Guild of Food Writers Awards – 2017 Winners

Sri Owen was awarded the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award at the Guild of Food Writers Awards in London on Thursday 22 June to recognise her contribution to food writing.

Sri Owen

Rachel Roddy won both the Food Writing Award and the Cookery Writing Award for inspiring and inspirational work published in The Guardian.

Rachel Roddy and Michael Jones of Quality Milk Producers (Gold Top)

The Food Book Award and the Campaigning and Investigative Food Work Award went to Louise Gray for her highly original work The Ethical Carnivore.

Louise Gray (left) and Wendy Miranda, Customer Ambassador for Lakeland

The Awards are one of the highest accolades in food media and are organised by the membership organisation for professionals in the sector. Judged by members, the 14 awards celebrate the very best in professional food writing, broadcasting and publishing.

Over 300 leading food writers, journalists and guests came together last night to celebrate their achievements. Guild President, Xanthe Clay, who presented the Awards, said “We live in uncertain times, but food remains the great unifier. Good food writing and broadcasting communicates the sheer joy of cooking and eating, but also educates and, crucially, extends our understanding of other cultures. Our winners and shortlistees all enthral, educate and enlighten in equal measure.”

Double award winner, Louise Gray said “I’m so grateful to the food writing world for embracing a book about mud and blood and guts, but also about farming, butchers and the challenges of where our food will come from in the future. It is an honour to be among others using food to improve our health and environment.”

Kalpna Wolf and 91 Ways won the Inspiration Award, awarded for only the second time this year. The award celebrates an individual or group whose work in food is inspiring to the writing community and is voted for by all the members of the Guild. Kalpna is a charity entrepreneur who harnesses the power of food to bring cultures and communities together in her native Bristol, a city of 91 languages. Her charity’s series of supper clubs, events and a roving Peace Cafe help people to share their values, heritage and stories.

Kalpna Woolf (left) and Heather Marston from Scotch Beef PGI

Kalpna said: “I’m delighted and honoured to receive this recognition from the Guild of Food Writers and its members. It is an affirmation of the power of food to bring cultures and communities together by sharing the food that means most to us, sharing our values, building common ground and celebrating our common humanity. This award embodies a wonderful support which will help us continue our work.”

Xanthe added “We are grateful to all our sponsors especially our lead Tenderstem, whose generous support of the Awards enables us to run these important Awards and bring the food writing industry together for a fitting celebration.”

Caroline Kenyon (left) and Michelle Toft, Chief Marketing Officer of Coregeo: Tenderstem® (main sponsor of the Awards)

This year’s Awards sponsors are Tenderstem^® (main sponsor of the Awards); Scotch Beef PGI (sponsor of the Inspiration Award); Aspall (sponsor of the British Food Award); Food & Drink Devon (sponsor of the Restaurant Writing Award); Gold Top (sponsor of the Cookery Writing Award); Lakeland (sponsor of the Food Book Award); Norwegian Seafood Council (sponsor of the Food Broadcast Award); Organic Trade Board (sponsor of the Campaigning and Investigative Food Work Award); Satellite PR (sponsor of the Food Blog Award); SuperFast Thermapen^® (sponsor of the Food Writing Award); and Tebay Services and Gloucester Services (sponsor of the Food and Travel Award).

2017 Awards Winners:

Cookery Writing Award
(Sponsored by Gold Top)

Rachel Roddy for work published in The Guardian Cook

Food Writing Award
(Sponsored by SuperFast Thermapen^®)

Rachel Roddy for work published in The Guardian Cook

Rachel Roddy and Peter Webb MBE, Managing Director of ETI Ltd

Restaurant Writing Award
(Sponsored by Food & Drink Devon)

Marina O’Loughlin for work published in The Guardian Weekend magazine

Bob Granleese from The Guardian representing Marina O’Loughlin and Hayley Reynolds, Vice-Chair of Food & Drink Devon

Food Blog Award
(Sponsored by Satellite PR)

The Little Library Cafe (thelittlelibrarycafe.com) by Kate Young

Pauline Kent (left), Director of Satellite PR and Kate Young

Food Broadcast Award
(Sponsored by the Norwegian Seafood Council)

