Food & Drink

It’s been six weeks since the dazzling Weetabix Northamptonshire Food and Drink Awards evening took place at the Royal & Derngate Theatre and since then the Awards team have caught up with some of the Gold Award winners to see what life has been like since their triumphs were revealed. If you were contemplating being part of it all next year, strap in to discover the successes and future plans of some of the best venues and producers in the county, which is sure to persuade you! Paul Hunt from The Curious Vegan Co who won Gold in Heygate’s sponsored Artisan Local Vegetarian/Vegan Product of the Year category for their delicious ‘Oinkin Patties’ was over the moon with his winnings. ‘We’ve only been trading since March and to..

A much-loved Northampton curry house is calling on diners to help them “bring the trophy home” having been shortlisted for a prestigious national restaurant industry award. Saffron, in Castilian Street, has been shortlisted in the Diners Choice category of the British Curry Awards and needs customers to cast their votes to show their support. Saffron owner, Naz Islam, won a special award at the event in 2020 in recognition of his ‘Outstanding Service in the Local Community’ throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and is hoping the restaurant can now win its own award at the lavish ceremony. Mr Islam said: “I am incredibly proud of the team here at Saffron and honoured to be shortlisted for the fourth year in a row. Being there to represent Northampton will be an absolute privilege. Winning the award would mean a lot to all of us. “As the only East Midlands restaurant shortlisted, we..

After much anticipation and a great deal of excitement, the winners in the Weetabix Northamptonshire Food and Drink Awards 2022/23 are finally celebrating being named the best of the best in the county! The competition, now in its fourteenth year, received hundreds of nominations and applications across 15 categories, from a diverse range of ambitious and driven individuals and businesses who make up the fabric of Northamptonshire’s food and drink sector. The Awards are aimed at celebrating all that is great about local produce and drink, recognising excellence within the county’s dining venues, producers and rewarding those who work so hard within the culinary sector. The results were announced at a dazzling Awards Dinner staged at Northampton’s Royal & Derngate on Wednesday 12th October.  The evening began with formal welcomes from Awards Director, Rachel Mallows MBE DL of The Mallows Company, Jo Gordon from Royal & Derngate and Stuart Branch of..

Rewarding businesses for taking action to help build a more sustainable, greener and better future, must be celebrated. Both the Farming Environment and Weetabix Sustainability Awards exhibit how our society can, with good leadership, move through post pandemic recovery into a new and more sustainable path, allowing future generations to live in a cleaner, greener world. These categories have been seeing brilliant stories of innovation and impact across the county (and beyond) in order to find farmers and businesses that are making a real difference. Weetabix, the Awards’ main sponsor and direct sponsor of the Sustainably Award are committed to sourcing sustainable ingredients, reducing packaging waste, making their operations more efficient and helping local communities. Inspired by this campaign, the Sustainability category is designed to recognise and celebrate an individual, business, or organisation for a product, drink, process or project which has made the most positive impact in sustainability across..

Returning for its third year, Northamptonshire’s Good Food and Drink Festival will be held on Sunday 11thSeptember at Kettering Park Hotel 11am to 4pm. Attracting the county’s best food and drink suppliers and producers, join us for a feast of delicious, mouth-watering fayre. Sponsored by Wilson Browne Solicitors, Kettering, the event is free to attend and promises a fun filled day out for all the family to enjoy. This vibrant event offers award winning food and drink from a variety of vendors, providing the perfect opportunity to sample and purchase a variety of delectable treats. With games and entertainment in the gorgeous hotel gardens, take some time to relax and enjoy your purchases! Organised by Kerry Bate of Polka Dot Events “The festival is a wonderful opportunity to showcase some of Northamptonshire’s finest local food and drink producers, visitors will be amazed by the variety at this year’s event”. Catering..

Hamm Tun Deli, home to the award-winning Cobblers Nibble cheese, is to open a new premises on the grounds of Whittlebury Park countryside hotel and spa in November. The second venture for the popular Northamptonshire deli, due to open on 13 November, will include a farm shop, deli and cafe and will serve a range of groceries and locally sourced products as well as eat-in breakfasts, lunches and takeaway coffees. The deli, farm shop and cafe, which has another premises in Long Buckby, will complement Whittlebury Park’s five food and drink outlets, including the hotel’s fine dining three AA Rosette Murrays restaurant, the contemporary Aston’s restaurant, the Atrium Bistro situated within the Atrium Clubhouse, the Silverstone Bar, and the Terrace café in the leisure club. Hamm Tun Deli is owned by Rachael Bradshaw. Rachael commented: “Our new premises at Whittlebury Park is a big step forward and will allow us..

Emma Norris reviews The Champagne Bar – H Beauty After walking past the window of the ‘H Beauty’ store in the centre:mk on more than one occasion and seeing the Champagne Bar filled with people, I knew that nabbing a seat for brunch may be a little difficult as there was no way of booking a table. We decided to venture in early on Saturday morning; luckily there were still a few spaces available, although only on their bar-stools or low lounge tables which may be a little tricky for those with access issues.  We settled in and were greeted by a lovely waitress named Emma who helped us navigate the menu and made some great nut-free recommendations. Even some of the treats and desserts were nut-safe which, in my books, is a huge win as often, if I fancy something sweet (and yes, breakfast dessert is a thing) I’m..

