Finalists unveiled for the 2018 Flavours of Herriot Country Awards – Vote for your favourite to win the Reader’s Choice Awards

THE finalists battling it out for a coveted Flavours of Herriot Country Award 2018 have been unveiled

The awards have grown from strength to strength over the last seven years and recognise the best in food producers, creators and suppliers across the Hambleton and Richmondshire districts.

This year has seen a record-breaking number of entries and Darlington and Stockton Times readers are being called on to vote for their favourite to win the Reader’s Choice Award, which will be presented at the Awards event.

Chair of the Awards, Irene Myers, said: “We finally reached the closing date for The Flavours of Herriot Country Awards, at midnight, on Friday, August 31.

“And what a record-breaking abundance of top notch entries have arrived, ready for our Chair of Judges, Susie Brindley, and her fellow judges, to go forth to taste, test and digest, ready to make those very difficult decisions – choosing our winners.

“Last year’s Flavours of Herriot Country Awards were simply outstanding, with a record number of entries from across Richmondshire and Hambleton.

“This year that record has been well and truly broken, making us all so proud of the hard working and dedicated businesses in Herriot Country.

“We have been given so much support for The Flavours of Herriot Country Awards from so many, as well as North Yorkshire County Council, Hambleton District Council and Richmondshire District Council, which reflects on the quality and standard of all the innovative businesses that enter.”

Two new categories were added to the awards this year, ‘Baked Product of the Year’ and ‘Afternoon Tea of the Year’ and organisers have also announced a great new venue for the judging of the Young Professional Chef or Catering Student of the Year Award.

The young chefs will be battling it out at the state of the art Darlington College, under the watchful eye of senior members of the Catering and Hospitality Department, including Chris York, catering instructor and head chef, who previously worked at Rockliffe Hall.

The overall judging panel will be chaired by Susie Brindley, and the awards ceremony will be compered by BBC Radio York Presenter Elly Fiorentini.

The winners will be announced at the Awards ceremony at The Garden Rooms, Tennants, Leyburn on November 30.

The event runs from 11am to 2.30pm, and tickets are available at flavoursofherriotcountryawards.com

SHORTLIST

Breakfast of the Year, sponsored by Yorkshire’s True Tours

• The Joiners Shop Ingleby Cross -1312
• Upstairs Downstairs Thirsk -1313
• Lewis & Cooper Northallerton- 1314
• Wensleydale Heifer West Witton -1315
• The Terrace Café Northallerton -1316

Tea Room of the Year, sponsored by the Garden Rooms, Tennants, Leyburn

• The North End Café Bedale – 1317
• White Rose Book Café Thirsk- 1318
• Mill Race Teashop Aysgarth- 1319
• Roots Farmshop East Rounton- 1320
• Middlemoor Farm Café Hudswell- 1321

Local Product of the Year, sponsored by Shepherds Purse Cheeses

• Yorkshire Dales Distillery Colburn, Richmond- 1322
• The Donut Box Catterick Garrison- 1323
• Wensleydale Creamery Hawes- 1324
• Masons Yorkshire Gin Ltd Bedale- 1325
• Brymor Ice Cream Masham- 1326

Specialist Retailer of the Year, sponsored by Bronte Liqueur

• Roots Farmshop East Rounton- 1327
• Minskip Farmshop Boroughbridge- 1328
• Frydayz Fish Bar Catterick Garrison- 1329
• Rounton Coffee East Rounton- 1330
• Lewis & Cooper Northallerton- 1331

Afternoon Tea of the Year, sponsored by Mad Hatter Tea Company

• Simonstone Hall Hawes- 1332
• Jervaulx Abbey Tearoom Ripon- 1333
• The Joiners Shop Ingleby Cross- 1334
• Upstairs Downstairs Thirsk- 1335
• The Terrace Café Northallerton- 1336

Pub Food of the Year, sponsored by Hambleton District Council

• The Bay Tree Stillington- 1337
• White Swan Ampleforth- 1338
• The George & Dragon Hudswell- 1339
• The Oak Tree Inn Helperby- 1340
• The Bull Inn West Tanfield- 1341

Restaurant of the Year, sponsored by Yorebridge House Hotel

• The Fairfax Arms Gilling East- 1342
• Cleveland Tontine Staddlebridge- 1343
• Chapters Hotel Stokesley- 1344
• The Wensleydale Heifer West Witton- 1345
• The Bruce Arms West Tanfield- 1346

Baked Product of the Year, sponsored by Hambleton Ales

• Coppice Café Aysgarth- 1347
• Jervaulx Abbey Tearoom Ripon- 1348
• Farmhouse Fruit Cakes Richmond- 1349
• Mill Race Teashop Aysgarth- 1350

Café/Restaurant of the Year at a Visitor Attraction, sponsored by Richmondshire District Council

• Jervaulx Abbey Tea Room Ripon- 1351
• Black Sheep Brewery Masham- 1352
• Wensleydale Creamery Hawes- 1353
• Coppice Café Aysgarth- 1354

Customer Service Team of the Year, sponsored by Grand Central Rail

• Simonstone Hall Hawes- 1355
• Kings Head Hotel Richmond- 1356
• Stage 1 Cycles Hawes- 1357
• The Buck Inn Thornton Watless- 1358

Locally Produced Beer of the Year, sponsored by Barker Partnership

• Pennine Brewing Company Bedale- 1359
• BAD Co Brewing & Distillery Dishforth- 1360
• Black Sheep Brewery Masham- 1361
• Wensleydale Brewery Leyburn- 1362

Young Professional Chef or Catering Student of the Year, sponsored by North Yorkshire County Council

• Joseph Walsh (The Wensleydale Heifer) – 1363
• Callum Bowes (Cleveland Tontine)- 1364
• Jack Baldwin (The Bruce Arms)- 1365

To vote for your favourite:

By Phone: Call 0901360 adding the four digits next to the finalist of your choice. For example if it was finalist 0380 you would like to vote for simply dial 09013600380.

By Text: Send your text to 80360 starting with HERRIOT leave a space, followed by the four digits next to the finalist of your choice.

Calls cost £1.02 per minute plus your phone company’s access charge. Texts cost £1.00 plus your normal operator text charge. Telephone and text lines open 13/09/2018 and close 16/11/2018 at 23:59:59PM. Call 0207 998 0549 for help and advice on phone and mobile services. By entering this competition you agree to Newsquest and its employees processing your personal data to the extent required to administer the competition. This includes the drawing of winners and any subsequent contact. Newsquest will not share your personal data so acquired with any third parties.