TV presenter and chef Simon Rimmer is to host the 2024 Cumbria Food Awards.
Simon, best known for Channel 4’s Sunday Brunch, will unveil the winners of the much-anticipated independent food awards which are returning to Kendal College on Thursday, March 14.
Manchester-based Simon, 60, who is a frequent visitor to Cumbria and a favourite at Westmorland County Show’s food theatre, believes that the county is a jewel in the region’s culinary crown.
“I always think that we’re dead lucky in the North West. We’ve got the most diverse agriculture in Western Europe, with Cumbria being that hotbed of quite amazing products.
“I spend a lot of time in Cumbria – I love it.”
He said that having a concentration of excellent producers and restaurateurs had raised the standards throughout the county, which now has 13 Michelin stars across 11 venues and took top prizes at the recent AA Hospitality Awards.
“If we all work to the highest denominator, rather than the lowest, it just increases the quality of the product and the quality of cooking,” he said.
Simon, who has written four books, opened his first restaurant, Greens, in West Didsbury, Manchester, in 1990 and now owns a second Greens in nearby Sale. Alongside Channel 4’s Sunday Brunch, which he presents with Tim Lovejoy, he is known for the BBC’s Something for the Weekend and Strictly Come Dancing.
He still enjoys cooking in his restaurants and is keen to meet Cumbria’s food stars: “I’m looking forward to hosting the awards big time. You get to see people who are actually working at the coalface in different areas, as opposed to reading about them – and put faces to their names.”
The Cumbria Food Awards, held in association with headline sponsor Caterite, are the county’s only awards dedicated to the hospitality industry. Free to enter and judged by an independent panel of experts, they are designed to recognise and celebrate excellence. Categories include Chef of the Year, Restaurant of the Year, Café of the Year and Food Producer of the Year.
A new award for 2024 is Service of the Year, which will shine a light on a front-of-house team member, pub landlord, maître d’ or host who demonstrates exceptional skills and provides a warm welcome.
The 2023 awards, hosted by former MasterChef winner Irini Tzortzoglou, attracted more than 1,400 entries.
Caterite has been headline sponsor of the awards since their inception in 2022.
Managing director Lorcan Byrne said: “Caterite is delighted to continue its association with Cumbria Food Awards.
“We work with hundreds of hospitality businesses and food and drink producers in the county and we understand the hard work, passion and commitment that goes into what they do.
“Cumbria Food Awards is the event when the industry comes together to recognise and reward that effort. We are proud to support both the awards and the hospitality sector.”
The awards are returning to Kendal College, one of the country’s leading providers of hospitality training.
Students at the college will cook and serve dinner for more than 150 finalists, sponsors and guests – including the cream of the county’s hospitality sector – before the winners of the 15 awards are announced.
Cumbria Food Awards media partner is the breaking news website www.cumbriacrack.co.uk and Simon Rogan is the event’s patron.
Independent northern grocer Booths is again supporting the event by supplying the ingredients for canapés to be served at the networking reception. Sponsors are: Cranstons; Enterprise Answers; Grapevine; Hawkshead Relish; Herdwick Cottages; Lamont Pridmore; More? The Artisan Bakery; Spinning Jennies and Thomson Hayton Winkley.
Cumbria Food Awards are organised by Michaela Robinson-Tate and Harry Atkinson.
Michaela said: “We are absolutely delighted that Simon Rimmer is to be our host for the 2024 awards.
“Not only is he a much-loved presenter but as a chef and restaurateur he knows how much hard work goes on behind the scenes at hospitality businesses.
“He’s exactly the right person to help our finalists and winners celebrate their success.”
Entries for the awards will open in November. See www.cumbriafoodawards.co.uk for details.