Food Programme: Food Stories from Syria 2 presented by Dan Saladino and produced by Anne-Marie Bullock (BBC Radio 4)

From left to right; Anne-Marie Bullock, Jack-Robert Møller, the UK Director for the Norwegian Seafood Council, and Dan Saladino

British Food Award
(Sponsored by Aspall)

The British Table: A New Look at the Traditional Cooking of England, Scotland, and Wales by Colman Andrews (Abrams Books)

Alexandra Vassiliadis from Abrams & Chronicle Books representing Colman Andrews, and Henry Chevallier Guild from Aspall

Food and Travel Award
(Sponsored by Tebay Services and Gloucester Services)

Samarkand: Recipes & Stories from Central Asia & The Caucasus by Caroline Eden & Eleanor Ford (Kyle Books)

Eleanor Ford (left) and Sarah Dunning, CEO of Westmorland Family

Campaigning and Investigative Food Work Award
(Sponsored by the Organic Trade Board)

The Ethical Carnivore: My Year Killing to Eat by Louise Gray (Bloomsbury Natural History)

Louise Gray and Adrian Blackshaw, chairman of the Organic Trade Board

Food Magazine or Section Award

delicious. magazine (Eye to Eye Media Ltd)

Susan Low, deputy editor of delicious. magazine

Richard Atkinson from Bloomsbury Publishing representing Fuchsia Dunlop

Inspiration Award
(Sponsored by Scotch Beef PGI)

Kalpna Woolf and 91 Ways (To Build A Global City)

Lifetime Achievement Award

Sri Owen

Notes

Twitter: @guildfoodwriter. Instagram: @thegfw.

Media enquiries: Polly Robinson – polly@pollyrobinson.co.uk or 07966 475195

You can see the programme for the evening here.

Awards
Several Guild Awards are presented in memory of talented members of the Guild who are no longer with us:

The British Food Award is presented in memory of Michael Smith.
The Campaigning and Investigative Food Work Award is presented in memory of Derek Cooper.
The Cookery Writing Award is presented in memory of Evelyn Rose.
The First Book Award is presented in memory of Jeremy Round.
The Food and Travel Award is presented in memory of Kate Whiteman.

Sponsors

Tenderstem^®
(Main sponsor of the Awards)

“Whether you’re preparing a fiery stir-fry or looking for a delicate accompaniment to a perfect piece of fish, Tenderstem^® is an inspiring ingredient that’s sure to bring personality to the dish. A cross between Chinese kale and regular broccoli, Tenderstem^® is quick to cook, full of flavour and incredibly versatile.

Tenderstem^® happily adds colour and flavour to a huge range of dishes. It has a mild, distinctive flavour and a succulent texture more akin to asparagus than traditional broccoli. As the name suggests, Tenderstem^® is tender from floret to stem so you can eat the whole vegetable, so there’s no waste, unlike ordinary broccoli, which tends to have a thicker, and sometimes woody, stem. Whatever your cooking style, there are plenty of options when it comes to serving Tenderstem^®: steam it, boil it, stir fry it, BBQ it, griddle it, roast it, or even enjoy it raw.

Figures from the National Diet and Nutrition Survey reveal that seven out of 10 people fail to get the recommended 5-a-day. A serving of Tenderstem^® – around 7 stems – counts as one of your 5-a-day. It’s low in calories and high in fibre – an 80g serving contains just 28 calories and 3g fibre – and is perfect for adding variety to our diet, which can help to make healthy eating really enjoyable. Some nutrients are especially good at supporting our immune system; these include vitamins A and C, together with folate (a B vitamin). Many fruit and veg contain these nutrients, but Tenderstem^® is one of the few vegetables that’s rich in all three of these, making it an ideal choice for staying fighting fit. Think oranges are the ultimate vitamin C boost? Tenderstem^® has twice the amount of this vital vitamin, gram for gram.

The Tenderstem^® Team is very proud to support the Guild as its main sponsor, after five years of sponsoring its Food Magazine or Section Award.”

You can find out more about Tenderstem^® at www.tenderstem.co.uk; on Twitter: @tenderstem; on Facebook: www.facebook.com/tenderstem; on Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/tenderstem/; on Instagram: www.instagram.com/tenderstem.

