Food Readers Awards winners revealed

Nathan Outlaw fought off strong competition to take the title of Best Chef at the 2014 food Readers Awards.

Two Michelin-starred Nathan beat fellow finalists Simon Hulstone of The Elephant, Torquay, and Martyn Compton of Tanners Restaurant, Plymouth and was named as the winner during a gala dinner at Yeo Valley’s HQ in Somerset.

Nathan said: “I’ve been cooking in Cornwall and the West Country for a long time now and it’s so good to be recognised by the public; the people who eat in our restaurants. It’s all down to the produce and what’s in the natural larder around us that lets me cook the way I do, and of course I’d be nothing without the team who work with me.

“There’s a lot of chefs who have far busier restaurants on the awards list, we’re only small, so it means a lot.”

Around 8,000 foodies from across the South West and beyond voted across 13 different culinary categories and Riverford Field Kitchen had a triple celebration taking the Best Restaurant honour ahead of last year’s winner Ben’s Cornish Kitchen and Paul Ainsworth at No6 in Padstow and also the Best Farm Shop award.

The third gong shortly followed with Riverford winning the hotly-contested Local Food Hero category with Guy Watson claiming the title, pipping Michael Caines MBE and Nathan Outlaw.

Rachel Lovell of Riverford said: “It was a lovely warm atmosphere at the event and winning these awards is testament to the passion of our customers about what we do and their belief in the food of the West Country.

“Riverford is a family business which has built up over 25 years and at its heart is Guy’s honesty and passion about growing food. It’s great to hear that this passion is shared by food readers.”

Michael Caines did take an award with his Michelin-starred Gidleigh Park named Best Hotel ahead of St. Moritz in Cornwall and The Two Bridges on Dartmoor.

Food magazine editor Jo Rees, said: “If there’s one thing these awards prove, it’s how the South West is clearly leading the way in the UK food and dining outside of London, for both quality and a sense of regional identity.

“The very best businesses have been involved in these awards and to be a finalist is no mean feat. To have won is outstanding, particularly when you look at the competition that each of the businesses was up against.”

Other winners on the night were: Best Café – Picnic, Falmouth, Best Pub – Sharp’s Doom bar, Best Foodie Product – Choccie Bar chocolates, Best Independent Retailer – The Cornish Food Box Company, Truro, Best Blogger – The Hedge Combers, Best Cookery School – River Cottage Cookery School, Axminster and Best Wine List – Fifteen Cornwall, Watergate Bay.