ENTRIES are now open for the prestigious 2023 Food Drink Devon Awards, following on from the hugely successful awards’ celebration last autumn.

The ‘gold standard industry accolades’ celebrate the very best Devon has to offer, recognising the county’s most respected, influential and passionate artisan food and drink producers and establishments.

Entries close on Monday, April 17, with applications welcome from both Food Drink Devon members and non-members.

Categories for the 2023 esteemed awards include the Producer Awards with the Food Product of the Year, Drink Product of the Year and Best New Product of the Year all guaranteed to be fiercely contested.

The Retail Awards include categories for Best Retailer and Best Online Retailer, while the sought-after Hospitality Awards cover Chef of the Year, Best Fine Dining Restaurant, Best Restaurant, Best Pub, Best Café and Best Takeaway or Street Food as well as the hugely popular Sustainability Pioneer Award.

Every entrant will have the chance to win a silver, gold or platinum award.

Platinum awards represent a perfect score of 100 per cent, gold awards recognise scores of 90-99 per cent and silver 85-89 per cent.

Food Drink Devon chairman Greg Parsons said: ‘Our annual awards have gone from strength to strength over the past 11 years with their success a testament to the region’s passion for creating outstanding food and drink.

‘Devon boasts a great deal of dynamic and innovative producers and purveyors and hosting the Food Drink Devon Awards gives us the opportunity to recognise their success and contributions to the vibrant food and drink industry.

‘Year after year, we continue to be impressed by the breadth and standard of entries we receive.’

He added: ‘We’re thrilled for the awards to once again be supported by our platinum sponsor, Partners&. With offices across Devon, Partners& is an insurance advisory business with specialist knowledge in the food and beverage industry.

‘We’re extremely pleased to have them on board and look forward to working closely with them again.’

Lee Davey, managing partner at Partners& said: ‘For a second year running, we’re delighted to be sponsoring the Food Drink Devon Awards.

‘Partners& strives to be the best insurance advisory business in the UK and food and beverage is a key speciality area for us, so supporting these prestigious awards fits really well with our ethos.’

Last year saw the Food Drink Devon Awards receive the highest number of entries to date, with a sell-out black tie awards ceremony attended by more than 330 guests.

Judging for the awards is carried out by a panel of independent and unbiased experts including a number of celebrated names from the region.

All results and winners are verified by an independent adjudicator, with entrants receiving the opportunity to benefit from invaluable product feedback provided by the panel.

Food Drink Devon is committed to increasing the county’s profile, both nationally and internationally and represents a membership of Devon’s leading food and drink producers, retailers, hospitality venues and related businesses dedicated to serving up the best produce from the county.

With a focus on quality, sustainability and provenance, Food Drink Devon’s aim is to support and promote their members and raise Devon’s culinary profile as a whole.

Look out for their green heart logo which is carried by over 350 producers and businesses across Devon.

To enter the awards visit www.fooddrinkdevon.co.uk/awards/ or email [email protected]