Whitco are proud to sponsor the Restaurant category of the Carlsberg UK Northamptonshire Food and Drink Awards, a competition which celebrates all that is great about local produce and drink.

Whitco CEO, Jeff Whitaker is delighted with the association with the awards. “This is our sixth year of supporting this great local initiative, the brainchild of Rachel Mallows and her team.  We have helped to transform what many saw as just an old boot and shoe county into one that is now successfully recognised for food and drink.”

Hardeep Singh Koli with Vita Whittaker presenting the 2015 Restaurant of the Year Award to the Tap & Kitchen.

The awards celebrate everything in the county that is connected to food and drink, big and small manufacturers, retailers such as butchers, bakers and delis, and brings together businesses that are very different, entrepreneurial and multicultural. All of these backgrounds come together with passion and create a celebration of being one of the best and most successful in what they do. Each year we see young and established chefs, as well as local heroes, win prizes for their individual skills. This combined success has created more jobs and wealth and in return has attracted more local and international funding.“

Vita Whitaker adds: “Last year we saw a local restaurant, The Tap & Kitchen, Oundle win. And now we await the   winner of this year’s restaurant award from the listed finalists.” The winner will be announced by Vita on November 3 at the Awards Gala Dinner. The award will be presented by no other than Michel Roux Senior.  Watch this spot!

Good Luck to the Restaurant of the Year finalists. They are (in alphabetical order):

• Brasserie 23 at The Kings Head, Spratton
• Bread and Pullet, Northampton
• Kettering Park Hotel, Kettering
• Olive, Corby
• The Cedar Restaurant at Fawsley Hall, Fawsley
• The Palmichael, Burton Latimer