Scotch Beef PGI
(Sponsor of the Inspiration Award)

“Scotch Beef PGI is delighted to be supporting the Guild of Food Writers awards event.

Scotch Beef PGI, which has earned a global reputation for taste and quality, is sourced from Scottish farms which must adopt best practice regarding animal welfare and production methods. Farms and processors are independently audited and Scotch Beef PGI is fully traceable back to farms of origin.

Family farming remains at the heart of sheep and cattle production in Scotland and sustains rural communities throughout the country. Livestock production also plays an important part in the biodiversity of upland habitats and the focus is on beef breeds farmed to produce beef, rather than milk.

Scotland’s livestock production systems are based on free-ranging animals grazing at low stocking densities. Permanent grass and rough grazing account for almost 80% of Scottish agricultural area – this is largely unsuitable for vegetable or cereal production but ideal for cattle and sheep grazing.

Scotch Beef and Scotch Lamb PGI were also among the first European red meat products to be granted the coveted PGI (Protected Geographical Indication) status in recognition of their quality standards and unique regional taste.”

You can find out more about Scotch Beef PGI at www.scotchkitchen.com; on Twitter: @scotchkitchen; on Facebook: www.facebook.com/scotchkitchen.

Aspall
(Sponsor of the British Food Award)

“Innovation and invention have been at the heart of Aspall ever since Clement Chevallier arrived at Aspall Hall in 1728 to set up his new cyder business.

As well as being cutting-edge cyder makers, the family have been pioneers of seed drilling, propagators of a barley that became a staple of the brewing industry for 150 years, and one of the first dairies to embrace pasteurisation. More recently, we invented the unique trickle feed method used to create our incredibly popular cyder vinegar.

Now one of the oldest family businesses in the UK, Aspall is run by the eighth generation of the family, Barry and Henry Chevallier Guild. While upholding the same exacting standards set by Clement nearly 300 years ago, we have continued to innovate and improve.

Today, with our immense heritage, Aspall is recognised as a brand that values its past while enthusiastically embracing the future. We still press, ferment, blend and bottle on site at Aspall Hall but by embracing new ideas and technologies we have been able to produce the world-class cyders, juices and vinegars for which we are celebrated.

Creativity and passion are central to all we do so it is a great pleasure to sponsor these awards, which recognise such qualities in those who write about our industry of food and drink.”

You can find out more about Aspall at www.aspall.co.uk; on Twitter: @aspall and @AspallVinegar; on Facebook: AspallUK and aspallvinegar; on Instagram: @aspalluk and aspallvinegar.

Food & Drink Devon
(Sponsor of the Restaurant Writing Award)

“The food and drink scene in Devon has never been so vibrant. The county is buzzing with innovation, creativity and productivity. Whether on the coast or inland there is a hub of activity. Matched with the stunning scenery it is rapidly growing its reputation on the culinary map as the must visit destination.

Food & Drink Devon is the county’s only dedicated membership organisation supporting quality, provenance and sustainability in this sector. It has a 250 strong Devon-based membership which includes cookery schools, hospitality and catering businesses, speciality retailers, farmers markets and producers. Food & Drink Devon and its membership supports the growing trend for using seasonal, local produce.

Chair Barbara King, who is also managing director of The Shops at Dartington, says: ‘Having enjoyed hosting two Guild of Food Writers’ trips, Food & Drink Devon is delighted to be sponsoring the Guild’s Restaurant Writing Award. The businesses within the membership look forward to welcoming the Guild again in the future, both on a group visit as well as individual press tours.’

Please do contact Hayley Reynolds (hayley@rawprandmarketing.co.uk) to find out more about some of Devon’s many highlights.“

You can find out more about Food & Drink Devon at www.foodanddrinkdevon.co.uk; on Twitter: @lovetheflavour; on Facebook: lovetheflavour.

Gold Top
(Sponsor of the Cookery Writing Award)

“Gold Top with Cream at the Top
Established in Buckinghamshire in 1954, QMP was set up in association with milk producers throughout the country to market and promote their new brand, Gold Top.

The Gold Top selection stands for premium quality and superior taste, it is this quality, alongside our high end service, which makes us stand out from our competitors.

