Has your favourite restaurant, pub, cafe, chef or producer made it onto the shortlist?
Our expert judges and sponsors have been out across Suffolk over the past few weeks meeting shortlisted businesses, producers and chefs as they whittled down entries for the 2020 Eat Suffolk Food and Drink Awards.
Judging has involved live cook-offs for chefs and young chefs, unannounced tastings, and in-depth discussions, which have led to four finalists being selected for each of our categories.
It is our pleasure today to announce these finalists, who are invited to attend our glittering, prestigious awards ceremony at The Apex in Bury St Edmunds on Monday, April 27, where the winners will be announced in front of an audience of more than 250 guests.
These awards are a huge celebration of the thriving food and drink industry in our county, and their purpose is to shine a light on the people who work tirelessly, with passion and conviction to produce some of the finest ingredients, products, and plates of food in the region.
Without further ado...here are your finalists.
Young Chef of the Year, Sponsored by Bidfood
Harvey Thompson, Tuddenham Mill
Sam Austin, The Swan at Lavenham
Scott Morton-Tomkins, The Northgate
Thomas Rayson, The Northgate
Chef of the Year, Sponsored by Fisher & Woods
Greig Young, The Northgate
Sam Sturman, The Brewers at Rattlesden
Swann Auffray, The Great House Restaurant & Hotel
Thomas Coleman, The Swan at Lavenham
Best Independent Food and Drink Retailer, Sponsored by East of England Co-op
BMC Cakery, Ipswich
Hopsters, Ipswich
Maximus Fishery, Saxmundham
Two Magpies Bakery, Darsham
Restaurant of the Year, Sponsored by Caribbean Blinds
Maison Bleue, Bury St Edmunds
The Leaping Hare, Stanton
The Turks Head, Hasketon
The Unruly Pig, Bromeswell
Pub of the Year, Sponsored by G + G Gallo Enterprises
The Greyhound and TwentyOne, Wickhambrook
The King's Head/Low House, Laxfield
The One Bull, Bury St Edmunds
The Sorrel Horse, Shottisham
Best Newcomer, Sponsored by The KBB Centre
FOLK Café, Bury St Edmunds
The Brewers at Rattlesden
The Neathouse, Dennington
Hank's Deli & Shop, Ipswich
Pride of Suffolk, Sponsored by Marketplace amp
Heart of Suffolk Distillery, Bacton
James White Drinks, Ipswich
Lane Farm Country Foods/Suffolk Salami, Brundish
Wooster's Bakery, Bardwell
Field to Fork, Sponsored by Ashtons Legal
Suffolk Sweet Tomatoes, Sterling Suffolk, Ipswich
The Tiny Tipple Company, Lowestoft
Truly Traceable Venison & Game Pies, Halesworth
The Wild Meat Company, Blaxhall
Best Tea/Coffee Shop, Sponsored by Castlemeadow Care
Applaud Coffee, Ipswich
Cortado Espresso Bar, Newmarket
G&T Café and Kitchen, Yoxford
Painters Café, Sudbury
Outstanding Front of House, Sponsored by Prosper Recruitment
Coach & Horses, Melton
The Kings Arms, Haughley
The Turks Head, Hasketon
The Unruly Pig, Bromeswell
Best Afternoon Tea, Sponsored by The Suffolk Shutter Company
G&T Café and Kitchen, Yoxford
Marlows Home & Garden - Kitchen Café, Bury St Edmunds
Painters Café, Sudbury
The Neathouse, Dennington
Suffolk Food and Drink Hero, Sponsored by Cory Brothers Shipping Agency
To be announced on the night.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here