Plymouth Food Award winners announced

16 August 2012

This year’s Plymouth Food Awards winners have been announced today and will be presented with their awards on the main stage at this year’s Flavour Fest at 12.30pm Friday 17 August. [1]

The winners were chosen based on the number of votes received from the public as well as an assessment by the Food Plymouth judges on how they met the ten different aims of the Plymouth Food Charter. [2]

The Awards have been created to celebrate some of the extraordinary efforts, skills and achievements of those who are bringing delicious healthy and sustainable food to people in Plymouth.

Food Award winners are:

• Best Producer - Pips PYO
• Best Restaurant - The Arthouse
• Best Food Champion – Brad Pearce, Plymouth City Council School Meals Service
• Best School - Brook Green Centre for Learning
• Community Food Award – Dig for Devonport [3]

Traci Lewis, Food Plymouth Coordinator said: “It was a difficult job choosing the overall winners as there were some excellent businesses and organisations nominated this year. We also had a fantastic response from Plymouth residents, who voted for and supported their favourites across all categories. We are really pleased with the calibre of winners in each category, who represent the excellent range and diversity of work going on across the city to support the aims of the Plymouth Food Charter.”

Brad Pearce, Education Catering Manager for Plymouth City Council, who won the Food Champion Award said: “Picking up the award for being the best Food Champion is a real honour, particularly since it was voted for by a cross section of suppliers, food producers and customers. It recognises our commitment to supporting the local economy and to buying, preparing and serving good quality, fresh, local ingredients to children and young people across the city every day of the school year.”

Ends

For all enquiries contact:

Traci Lewis, Food Plymouth Coordinator info@foodplymouth.org / 07870 268 654
For more information visit: www.foodplymouth.org

Notes to Editor:

[1] Find out more about Flavour Fest www.shopplymouth.co.uk/events/flavour-fest

[2] The Plymouth Food Charter, which was launched early last year, aims to improve health and wellbeing for all to create a more connected, resilient and sustainable city. Signatories to the Charter - which include public, private and community partners – are committed to raising awareness of the pleasure and importance of good food and to create a vibrant and diverse food culture.

[3] Complete list of winners

Best Producer - Pips PYO (winner) www.pipsfruitandveg.co.uk ; Tamar Grow Local (highly commended) www.tamargrowlocal.org Sponsored by Tamar View Fruiterers
Best Restaurant - The Arthouse (winner) www.plymouthartscentre.org/food.html
Lemon Tree Café and Bistro (highly commended) www.thelemontreebistro.com
Sponsored by T(n)S Catering
Best Food Champion – Brad Pearce, Plymouth City Council School Meals Service Sponsored by South West Food and Drink
Best School - Brook Green Centre for Learning (winner); Stoke Damerel, Hyde Park Juniors, Coombe Dean Primary (highly commended) Sponsored by ‘Food is Fun’
Community Food Award - Dig for Devonport (winner), Freedom Fields community garden (highly commended) Sponsored by NHS Plymouth

About the Plymouth Food Charter
Food Plymouth is a city-wide partnership helping to develop wider awareness and new activities around healthy and sustainable food in Plymouth. Would you or your organization, business, school like to sign up to the Plymouth Food Charter? Visit www.foodplymouth.org www.foodplymouth.org

About the Soil Association
The Soil Association was founded in 1946 by a group of farmers, scientists and nutritionists who observed a direct connection between the health of the soil, food, people and the environment. Today the Soil Association is the UK's leading membership charity campaigning for planet-friendly food and farming with around 27,000 members. Its certification subsidiary, Soil Association Certification Ltd, certifies over 80% of organic farming and food processing in the UK. http://www.soilassociation.org