Have you seen our brand new cookbook? Now in its seventh year, A Taste of the West Country pairs award-winning chefs and producers from the Taste of the West Awards to create this locally-inspired recipe book. Copies are now available to purchase for just £12.99 plus P&P (RRP £17.99). If you are a hospitality and/or retail establishment looking to stock and sell the book, please contact us for wholesale prices.
Send an email to [email protected].

Activate your badge for Speciality & Fine Food Fair 2023 - the UK's leading showcase of artisanal food & drink.
Speciality & Fine Food Fair will be returning once again to Olympia London from 11 - 12 September 2023. This is your invitation to join us to meet 100s of incredible producers, learn about the latest trends from our hand-picked experts and discover everything new in our industry. So, what are you waiting for? Register for your complimentary pass today - you don't want to miss this one!

We are excited to announce that this year's awards ceremony will be taking place during the evening on Monday 6 November at Sandy Park in Exeter in a fresh new format.
 
We'll start the evening with a networking event for around 400 guests, with canapes and the opportunity to sample a selection of award-winning food & drink. We’ll then proceed to reveal the champion winners of each product class and the very best hospitality and retail establishments across the South West with the help of BBC journalist and presenter Victoria Graham. It promises to be a lively, interactive event with lots of great food, drink, conversation and company.

Tickets are priced at £62 plus VAT (£59 plus VAT for groups of 10+).

There is accommodation on site with reduced rates for our guests, should you wish to arrange to stay over and make a night of it!

As always, tickets to our annual awards ceremony will be strictly limited. To reserve yours, please contact Caroline: [email protected] or call the Taste of the West team on 01404 822012.

Tracklements has launched a new range of 150ml hot sauces to help spice up everyday meals at home, featuring natural and gluten-free ingredients and different levels of heat to suit every taste.

• Tracklements Rocket Hot Sauce – this vegan-friendly sauce combines Bird’s Eye and Scotch Bonnet chillies for a fiery kick. It’s perfect for adding some zing to burgers, tacos, pizzas, falafels and fajitas.
• Tracklements Sriracha Chilli Sauce – this sauce is made with whole fresno chillies that are chopped and fermented on site, following a traditional recipe. A splash of fish sauce gives it a tangy and intense flavour.
• Tracklements Smokin’ Chipotle Sauce – this sauce blends red chillies, Chipotle chillies and Scotch Bonnet chillies for a sweet, smoky and spicy taste. It’s ideal for summer barbecues and grilling.

Tracklements is the UK’s leading artisan producer of mustards, chutneys, relishes and sauces. The company was founded in 1970 by William Tullberg, who made the first British wholegrain mustard. His son, Guy, continues his legacy today with over 40 award-winning products that are handmade in Wiltshire using traditional recipes and locally sourced ingredients whenever possible. The company is a patron member of Taste of the West and a proud supporter and sponsor of the Taste of the West Awards. They are also a B Corp accredited company that cares about the environment and minimises its impact by using recyclable packaging, treating its own water, and generating 100% renewable electricity from solar panels, wind and/or hydro sources. They even embrace wonky veg and avoid food waste.

The famous Two Bridges Hotel on Dartmoor has appointed a new General Manager, in time for the busy summer holiday period. New GM Thomas John already has a wealth of experience at the hotel, having held the role of Assistant Manager since 2015, and having been a key member of the team during one of the most challenging periods for the UK hospitality industry.

Warm Welcome Hotels director Sarah Howard commented: "We are delighted to welcome Tom into his new role as General Manager. It's set to be a busy summer on Dartmoor, as we welcome so many of our repeat guests who join us every year, as well as our overseas visitors, many of whom are experiencing the delights of Devon for the first time. With Tom’s wealth of experience and passion for customer service, our guests can look forward to a very warm welcome as always."

Thomas John commented: “The Two Bridges Hotel is such a special place, with so much history, character and, of course, a stunning Dartmoor setting. I am very proud to have been given the opportunity to lead our brilliant team as we continue to provide exceptional customer service for our guests – many of whom we think of as old friends, and many who are discovering the beauty of Dartmoor for the first time. The new management team and I are incredibly excited to get started and are looking forward to delivering the best experiences to each guest that we welcome.”

The Two Bridges Hotel is independently owned, along with sister businesses The Bedford Hotel in Tavistock, and Dartmoor Brewery in Princetown – home of the famous Jail Ale.

