Devon’s Food and Drink Stars Shine at the 2025 Food Drink Devon Awards

Devon’s vibrant food and drink scene took centre stage on Monday 6th October as the 14th annual Food Drink Devon Awards shone a spotlight on the county’s finest. From award-winning producers and passionate hospitality businesses to specialist retailers, 470 guests gathered at Sandy Park, home of the Exeter Chiefs, to celebrate the very best of Devon’s thriving culinary community.

During the evening, Craig Beacham, Head Chef at Sandy Park Conference Centre (Exeter), was awarded the coveted title of ‘Chef of the Year’ in recognition of his achievements in providing consistently high quality, delicious local food for events at Sandy Park including the past three Food Drink Devon Award ceremonies. 

Celebrating sustainability, Food Drink Devon’s ‘Sustainability Pioneer Award’ shines a light on businesses going that extra mile in their endeavours to be environmentally friendly.  Frobishers (Exeter) claimed the award with judges commenting on them as ‘a prime example of how business can be a force for good and clearly so committed to actions over words’.

Competition was fierce in the ‘Taste of Devon Product Awards’ with a staggering 350 product entries. The ‘Food Product of the Year’ accolade went to Good Game Charcuterie (Topsham) for their Devon Ruby Beef Bresaola with ‘New Food Product of the Year’ being awarded to Chunk of Devon (Ottery St Mary) for their Butter Chicken Curry Pasty. TORS Distillery (Okehampton) fought off stiff competition to claim ‘Drink Product of the Year’ for their Vodka, while Sandford Orchards (Crediton) took home the title of ‘New Drink Product of the Year’ for their Red Zero.  Celebrating the very best wine the county produces, ‘Devon Wine of the Year’ was won by Huxbear Vineyard (Chudleigh) for their Blanc de Blancs 2021.

From the 350 product entries, all of which were blind-tasted by independent judges, some really impressed achieving a faultless score of 100% and a ‘Platinum’ award.  Deserving producers and their products were Barbers Bean to Bar for their Single Origin Peruvian Wholebean Cocoa Tea, Bays Brewery and their Pure Gold, Bell & Loxton’s Cold Pressed Rapeseed Oil, Crab Shed Salcombe for their 100% Hand Picked White Crab Meat, Devon Microgreens’ The Flower Power Mix, Devon Rum Co for their Black Spiced Rum, Frenchbeer Farm’s Organic Free Range Turkey and Georgie Porgie Puddings’ Classic Christmas.

Other ‘Platinum’ winners included, Gotland Gin for their Cloudberry ‘Farmers Strength’, Granny Gothards’ Miso Caramel Ice Cream, Greendale Farm Shop’s Ribeye Steak, Hattiers Rum for their Egremont Premium Reserve Rum and Eminence Blended Aged White Rum, Langage Farm’s Clotted Cream Vanilla Ice Cream and Devonshire Clotted Cream, Sharpham Dairy’s Brie, Rushmore and Washbourne, South Devon Teas’Dartmoor Caravan Organic Black Tea Blend, Stokehouse Farm Dairy for their Whole Milk, Stone’s Honey for their Devon Runny Honey and Devon Soft Set, The Dartmoor Ice Cream Co’s Tiramisu Ice Cream,Truly Treats’ Carrot Traycake, Utopian Brewing’s Bohemian Lager and Yield Bakery for their Almond Slice and Bread Pudding.

Commenting on the awards, Greg Parsons, Chair of Food Drink Devon, said: "The awards celebrate the exceptional talent, passion and dedication that define our region’s vibrant food and drink community. They are more than accolades, they are a testament to the innovation, sustainability and craftsmanship that make Devon a beacon of excellence in the culinary world. I am forever excited and inspired by Devon's world class larder and hospitality businesses, and the spirit and strength of its food and drink community fills me with pride.”

