Biddenden Ice Cider, THE PIG at Bridge Place, and Woodchurch Wine Estate win prestigious Taste of Kent Awards

Held on Thursday 15^th June at The Gulbenkian, University of Kent, the award evening celebrates food and drink excellence across the county.

Biddenden Ice Cider took home the TOKA 2023 Cider of the Year Award, with the judges commenting on the ciders lovely golden and clear colour, alongside its rich honey and intense flavour. They were impressed with its texture and found the sweetness ‘incredible’.

Woodchurch Wine Estate won the TOKA 2023 Wine of the Year Award for its Woodchurch Classic Brut 2017. The judges liked its winning balance of Gooseberry and biscuit flavour, which was enticing and pleasant.

Four special awards were given on the night including:

Free-From Product of the Year
Free-From Business of the Year
Sustainable Food & Drink Business Award
Community of the Year

The Special free-from product of the year was won by Docker Bakery for its Spiced Apple Cruffin with Miso Caramel and Candied Walnut. Nigel Barden, food and drink broadcaster and TOKA chair of judges said. “The challenge of creating vegan pastry products is not to be underestimated - especially one that requires lamination! To bring together the varied elements in this bake and to win the sweet bakery category while still being vegan makes it a winner of this special award.”

Whilst the Special Award for Community of the Year went to Fudge Kitchen. Established over 40 years ago it continues to innovate and focus on core values of Product, People and Planet. In 2022 they became employee owned, putting the future of the business in the hands of the people that work there. Charitable fundraising is at the heart of their business and they introduced paid volunteering days for every member of staff to give a slice of their time to support local causes that matter to them.

Floortje Hoette from Produced in Kent who run the awards explains “It’s been another phenomenal year for the Taste of Kent Awards, and I congratulate all of the finalists and winners, they were all extremely impressive. It’s also fantastic to have launched the very first Taste of Kent Awards Food and Drink Festival which enabled the public to sample the very best of Kent’s produce first-hand.”

The inaugural Taste of Kent Awards Food and Drink Festival was held before the awards ceremony on Thursday 15^th June, and is a brand-new event for 2023, devised to showcase the county’s fabulous tradition of excellence in food and drink.

The Taste of Kent Awards (TOKA) is now in its 18^th year and celebrates the tastiest food and drink of Kent. The awards shine a spotlight on the regions excellence in producing fine quality British produce.

The awards are made possible because of the generous support of TOKA’s sponsors. Southeastern, The University of Kent, Kent County Council, Brachers, Canterbury BID, Crowe UK, EKC Group, Jestic Foodservice Solutions, NFU Mutual Ashford Tenterden & Whitfield, Oxbury, Primed, Port of Dover, Shepherd Neame, the University of Greenwich, Social Enterprise Kent, Southern Co-op and Visit Kent.

For more information and the full list of winners please go to https://tasteofkentawards.co.uk

Full list of winners

Savoury Pantry

Eve’s Temptation Apple and Fig Chutney. The Wooden Spoon Preserving Company, Wye.

Sweet Pantry

Gourmet Granola. Pebble Beach Bakery, New Romney.

Savoury Bakery

Gilda Country Sourdough. Gilda Bakery, Canterbury.

Sweet Bakery

Spiced Apple Cruffin with Miso Caramel & Candied Walnut. Docker Bakery, Hythe.

Confectionary

The Spring Collection box. The Chocolate Pig, Birchington.