For the second year, we're very pleased to be involved in the judging of the Young British Foodies Awards, and were especially glad to be hosting this year's judging session. If you're unfamiliar with The YBFs, now is a good time to do some research and get on board; it's a fantastic annual award, celebrating and promoting the people behind some of the most delicious, artisanal and crafted food and drinks in the UK.
In their own words, Young British Foodies are...
...the people putting food and drink back at the heart of our communities. They're the men and women using lost arts and new skills to bring craft back to the kitchen. Perhaps more importantly, they're the people who've come to represent the best of British innovation and entrepreneurship in a struggling economy.
Whether they're using an airing cupboard as a smokehouse, or putting their own twist on butchery techniques that are centuries old - together they are defining a new culture of food in Britain. The YBFs Foundation is here to shine a spotlight on this grassroots talent (in the annual awards) and provide a springboard to success with world class mentoring and commercial opportunities.
This year saw even tougher competition on the coffee category, leaving my fellow judges -- Marco Arrigo (the man behind Illy in the UK) and Maxwell Colonna-Dashwood (owner of Colonna & Smalls, and last year's winner) -- with a difficult task; interviewing each finalist and deciding on a winner.
Presenting this year were David Freeman (Freemans, Edinburgh), Gideon Botha (Blankbox Coffee), Hoi Chi Ng & Mattias Suchert (Coming Soon), and Lee Harte (Giddy Up Coffee). Winners will be announced at the awards ceremony evening, held at Tanner & Co on September 10th.
Follow @theYBFs on Twitter for more information, and updates on other categories.
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