Awards Shortlist
Producer of the Year
Gooey Puds, Wicken
Stir Bakery, Cambridge
Jaitea, Cambridge
Sponsored by
Farm Shop / Deli of the Year
The Larder, Burwash Manor, Barton
Meadows, Cambridge
The Gog Farm Shop, Cambridge
Sponsored by
Pub / Bar of the Year
The Bell Inn, Rickinghall
The Wine Rooms, Cambridge
Amphora, Cambridge
Sponsored by
Tearoom / Coffee Shop of the Year
Harvey's Coffee House, Cambridge
The River Terrace, St Ives
Procopio's Pantry, Bury St Edmunds
Sponsored by
Street Food / Pop-up of the Year
Waffle & Co, Saffron Walden
The Foraging Chef, Cambridge
Steak & Honour, Cambridge
Sponsored by
Restaurant of the Year
Lalbagh, Bourn
Market House, Cambridge
Fancett’s, Cambridge
Sponsored by
Chef of the Year
Ben Sulston, Private Chef, Cambridge
Sam Carter, Restaurant 22, Cambridge
Lee Cooper, The Bedford Lodge, Newmarket
Sponsored by
Food & Drink Hero
Jenny Jefferies, For the Love of the Land & Sea cookbooks, Cambridge
David & Roxane Marjoram & Jake Bennett-Day, Vino Gusto, Bury St Edmunds
Jonny Bescoby, The Brew Project, Ely
Sponsored by
The Velvet Food & Drink Awards 2023 in partnership with KUCO
Welcome to the first annual Velvet Food & Drink Awards! With our area home to an increasingly delicious food and drink offering - where both old-favourite and start-up brands continue not only to survive but thrive, often against the odds - we felt it was time to give the people behind this culinary success a pat on the back. . . and so these awards were born.
Because we want to give credit where the residents of our area genuinely consider it due, we’re asking members of the public - that’s YOU - to nominate their favourites in each of our eight categories: Producer, Farm Shop/Deli, Pub/Bar, Tearoom/Coffee Shop, Street Food/Pop-up, Restaurant, Chef and Food Hero of the Year. Full details of each category can be found here.
Any business or individual working within Velvet’s circulation area (see map to the right) is eligible and nominating is easy - just click here to fill in the swift and simple form, telling us what makes them stand out from the culinary crowd. (If you need a little nudge: in entering, your name will automatically go into a draw to win a dinner-and-drinks voucher for two.)
You’ve got between now and midnight on May 31 2023 to get your nominations in. The three businesses or individuals with the most nominations per category will then be shortlisted and the winners chosen by a panel of independent, industry-expert judges - you can find their bios here.
Together with our sponsors - listed here - we will then announce those winners at a special champagne-and-canape reception at Newmarket’s historic Jockey Club Rooms, taking place on the afternoon of Friday, June 30.
So whether you’ve got a soft spot for a particular bakery’s buns, swear the coffee in your local cafe can’t be beaten or book every special–occasion meal at a specific restaurant, we want to hear from you! These awards are YOUR awards, so get those nominations in. . .
Nominations are now closed
Awards Finale: Friday, June 30 2023, 4-6pm, The Jockey Club Rooms, 101 High Street, Newmarket CB8 8JL - by invitation only