The original Gold Top Milk is made the traditional Guernsey and Jersey way with the cream on the top, and tastes delicious, the luxurious Gold Top Smooth is a variation whereby the indulgent cream is blended evenly throughout the entire bottle. The Gold Top family includes, butter, cream, ice cream amongst others.

QMP are set to make an even greater impact through increased promotion. Sponsoring several shows throughout the year, such as The Dairy Event, Royal Cornwall, The Great Yorkshire Show amongst others and regionalised smaller We are looking into doing food shows over the next 18 months by undertaking joint ventures with Grahams Dairy our current licence holder. We are also sponsoring The Jersey Society World Tour in 2016, which will tour around the UK and Ireland.”

www.goldtopmilk.co.uk

Lakeland
(Sponsor of the Food Book Award)

“Lakeland, the home of creative kitchenware was founded over 50 years ago in the heart of the Lake District. From humble beginnings this family owned business is now a multi-national, multi-channel retailer offering millions of customers over 4000 quality, ‘can’t live without’ products for the kitchen and home. Lakeland is constantly looking for ground-breaking innovations and ideas to add to their extensive range to ensure that their customers have everything they need to create delicious, healthy meals at home and handy time savers to make life just that little bit easier.

Customers can shop using the Lakeland catalogue, by phone, online, click and collect service or by visiting one of their 68 stores up and down the country. Lakeland offer over 500 free recipes online and you’ll also discover regular in-store demonstrations in many of their stores.

No matter how you shop, Lakeland’s knowledgeable staff are always on hand to offer expert advice and ideas and of course all of their products are backed by Lakeland’s unrivalled three-year guarantee!”

For more information, visit www.lakeland.co.uk; on Twitter: @LakelandUK; on Facebook: www.facebook.com/lakelanduk; on Instagram: @lakelanduk; on Pinterest: lakelanduk; on YouTube: LakelandTV.

Norwegian Seafood Council
(Sponsor of the Food Broadcast Award)

“Geographically, Norway is one long coastline. Our coastal towns look out onto oceans that are seven times the size of the country itself. All kinds of amazing seafood thrives in these cold, clear waters, especially Cod, Haddock, Skrei, Salmon and Fjord Trout.

It’s no surprise that we’re a fishing and fish farming nation. It’s in our genes after all; plenty of our fathers and their fathers before them made their living at sea, and as children we grow up eating it. Today, we still take the seafood industry incredibly seriously.

Our continuous sustainable and scientific management of our fisheries supplies the UK with a healthy supply of great quality, MSC certified Norwegian Cod and Haddock, from the biggest stocks in the world.

We are also world leaders in aquaculture. Being the first to develop the sea-based farming method in the 1970s, we have pioneered the industry. We have been at the forefront of salmon production, thanks to Norway’s spectacular natural landscape which provides perfect conditions for farming Salmon and Fjord Trout.

At the Norwegian Seafood Council, our job is to tell these stories – and why we are one of the world’s biggest and most sustainable producers of seafood.”

You can find out more about the Norwegian Seafood Council at www.seafoodfromnorway.co.uk; on Twitter: @NorwaySeafood; on Instagram: @NorwaySeafood; on Facebook: www.facebook.com/seafoodfromnorway/.

Organic Trade Board
(Sponsor of the Campaigning and Investigative Food Work Award)

“The Organic Trade Board (OTB) is proud to support the Guild of Food Writers Campaigning and Investigative Food Work Award. Food writers play such an important role food culture, explaining the value of food and shaping our food future.

The OTB was formed in 2009 and has one aim: to grow organic sales in the UK. With over 140 members and representing over 70% of the UK’s organic market from brands, processors, co-ops and retailers we are the voice of the organic industry.

The OTB has been awarded €10.4 million by the EU to run a three year campaign to promote organic food in the UK and Denmark. The OTB is working with brands, processors and retailers to drive growth in the organic food and drink sector.

In the UK, the organic market is worth £2.09 billion p.a. and accounts for around 1.5% of all grocery sales and grew by 7.1% in 2016. Yet despite the buoyancy of the market, the UK still lags behind its European counterparts in terms of annual per capita spend on organic. Britons spend approximately €28 per person on organic food each year compared with €162 in Denmark and €97 in Germany so there is much room for growth.

