It was my first experience attending the Eat Sheffield Awards this year and, without any shred of deceit, I had a genuinely entertaining time. The food and drink served at the tables was wonderful and, dare I say it, palate expanding. All credit to the chefs and hard working team of caterers.
So really this is a blog post with two intentions. Firstly to offer my thanks and support for the Eat Sheffield awards, which I do believe are a useful promotional tool not only for Sheffield as a whole and the individual traders, but also have become over the last seven years a method of validation. Independent traders work hard and, whether winning an award or not, to be involved in the evening is to be recognised and celebrated.
It would be indolent of me as a writer, not to offer at least some partial critique and, as a man who loves his independent culture, his music, and his arts, my critique would be the pop culture, X-factor style intro’s to the awards. In my mind, the night champions a culture of independence in Sheffield and mimicking what personally I would deem corporate culture, is perhaps not as complimentary as it could be. When all is said and done however, this is a minor point.
My second intention, with this blog post is of course to congratulate both the nominees and the award winners of the various different award categories – congratulations!
If you take a look down the below list, I’m sure you will all find some familiar names.
Top 5 Multi Format (Deli’s, Farm Shops & Grocers):
Chatsworth Farm Shop; Sharrow Marrow; Urban Pantry; Deli; Greedy Greek Deli; Beeches of Walkley
Winner: Beeches of Walkley
Top 5 Single format (Artisan Producer or specialist inc. butcher, baker, independent retail brand):
Henderson’s Relish; Seven Hills Bakery; Our Cow Molly; Forge Bakehouse; Savvy Foods
Winner: Our Cow Molly
Top 5 Unlicensed:
Tamper (Westfield); Homemade by Thelmas; Old Glasshouse; Bragazzi; Made by Jonty
Winner: Old Glasshouse
Top 5 Licensed:
Forum; Eten; Showroom; Tamper: Sellers Wheel; Spoon
Winner: Tamper @ Sellers Wheel
Top 5 Traditional Pub (serving food):
Rutland Arms; Dronfield Arms; the York; the Red Deer; the Broadfield
Winner: The Broadfield
Top 5 Asian Restaurants:
Mavellis; WasabiSabi; Butler’s Balti House; Sakushi; Hui Wei
Winner: Sakushi
Top 5 Mediterranean Restaurants:
Vitos, La Mama; the Mediterranean; Vero Gusto; Nonnas
Winner: Nonnas
Top 5 Modern British Restaurants:
Silversmiths; Rafters; Milestone; Peppercorn; Wick at Both Ends
Winner: Silversmiths
Top 5 Rest of World Restaurants:
Twisted Burger Co.; La Vaca; Cubanas; Smoke BBQ; Street Food Chef
Winner: Street Food Chef
Special Recognition Awards
Event:
Awarded to: PJ Taste for Friends of the Botanical Gardens 30th Anniversary event & Showroom Cinemas for the Vegetarian Evenings
Newcomer of the year:
Awarded to: Smoke BBQ
Community Food Project:
Awarded to: Share at Parson Cross Initiative
Young Chef of the Year:
The runners-up: Rachel Raynes, Ashley Gayle.
Winner: Ailidh-Jane Carr, Cross Scythes Hotel, Totley
Bar Tender of the Year:
The runners up: Mat Tiley, Fancie; Ben Shcuulze, the York; Adam Taylor, Napoleons Ecc Rd, Marian Holenka, Wig & Pen.
Winner: Adam Clark formerly of Red Deer and now new venture Urban Quarter.
Words: James Lock.
