2020 Dorset Magazine Food, Drink & Farming Award winners

Dorset Magazine editor Helen Stiles, donned her mask, grabbed her sanitizer and delivered the awards to this year’s winners

Great British Life: Lloyd Brown and David Smith of DarkBear in Bridport Lloyd Brown and David Smith of DarkBear in Bridport (Image: Archant)

DORSET FOOD, DRINK & FARMING HERO: TOM AMERY

Sponsored by Dorset Food & Drink who are also the Dorset Magazine Food, Drink & Farming Awards headline sponsor

Tom Amery has been around the Dorset food scene for a while, heading up The Wasabi Company - one of the first farms outside Japan to grow wasabi and winner of multiple Great Taste Awards - and the award-winning Brace of Butchers in Poundbury. He is also the MD of The Watercress Company, the UK’s leading watercress grower, and he has taken this locally grown product into some of Dorset’s NHS hospitals setting up fridges with grab bags of free watercress for staff. He is now working with the NHS to get this superfood onto the menu of hospitals, hospices and care facilities.

“He is an impressive individual who really cares about his county and he is passionate about the health benefits of watercress. Tom is a Dorset trailblazer for all the right reasons,” said Helen Stiles, Dorset magazine editor.

Great British Life: Eric Tavernier of Les Enfant Terribles in Weymouth Eric Tavernier of Les Enfant Terribles in Weymouth (Image: Archant)

BEST LOCAL FOOD/ DRINK DELIVERY EXPERIENCE

Winner: DarkBear Bridport

Highly Commended: Seabeats Weymouth and The Dorset Food Co

Great British Life: Rebecca Hansford of Furleigh Estate who won the collaboration award with Bothen Hill Rebecca Hansford of Furleigh Estate who won the collaboration award with Bothen Hill (Image: Archant)

CHEF OF THE YEAR

Sponsored by WhitePepper Chef Academy & Cookery School

Winner: Eric Tavernier, Les Enfants Terribles Highly Commended: Jan Bretschneider, Restaurant Roots and Brett Sutton, The White Post

Great British Life: Jamie and Clare Pimbley of The Half Moon at Melplash Jamie and Clare Pimbley of The Half Moon at Melplash (Image: Archant)

BUSINESS COLLABORATION AWARD

Winner: Furleigh Estate & Bothen Hill Bacchus & Asparagus

Highly Commended: Allen Valley Milk & Pamphill Dairy and Mercato Italiano Bridport Basket

Great British Life: Anthony Cassar of Fruit N Two Veg in Beaminster Anthony Cassar of Fruit N Two Veg in Beaminster (Image: Archant)

BEST DINING EXPERIENCE TO GO

Winner: The Half Moon

Highly Commended:Brassica and Truly’s of Westbourne

Great British Life: Jurassic Coast Farm Shop team: Mark Vaughan, James and Eric Sealey based at Winfrith Newburgh Jurassic Coast Farm Shop team: Mark Vaughan, James and Eric Sealey based at Winfrith Newburgh (Image: Archant)

BEST FOOD & DRINK RETAILER Sponsored by NFU Mutual Wessex

Winner:Fruit n Two Veg Highly Commended:Framptons /Le Petit Prince

Great British Life: Mandy and Peter Morgan of The Book & Bucket Cheese Company in Cranborne Mandy and Peter Morgan of The Book & Bucket Cheese Company in Cranborne (Image: Archant)