The readers have nominated, the judges have deliberated and now we can reveal the finalists for the 2024 Cheshire Life Food and Drink Awards. This prestigious celebration shines a light on the best of the county’s hospitality industry, honouring the chefs, producers and venues ensuring our region is a place to find fabulous food and drink.
We have created these accolades to recognise exceptional individuals and businesses across the magazine's circulation area; they are a mark of how highly each recipient is valued and a symbol of their outstanding contribution to the region and its dining scene.
Cheshire Life toasts its hospitality heroes on Monday, July 22. The event will be hosted by author, journalist and Cheshire Life columnist Suzan Holder, with the top team at Carden Park serving dinner with wine and a pre-dinner reception with Carden English Estate sparkling wine.
Editor Joanne Goodwin says: ‘The food and drink industry in Cheshire Life's circulation area is, deservedly, earning an increasingly glowing reputation reaching far beyond the boundaries of Cheshire, North Wales and Manchester. This year's shortlist is an outstanding cross-section of the many, varied businesses making the region a destination for excellent places to eat, drink, and buy the very best produce. It will be a night to remember when we honour the best of the best.'
![Cheshire Life editor, Joanne Goodwin.]()
Cheshire Life editor, Joanne Goodwin.
The menu
Starter
Roulade of brill and Chalk Stream trout with heirloom tomatoes, green tomato sauce and a lobster tartlet
Main
Roast medallion of beef with braised cheek, Roscoff onion, smoked broccoli, pomme amandine and a pickled shallot jus
Vegetarian starter
(available on pre-order)
Salad of heirloom tomatoes, pea and feta tartlet and a paprika tuille
Vegetarian main
Beetroot gnocchi, Romanesco cauliflower, smoked broccoli and a hazelnut and preserved wild garlic pesto
Dessert
White chocolate and raspberry mousse, sorrel sorbet and a lemon verbena cream
Come and join us
We will honour the chefs, producers and venues behind Cheshire’s growing reputation as a place to find fabulous food and drink at a spectacular night of eating, meeting, making friends and celebrating on Monday, July 22, at Carden Park Hotel, Spa and Golf Resort.
Tickets, which cost £75, are available at https://store.newsquest.co.uk/cheshire-life-food-drink-awards-2024-tickets. Email catherine.thompson@nqyne.co.uk with dietary requirements.
2024 Cheshire Life Food & Drink Awards: the finalists
CHEF OF THE YEAR
Sponsored by Touched Interiors
Liam McKay, Chef’s Table, Chester
Josh Robbins, The White Horse, Churton
Vasileios Kourtidis, St Martha Greek Taverna, Nantwich
YOUNG CHEF OF THE YEAR
Giorgia Torello, Chef's Table, Chester
Dominic Bramwell-Rowe, Pecks Restaurant, Moreton, near Congleton
Logan Austwick, Ring O'Bells, Weaverham
CHESHIRE RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR
Sponsored by H G Stephensons
Linden Stores, Knutsford
Groobarbs, High Legh
The Clink, HMP Styal
CITY RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR
Sponsored by Beyond Corporate
Artezzan, Chester
Chef’s Table, Chester
Arkle Restaurant, Chester
NORTH WALES RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR
The Jackdaw, Conwy
Pale Hall, Bala
Portmeirion Hotel Restaurant, Portmeirion
DINING PUB OF THE YEAR
Sponsored by Ecolab
Antrobus Arms, Northwich
Cholmondeley Arms, Cholmondeley
The Bear's Paw, Sandbach
TEAROOM OR CAFÉ OF THE YEAR
Lynda's Tea Rooms, Saughall
Ginger and Pickles, Nantwich
The Naughty Badger, Chester
FOOD RETAILER OF THE YEAR
Sponsored by Morning Foods
Longmans Farm Shop, Nantwich
Pastry Pedaleur, Chester
The Real Fruit Creamery, Knutsford
NEW OPENING OF THE YEAR
Twenty Eight, Chester
Savages Mussels, Macclesfield
Celeste, Holmes Chapel
FOOD HERO OF THE YEAR
Richard Sharples, Elite Bistros
Mary McLaughlin and Tim Bird, owners of Cheshire Cat Pubs and Bars
Jenny Thompson MBE and Nick Thompson MBE, owners of Market Operations, who run The Picturedrome, Macclesfield, Mackie Mayor, Manchester, Altrincham Market and The Nag's Head, Haughton
FOOD PRODUCER OF THE YEAR
Snoutwood Trotters, Warrington
Jan Dobbs, Growing@Field 28, Daresbury
Benona Chocolates, Bramhall
DRINK PRODUCER OF THE YEAR
Tea from the Manor, Holmes Chapel
Forest Distillery, Macclesfield
Three Wrens Gin, Combermere
What winning would mean
Josh Robbins, The White Horse
‘It has been an honour to be nominated for such an award. From achieving best new opening at the Cheshire Life Food and Drink Awards last year, then being up for Chef of the Year now is amazing. I feel the Guest Chef Series we have at the pub has put us on the culinary map and can show what an Elite Bistros pub is all about.’
