Best Café

Gold: Zugers

Silver: Baristas

Bronze: Mad Hatters

Best Bar

Gold: Bar Lounge

Silver: Bawn Lodge

Bronze: Red Door

Excellence in customer care

Gold: The Hollies

Silver: The Greyhound Inn

Bronze: Bar lounge

Chester’s Best Curry

Gold: Hoole Take Away

Silver: Plush Spice

Bronze: Kamals Tattonhall

Chester Sausage of the Year

Andrew Vernon, The Hollies Butchers Shop

Jameson’s Bar Tender of the Year

Li Armistead – The Red Door

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