The winners of the Suffolk Food and Drink Awards 2024 have been announced, and this year Joey O'Hare of Husk in Thorington has received the title of Chef of the Year, while Sunshine and Green in Cavendish has won the Field to Fork award, sponsored by Suffolk New College.
Here we discover more about the winners and finalists for these categories.
Field to Fork
Sponsored by Suffolk New College
Winner: Sunshine and Green
Sunshine and Green is a small fruit and vegetable farm in Cavendish.
The goal of the farm is to design a system for producing food that is both secure and sustainable, which in turn means that it must also enhance the countryside for the wildlife.
The farm specialises in veg boxes that are delivered to customers’ doors, and sells its produce at local farmers markets.
The judges were impressed by Sunshine and Green’s “remarkable vision of understanding between the environment, its biodiversity and its role within the process of growing food,” whilst calling the story behind the business “inspiring.”
Owner of Sunshine and Green Greg Harrison said he was “grateful” to have received the Field to Fork award.
Looking to Sunshine and Green’s future, he said: “We want to keep adding more value for our customers, adding a wider range of veg to our service and trying and improve the service in all areas.”
Finalist: A Passion for Seafood
A Passion for Seafood opened in 2020 in Hasketon, near Woodbridge, and was the realisation of Mike Warner’s passion for seafood and fishing communities.
Mike sources only seasonal British fish and shellfish, which he sells in the shop.
All the products are 100% traceable to the boat that caught them and the unique brand of ‘seafood with storytelling’ equips customers with the knowledge and tools to make informed choices when purchasing.
Finalist: Fen Farm Dairy
The happy herd of Montbéliarde cows at the third-generation Fen Farm Dairy graze the fertile marshland of the Waveney River Valley in Bungay.
The business believes in the importance of connecting people to the food they eat and the farm from which it came.
With products sold nationwide, Fen Farm Dairy is on a mission to prove that dairy farming, done right, can be part of the solution, not the problem.
Finalist: The Bildeston Crown
The Bildeston Crown is a 15th century, three AA Rosette restaurant, hotel and bar.
A former coaching inn set in the thriving village of Bildeston, the 12-bedroom hotel’s estate-to-plate concept uses produce grown in the kitchen gardens at Nedging Hall, less than one mile away.
The Bildeston Crown champions its produce, from the humble beetroot that makes its chilled soup to the Red Poll beef for its Sunday roast.
Chef of the Year
Winner: Joey O'Hare – Husk
Joey is a Ballymaloe trained chef with a culinary arts degree from Westminster Kingsway College and over 15 years culinary experience in London restaurants, private homes and leading food brands.
Along with her partner Katy, she launched Husk, where they serve seasonal menus that celebrate the very best of Suffolk produce, as well as home-grown fruits and vegetables from their kitchen garden.
The judges were impressed with what Joey brings to the Suffolk table, and said, “we are very lucky to have a chef of Joey’s calibre and understanding of food systems and seasons across our county.”
They added that when Joey talks about food, she makes you “want to listen”.
On being named Chef of the Year, Joey said: “I feel incredibly grateful to the judges and excited for Husk.”
Commenting on what’s next, she added: “We are gearing up for the summer, which is always our busier season. We are growing three times more produce this year and we are so excited to be featuring more and more of our produce on our menu, and using Suffolk vegetables, fruit and more grown as close to home as possible.”
Finalist: Daniel Russell-Poole – Chefs’ Whites Restaurant
Dan’s first full-time role was at The Ritz, London, and he went on to be head chef at several establishments before he realised the next logical step would be to pass on his skills.
His role as a lecturer at Suffolk New College constantly drives him to hone his skills so that he can continue to support and nurture the next generation of chefs.
Finalist: Ethan Barker – The Bull Inn, Woodbridge
Ethan has always had a passion for cooking, leading him to pursue an apprenticeship in France.
Over his career, he has taken every opportunity to hone his skills and learn from different cultures, working in eight countries over three continents.
Now leading the kitchen at The Bull Inn, he can channel his creativity, producing delicious menus, while nurturing and guiding the team.
Finalist: Matthew Wyatt – The Fox And Goose, Fressingfield
Matthew from The Fox And Goose in Fressingfield is a passionate chef with a cooking style that creates modern and diverse flavour combinations. His menus are exciting but appealing to an array of palates.
He enjoys challenging himself and leading his team to be enthusiastic and driven to achieve consistent results.
Matthew believes in a positive, happy and disciplined attitude, always aiming for customer satisfaction while making himself a better chef and leader.
To find out more about all the winners, please click here.
For more information on the Suffolk Food and Drink Awards, please visit suffolkfada.co.uk
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