Antrobus Arms
‘Our post-pandemic recovery has taken a lot of hard work, emotional energy and resolve. We have managed to maintain a core to our front-of-house team and add some excellent experience to our kitchen team who, combined are the heartbeat of a family-run destination dining pub. We have taken time to get our foundations right and now we are starting to add to what we do with successful monthly tasting menus, excellent Sunday lunches and wine and local brewers beer tasting events.
‘We are so proud to be finalists, and hope very much that we can take that success further and achieve the high accolade of winning the Cheshire Life Dining Pub of the Year 2024.’
The Real Fruit Creamery
‘We’re thrilled with what our small, family-run business has achieved this year. With our 10th-year celebrations this summer, we’ve got even more exciting plans in the pipeline and can’t wait to see what the year ahead brings.’
Savages Mussels
‘To be nominated as New Opening means everything to us, it has always been a dream of mine to establish Savages Mussels as an exciting, sustainable and welcoming restaurant and we’ve done just that. We’ve developed from pop-ups to now a thriving seafood restaurant with a niche and unique dining experience.
We hope this is the first of many wins for us as the ideas and culinary inspiration keep flowing.’
Giorgia Torella
‘Giorgia’s resilience, talent, and passion make her a deserving candidate for this award, and we are immensely proud of both her achievements and her very bright future.’
Thank you to our sponsors
![Touched Interiors]()
Touched Interiors
Touched Interiors
Touched Interiors is renowned for creating the finest luxury interiors across the globe while delivering exceptional customer service.
Founder and design director Kunal Trehan says that by sponsoring the Cheshire Life Food & Drink Awards, Touched Interiors not only demonstrates its commitment to the region but also recognises the synergy between exquisite interiors and exceptional gastronomy. Both share a common thread of craftsmanship, attention to detail, and a pursuit of perfection.
26 Blackfriars Street, Manchester M3 5JS
touchedinteriors.co.uk
H.G. Stephensons
H.G. Stephensons has been a family-run business for more than 150 years. Based in Stockport, Stephensons provides the best in catering and hospitality essentials such as food packaging, crockery, glassware, cleaning supplies and professional clothing. With customers all over the UK, the business offers quality products at great value, award-winning customer service and decades of expertise.
Kennerley Works, 161 Buxton Road, Heaviley, Stockport SK2 6EQ
stephensons.com
Beyond Corporate
Beyond Corporate’s food and drink lawyers provide expert advice on manufacture, supply chain, distribution, regulatory matters, food safety, labelling, brand protection, and international trade. They understand the dynamics of the sector and add genuine commercial value to their clients in the food and beverage industry, across the UK and beyond.
Bass Warehouse, 4 Castle Street, Manchester M3 4LZ.
www.beyondlawgroup.co.uk
Morning Foods
The Mornflake story started in Swettenham with William Lea in 1675, when Mother Nature provided power to turn a millstone. Mighty Oats are still milled by the Lea family using the positive power of nature. As Morning Foods approaches its 350th year, the Crewe-based global business continues its focus on providing fantastic quality cereal and being the benchmark for breakfasts.
North Western Mills, Crewe CW2 6HP.
mornflake.com
Ecolab
From hotels, restaurants and entertainment venues to healthcare and long-term facilities, to buildings and facilities, Ecolab constantly strives to create and develop innovative solutions to protect what’s vital – where people eat, sleep, work, play and heal – providing personalised staff training that empowers customers to focus on what matters most – their business thriving. ecolab.com