Taste of the West member Bays Brewery in Paignton has teamed up with Torbay Coast & Countryside Trust (TCCT) to pay homage to Torbay’s most designated heritage site with its charity brew called ‘Beery Head’.
Available in bottles, cask and beer boxes from 10 July 2023, this gorgeous golden ale is made using a blend of modern British-grown Olicana® hops, with 5% of all proceeds going to the conservation charity.

Providing a true taste of the British coast with hops sourced sustainably from UK shores, Beery Head is one of four new ales being served up by the big-hearted team at Bays Brewery in 2023.
As well as Torbay Coast & Countryside Trust, the Paignton-based brewery is supporting a number of other top Devon charities this year through its limited-edition ‘charity brews’ concept.
Director of Bays Brewery, Peter Salmon, said: “Being a local, family-run brewery, we’re always looking at how we can give something back to our community and Beery Head is a great way to say ‘cheers’ to a local landmark we love.
“We’re thrilled to be working with Torbay Coast & Countryside Trust – a local conservation charity that looks after some of the beautiful spaces we are fortunate enough to call ‘home’, with Beery Head available for sale on our online shop, as well as pubs, restaurants and shops across Devon.”
Beer lovers can quench their thirst at a Beery Head tasting event that will be held at Occombe Farm Deli shop this Summer, with the charity brew also on shop shelves from July until the end of October. 

Entries Now Open

Entries into all four categories of this year's South West Chef of the Year competition are now open.

Below you will find details of the entry criteria, as well as the compulsory ingredients for each category, along with the dates of the various stages of the competition, all of which will take place at Exeter College in Devon. You can also find out more about the competition on the website.

Entrants are requested to complete the online entry form and send in their menu, full recipes for both courses (including method) and photographs of their completed dishes. Full details of the brief and rules of entry can be found on the competition website. Entries close at midnight on Wednesday 26 July.

Professional Chef - any age and working as a sous chef/pastry chef or above (sponsored by Ritter Courivaud and Ritter Fresh)

Young Professional Chef - aged 19-24, working in any role in the kitchen up to and including junior sous chef (sponsored by Essential Cuisine)

Student/Apprentice Chef - aged 16-19 and at college or in an apprenticeship (sponsored by Nisbets)

Home Cook - aged 16+ and never having worked or trained in the catering industry

Awards - In addition to the above awards, all finalists have the chance to win one of the following awards:

• Best Menu
• Best Dish
• Best Presentation
• Best Showcase of Regional Ingredients

One of the category winners will be awarded the overall title of South West Chef of the Year 2023

Competition dates

• Entry closing date – midnight on Wednesday 26 July
• Professional and Student/Apprentice Chef semi-finals – Saturday 30 September, Exeter College
• Home Cook and Junior Chef finals – Saturday 7 October, Exeter College
• Professional and Student/Apprentice Chef finals – Tuesday 24 October, Exeter College
• Awards Presentation Dinner – Tuesday 24 October, Exeter Golf and Country Club

Taste of the West has entered into an 18-month partnership with leading South West law firm Trowers & Hamlins and leading audit, accounting, tax, and advisory firm Bishop Fleming to help raise the profile of the thriving South West food and drink sector.

Trowers & Hamlins and Bishop Fleming will act as Taste of the West's title sponsor for the next 18-months and will work alongside us on the annual Taste of the West Awards, as well as a series of in-depth conference events to support and represent the regional food and drink industry.

Sponsorship puts you and your business at the forefront of your category, ensuring that you are recognised for supporting the South West's thriving food and drink industry. Sponsorship opportunities are still available for 2023 and we can tailor a package to suit you and your business. Click here to find out more. To chat with us, please contact Caroline on 01404 822012 or email [email protected]. 

Monday, November 6th, Sandy Park, Exeter

Join us for a thrilling evening of celebration at this year's awards ceremony, scheduled for Monday, November 6th, at the iconic Sandy Park, home to the Exeter Chiefs, Rugby Premier League team. We're excited to introduce a fresh, innovative format that guarantees an unforgettable experience.

*** Tickets are now SOLD OUT ***
Follow us on Instagram @tasteofthewestflc #totwawards to find out who our champion award winners as and when each category is announced on the night. Celebrate good times, come on!