A small, Northamptonshire family vineyard is marking its tenth anniversary in the best possible way, by raising a glass of its own award-winning fizz to celebrate picking up a top national accolade!  Stonyfield Wine, based at Blisworth, has won a gold medal and the Dudley Quirk Trophy for Best Sparkling Blend 2021 from WineGB, the UK body for grape growers and winemakers – an honour usually bestowed upon the country’s larger, southern vineyards.  After planting the first vines in 2011 on the south-facing slope of spoil left behind after the digging of the Grand Union canal and Blisworth tunnel in the late 18th Century, Stonyfield partner John Folliott Vaughan says they’re delighted to be recognised in this way just a decade later: “We’re flattered and frankly amazed to be both the first small and only Midlands-based vineyard to receive this national trophy and all the more so when you appreciate..

Is your mum a true inspiration? A Northampton curry house has launched a search to find the town’s most marvellous matriarch, ahead of Mother’s Day this weekend. Saffron, in Castilian Street, Northampton will donate a meal for six, worth £150, to the lucky winner as a reward for their efforts to inspire others during the COVID-19 pandemic. Saffron manager Rana Rahman said: “All of us have been through a lot over the past 12 months and in many families it’s the mums who have kept us going. We know there are so many wonderful mums out there who deserve a real treat this weekend and we wanted to do something to say thank you. “Having already celebrated International Women’s Day this week, Mother’s Day is the chance to shine a light on those mums who go above and beyond to inspire their loved ones every single day.” To enter the..

Samuel Squires, Head Chef at Hibiscus, has been named ‘Chef of the Year’ at the Weetabix Northamptonshire Food & Drink Awards 2020/21. Hibiscus, the AA rosette-awarded restaurant which is based at Delapré Abbey in Northampton, has gone from strength to strength with Samuel’s carefully crafted dishes and innovative twist on fine dining. Commenting on the award, Samuel Squires said: “I am thrilled to receive gold for this year’s Weetabix Northamptonshire Food & Drink Awards Chef of the Year. It's a great competition supporting local food and drink businesses in and around Northamptonshire which is something that we all need to do during these difficult times. Thank you to all of our guests for your continued support over the years. I look forward to getting back in the kitchen for Hibiscus's upcoming Mother's Day package and seeing you all again soon.” Richard Clinton, Chief Executive of Delapré Abbey Preservation Trust, said: “Everyone..

While 2021 still offers the county’s culinary sector little for which to be thankful, more of its finest are enjoying a well-earned reason to celebrate after picking up top accolades in this year’s Weetabix Northamptonshire Food and Drink Awards. The competition, now in its twelfth year, is run by the sector for the sector and is aimed at publicly applauding all that is great about local produce and drink, recognising excellence within the county’s dining venues and rewarding those who work so hard to ensure the sector’s continuing success. The Awards year usually culminates in a glittering celebration staged at Northampton’s Royal & Derngate but, owing to social distancing rules, the results in six of the categories were announced online back in November, while a further three category results were revealed last night (Tuesday 23rd February) during another specially-recorded virtual ‘second course’ celebration, with those of the remaining categories in..

Gourmet package gives mums a true taste of Northamptonshire food and drink Mums across Northamptonshire can enjoy a true taste of the ‘Rose of the Shires’ thanks to a new Mother’s Day treat pack featuring four of the county’s finest food and drink companies. Burnt Lemon Chefs has teamed up with Jelley’s Organic Vodka, The Occasion Bar Co and the Gormet Dinner Lady to provide the ultimate Mother’s Day home delivery – giving mums across the county a well-deserved surprise. The box will feature a high tea for two, a cheese platter, two cocktails and the option to add a personalised bottle of organic vodka. James Peck, founder of Burnt Lemon Chefs, said: “Mums are amazing and it’s been such a difficult year for many as they’ve struggled to see their families during lockdown. We wanted to provide something really special to help people show how much mums are loved..

Since launching in 2014, more than one million people have signed up to give Veganuary a go, and in 2021 the campaign is set to enjoy its biggest success – with an estimated 500,000 people set to ditch animal products. Veganuary is focused on changing behaviours and attitudes, and encourages consumers to ditch the meat and dairy in favour of a plant-based diet. The campaign serves as an online friend for participants – with tips and support and a website bursting with helpful resources to help make the ‘journey’ easier; recipes, a starter kit and meal plans are shared to take the hassle out of trying vegan. Today, vegan food is not all soya milk, nut roasts and pulses found hidden in the corner of your local health food store, although there is nothing wrong with that, of course. Things are changing. Whether..

The sight of them trundling around the streets of Milton Keynes for the past couple of years has raised many a smile with residents. Now Starship robots are a ‘thing’ in Northampton too, writes Sammy Jones. S tarship Technologies are the world’s leading provider of autonomous delivery services, and already operate across the US, Estonia, Germany and Denmark, but Northampton is only the second town in the UK to benefit from the service, which launched six years ago. Starship has teamed up with Co-op to offer the grocery delivery service to some 5,000 households in the town, including those in Wootton and Hardingstone. Co-op was the first convenience retailer to use the same-day deliveries in the country, and while some people undoubtedly booked a slot for the novelty of having a cute little while robot bring goods to the door, the convenience factor and affordability of the service saw return..

An award-winning curry house has donated meals to staff working at two care homes in Northampton to say thank you for their efforts in tackling COVID-19. Staff from Saffron, in Castilian Street, delivered portions of chicken tikka masala and pilau rice to staff at Cliftonville Care Home and Spencer House Care Home on New Year’s Day. The restaurant also donated 150 face masks to each care home to help keep staff and residents safe. The donation follows the restaurant’s decision to extend its 50 per cent discount offer to all frontline NHS and emergency services workers throughout January, with Northamptonshire placed under Tier 4 restrictions. Owner Naz Islam, who was honoured for his own efforts during the pandemic at the British Curry Awards, said: “Those fighting on the frontline of coronavirus deserve our unwavering support and we want to do all we can to say thank you for their efforts. ..