The new campaign run by the OTB will seek to accelerate growth of the organic food and drink market and to build retailer value, by partnering with Denmark who are global market leaders in organic penetration and market share.”

You can find out more about the Organic Trade Board at www.organictradeboard.co.uk; on Twitter: @organicUK; on Facebook: www.facebook.com/organicuk/; on Instagram: @OrganicUK.

Satellite PR
(Sponsor of the Food Blog Award)

“Satellite PR is a Shoreditch based PR agency with a talent for thinking big. We love ideas almost as much as we love food!

The work we do may sound run of the mill – new product launches, media relations, sampling, events, crisis and issues and social media – but the ingredients we use make it special. People who are dedicated, creative, funny and all-round good-eggs. We believe in putting something back which is why we’re helping Magic Breakfast, whose founder Carmel McConnell won the Guild of Food Writers Inspiration Award in 2016.

In the past few years we’ve created the Student Cook of the Year, launched a National Trust Farm shop, taken a giant pumpkin into a school, promoted Peruvian street food, raised awareness of food allergies, encouraged families to share their pudding recipes and worked with hundreds of GPs to spread the word about healthy eating.”

You can find out more about Satellite PR at www.satellitepr.com; on Facebook: www.facebook.com/SatellitePR/; on Twitter: @Satellite_PR.

SuperFast Thermapen^®
(Sponsor of the Food Writing Award)

“A favourite kitchen essential of many celebrity chefs and professional cooks, the SuperFast Thermapen® is made in Britain by ETI Ltd, the UK’s leader in the manufacture and design of electronic thermometers and temperature probes and recipients of the Queen’s Award for Enterprise for International Trade in 2012, 2014 and 2017.

Giving an accurate temperature reading in just three seconds, the Thermapen is stylish, easy to use and available in a range of vibrant colours. A must-have for all kitchens; whether you are a professional chef, technical baker, or just want to enjoy meat that is both succulent and cooked safely at home.

The Thermapen 4 includes the addition of a patented 360° self-rotating display that can be used in any position, in either hand. The unit incorporates an intelligent backlit display sensing light levels, automatically turning the backlight on/off in varying light conditions, perfect for evening catering events, or where light is poor. The motion-sensing sleep mode automatically turns the unit on/off when set down or picked up, maximising battery life. The Thermapen case is waterproof and includes `Biomaster’ additive that reduces bacterial growth. The ergonomic rubber seal meanwhile minimises the risk of the ingress of water, dust or food.”

You can find out more about Thermapen 4 at www.thermapen.co.uk; on Twitter: @thermapen_; on Facebook: SuperFast Thermapen Thermometer; on Instagram: Thermapen.

Tebay Services and Gloucester Services
(Sponsor of the Food and Travel Award)

“At Westmorland, we’re different.

Westmorland were the first family run motorway services on the UK roads, owning and operating Gloucester Services on the M5 and Tebay Services on the M6.

There are no franchises or fast food on our forecourts. Instead, a Farmshop selling locally produced food, a butchery featuring meat reared from our own farm and a Kitchen serving homemade dishes produced daily using local ingredients.

Proper food with locality and a sense of belonging is at the very heart of everything we do. We believe proper food matters.

So we serve it where you’d least expect it—on the motorway.

The services’ story begins in 1972 when John and Barbara Dunning, Cumbrian hill farmers, set up Tebay Services when the M6 cut though their farm. They opened a small 30 seat café serving home cooked, locally sourced food.

The Dunnings viewed the M6 not as the death of a farm, but the beginning of a whole new chapter in how they ran the farm—and that ethos of innovation and a desire to do things properly defines the Westmorland Family businesses.

Forty-five years on and we are still here, still family owned, still farming and still with a fierce passion for, and a pride in, our landscape, our people, our environment and its products.

Back then it was visionary. Today, we’re part of a local food revolution welcoming 10 million customers a year.”

You can find out more about Tebay Services at tebayservices.com and Gloucester Services at gloucesterservices.com; on Twitter @tebayservices and @glouc_services.

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