The highly prestigious ‘Best Fine Dining Restaurant’award was presented to Mill End Hotel (Chagford), commenting on the restaurant, judges said the food was ‘well considered, well balanced and excellently  presented’.  The ‘Best Hotel Restaurant’ award went to Dartmoor’s exceptional Two Bridges Hotel for the second year in a row, with judges describing a ‘truly special and memorable experience’. Crab Shed Salcombe, won ‘Best Restaurant’ with judges describing it as ‘genuinely exceptional’.  The Chagford Inn (Chagford) was the proud winner of the ‘Best Pub’category with the judge describing ‘a very special meal in an informal and cheerful setting’.  Arcadia by Utopian(Exeter) took home the inaugural ‘Best Bar’ award with a judge commenting how they ‘can’t wait to return’.

Alder Vineyard (Lewdown) took home the accolade for ‘Best Café’, judges described it as an ‘exceptional lunch spot with faultless service’. Ground Up Cookery School(Chudleigh) took home the ‘Best Training School’ with the teacher’s ‘passion’ described as ‘infectious’. The Duck @ Yeoford, (Crediton) was the successful winner of ‘Best Takeaway’, with judges particularly commending their food which was ‘vibrant, incredible and overall delicious’.

New for 2025, the People's Choice Award, Hospitality Venue of the Year, which was voted for by the public went to The Cottage Hotel (Hope Cove) with voters comments including ‘exceptional service, lovely staff, delicious, freshly prepared and locally sourced food and a brilliant family run business’.

In the ‘Retail Awards’ ‘Best Retailer’ went to The Heavi Deli (Exeter), described as ‘a friendly, well stocked deli with local and sustainable produce at its very core’.  Devon Hampers (Lifton) triumphed in the ‘Best Online Retailer’ category for the second year, with judges impressed by the ‘shopping experience and easy ordering process’.

Judging for the awards was carried out by a panel of independent and unbiased experts.  All results and winners were verified by an independent adjudicator, with entrants receiving the opportunity to benefit from invaluable product feedback provided by the panel.

The award ceremony’s menu was created and overseen by Craig Beacham head chef at Sandy Park with guest chefs, Luke Heaver from The Salutation Inn and Richard Hunt, chef and hospitality consultant. They all transformed the best raw ingredients into a delicious banquet.  The menu featured fabulous local seasonal produce from Food Drink Devon members with board director, Jack Pickering working closely with chef Craig and West Country Food Service, Forest Fungi, Devon Microgreens, Ben’s Farm Shop, Hunt’s Cider, Truly Treats, Langage Farm, Sharpham Dairy, Curworthy Cheese, Ticklemore Cheese, Stone Tree Dairy, Barbers Bean to Bar and Granny Gothards, to bring the menu together.

Drinks enjoyed on the night were generously provided by members including Bays Brewery, Frobishers, Sandford Orchards, TORS Distillery, Lily Farm Vineyard, Pebblebed Vineyard and Owens Coffee.  

Nurturing the next generation of culinary talent, students from the Michael Caines Academy at Exeter College designed, created and served the welcome drink canapes as well as served the meal throughout the evening.  

A special thank you goes to sponsors of the awards, Platinum sponsors Empire Services and Beacon Compliance,  Gold sponsors Bays Brewery, West Country Food Service, DCW Polymers, BDF Fresh Produce, Silver sponsors Caterfood and Stephens Scown and Print sponsors inkREADible Labels and Hedgerow Print.

Founded 30 years ago as South Hams Food and Drink Association, Food Drink Devon is committed to increasing the county’s profile, both nationally and internationally and represents a membership of Devon's leading food and drink producers, retailers, hospitality venues and related businesses dedicated to serving up the best produce from the county. With a focus on quality, sustainability and provenance, Food Drink Devon’s aim is to support and promote their members and raise Devon’s culinary profile as a whole.

Commenting on the 30th anniversary of Food Drink Devon, Mark Sharman, founder of the original South Hams Food and Drink Association, said: “South Hams Food and Drink Association was producer lead and driven but with such a small geographic area we knew we had to have the support of shops, cafes, hotels, restaurants farm shops, in fact anyone who was committed to local food for local people.  These close working relationships were key and was something the regional food groups were not yet facilitating at that time.  I’m pleased that Food Drink Devon is still successful ploughing that furrow.” 

For more information on Food Drink Devon, visit fooddrinkdevon.co.uk and follow @FoodDrinkDevon on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.   A full list of all the winners can be found atwww.fooddrinkdevon.co.uk/awards.