Food Lifestyle Awards 2024: Independent South West Food, Drink and Lifestyle Businesses Reign

The South West's most incredible and truly authentic independent food, drink and lifestyle businesses were honoured at the Food Lifestyle Awards 2024, which took place on Monday September 30 at Nancarrow Farm in Cornwall. 

Hosted by Food Lifestyle magazine, the awards were the culmination of many thousands of votes cast across 10 new award categories. 

Championing independence and high quality over chain restaurants and pubs and identikit experiences which can be found across the UK, Food Lifestyle Awards shine a light on the outstanding experiences that the South West has to offer. Here's who won:

Chef of the Year – sponsored by Knightor Winery

Winner: Adam Handling, The Ugly Butterfly, Carbis Bay

Finalists:

Cass Titcombe, Brassica Restaurant

Connor Reed, River Cottage

Elly Wentworth, The Angel of Dartmouth

Paul Ainsworth, Paul Ainsworth at No6

Restaurant of the Year – sponsored by Trencherman's Guide

Winner: The Angel of Dartmouth

Finalists:

Appleton's Bar & Restaurant, Fowey

Bristol Lido, Bristol

Restaurant Mine, Falmouth

Root, Wells

Pub of the Year – sponsored by Thatchers

Winner: The Queen's Arms, Corton Denham

Finalists: 

Harbour Inn, Porthleven

The Cotley Inn, Chard

The Tartan Fox, Newquay

The Tolcarne Inn, Newlyn

Hotel of the Year – sponsored by Trevethan Distillery

Winner: The Old Bell Hotel, Malmesbury

Finalists:

Bedruthan, Mawgan Porth

Homewood, Bath

The Greenbank Hotel, Falmouth

The Pig at Harlyn Bay, Padstow

Casual Dining Experience – sponsored by Trewithen Dairy

Winner: Darts Farm, Topsham

Finalists

FARA, Glastonbury

Sacred Grounds, Exeter

Situ, Penryn

St Eia, St Ives

Exceptional Spa Experience – sponsored by South West 660

Winner: Gaia Spa, Boringdon Hall, Plymouth

Finalists:

Chewton Glen, New Forest

Gara Rock, Salcombe

Scarlet, Mawgan Porth

The Headland, Newquay

Cool place to stay – sponsored by Bramley

Winner: Star & Garter, Falmouth

Finalists:

Atlanta Trevone, Padstow

Durslade Farmhouse, Bruton

The Collective at Woolsery, north Devon

Wildcomfort, Dartmouth

Drink Brand of the Year – sponsored by Indy Coffee Guide

Winner: Yallah Coffee, Cornwall

Finalists

Girls Who Grind, Warminster

Loveday Distilling, Cornwall

Somerset Cider Brandy, Somerset

Trevethan Distillery, Cornwall

Food Brand of the Year – sponsored by Indy Coffee Guide

Winner: St. Ewe

Finalists:

Black Bee Honey

Cornish Sea Salt

Cut to the Smoke

Granny Gothards

Outstanding Retail Experience – sponsored by Ellis Wines

Winner: Durslade Farm Shop, Bruton

Finalists:

Botanica Studio, Bath

Nkuku, Harbertonford, Devon

Rise Market & Bakery, Bridport, Somerset

Sunshine & Snow, Bideford, Devon

Speaking about the awards Food Lifestyle magazine editor, Jo Rees, said: 'This year's Awards were a veritable who's who of the outstanding businesses from Cornwall to the Cotswolds and showcase just how sophisticated the South West has become. 

'This region rivals any in the UK for cool places to stay, eat, visit and shop but has its own particular flavour that everyone who has experienced it will recognise. 

"We host the awards each year to honour the community of independent businesses, suppliers, growers, makers and creatives and everyone who relies on those industries.'

The celebratory supper and awards ceremony at Nancarrow featured a feast cooked by the Nancarrow team led by head chef Jack Bristow. It included dishes such as ricotta ravioli with heritage tomato, lovage and Old Winchester, and grilled hispi cabbage with lamb-fat crumb, Cornish seaweed and shallot. Wines were supplied by Ellis Wines, aperitifs were provided by Thatchers and Trevethan Distillery, and the meal ended with speciality caffeination from Yallah Coffee. 

The Food Lifestyle Awards 2024 were supported by Bramley, Churchill, Darts Farm, Ellis Wines, Knightor Winery, South West 660, Thatchers, Trevethan Distillery and Trewithen Dairy.

That's Food and Drink offers our hearty congratulations to everyone involved.

Matthews Cotswold Flour Signs Foodbod as Brand Ambassador This Sourdough September

Perfectly timed for the month of Sourdough September, Britain's leading speciality flour producer, Matthews Cotswold Flour, has appointed Elaine Boddy from Foodbod Sourdough as its first ever Brand Ambassador.

Elaine Boddy is a world-renowned sourdough baker, who has published three books all about sourdough, has a large and loyal international baking community, and is a big supporter of Matthews Cotswold Flour.

All of Elaine's recipes and sourdough creations have been made and tested using Matthews Cotswold Flour, so she has a wealth of knowledge and expertise about the company's high-quality products. Elaine knows how all their flours feel, taste and behave, plus she knows all about how best to use them when making sourdough and other recipes.

Elaine says: “I am so excited to be taking on this role, to be uniting my sourdough world with a business I really love, and to be formalising my relationship with Matthews Cotswold Flour. I have used and recommended their flours for so long now, I know exactly how they behave in sourdough baking and how to maximise my recipes for home bakers using this great range.

“I think this is a fantastic opportunity for myself and Matthews Cotswold Flour, and I look forward to unveiling our new VIP Super Sourdoughers Club - check the website for more details and sign up now!”

Bertie Matthews, who has, in our opinion, the absolutely to job of being Managing Director at Matthews Cotswold Flour, says: “We've worked closely with Elaine for some time already, and have always been impressed by her sourdough recipes and her undoubted expertise. It's really absolutely fantastic to have her on our team, and we're looking forward to creating lots of new Sourdough content and resources for our home baking community together!”

Elaine will be of great assistance help to Matthews Cotswold Flour's home bakers, with her extensive experience of being a home baker herself. Elaine bakes everything in her home kitchen, using only standard domestic ovens and apparatus. 

She offers real, straightforward, useable advice for home bakers, because they are from a home baker, herself. Elaine also hosts a food podcast, The Foodbod Pod, which is all about food!

Elaine has been a part of the Matthews Cotswold Flour family for a while now, using their flours in all of her baking. She has supported the artisan miller, both online and in person, and they are absolutely thrilled and delighted to be working together to develop an exciting new Cotswold Flour Sourdough Experience. 

www.cotswoldflour.com or follow @CotswoldFlour on Instagram or Facebook.