BBC Radio 4 Food & Farming Awards videos

Watch our exclusive interviews with The Food Programme's Sheila Dillon and Countryfile's Adam Henson

The Radio 4 Food and Farming awards - which Jamie Oliver once described as the Oscars of the food world - have just entered their twelfth year. Back in 2000 when the awards began, times were good, and the awards sought to celebrate the new sense of optimism and pride in British food production. Today times are a little harder, but as presenter Sheila Dillon says, the awards have this year, attracted more entries than ever.

Nation of shopkeepers 2.0

As I’ve discussed on the Food Programme before, now is perhaps the most exciting time in food production in the UK. More and more people, realising perhaps that there’s no such thing as a job for life, are thinking ‘what the hell’ and starting their own businesses. You probably won’t get rich, but at least you’ll be in charge of your own destiny.

It is this idea, about people taking control of food systems once more, that runs like a golden thread through these awards. Nearly all of the winning businesses had considered the human cost of their enterprise; jobs, dignity, and empowering both the individuals or the community around them. These awards don’t just celebrate good food, they champion good people.

From field to fork

It’s telling that these awards are the food and farming awards, because you can’t have the former without the later. Having been all round the UK I’ve met some great people who are the anthesis of the stereotypical grumpy ‘gerrn off moi land’ farmer. The best farmers say ‘come on my land, come and see what I do, come and spend some money’ but they’ll only do that if we, the consumer keep asking them. Cotswold farmer and BBC Countryfile presenter Adam Henson believes that farming in the UK has turned a corner, and is only set to grow as the population expands. What’s more it’s an industry that can - with the right development - create jobs. Watch our exclusive interview with Adam below.

The winners

Best Food Market:
Bolton Market, Ashburner Street, Bolton

Best Takeaway:
Jack And Linda Mills, The Brighton Smokehouse, Brighton

Best Food Producer:
Loch Arthur Creamery, Camphill Community, Dumfries, Scotland

Best Drinks Producer:
The Bristol Beer Factory, Bristol

Best Local Food Retailer:
The Brockweir And Hewelsfield Village Shop, Chepstow

BBC Farmer Of The Year Award:
Andrew Hughes -Trinley Estate, Andover, Hampshire

Best "Dinner Lady"/ Public Caterer:
Wayne Wright, Harper Adams University College, Shropshire

Best Retail Initiative:
The True Food Community Co-Operative Limited, Berkshire

Derek Cooper Award:
The Food For Life Partnership, Bristol

Special Judges Award:
Andrew Whitley For His Work Campaigning For "Real Bread".

BBC Food Champion Of The Year:
Hugh Fearnly-Whittingstall For Work On The Fish Fight Campaign.

You can listen to the BBC Radio 4 Food and Farming Awards on Friday 25th November at noon.

In the meantime, if you’ve been to any of the places listed above, or sampled their food, please share your experiences with us in the comments box below.

More good stuff

The best farmers' markets in Britain by Helen Best-Shaw

Where your food really comes from by Anna Marie Julyan

The best UK game suppliers by Nick Baines

Does Britain have a street food culture? by Sejal Sukhadwala