Excellence in Food and Drink Awards – the winners

The Caterer and Hotelkeeper Excellence in Food and Drink Awards, in association with 3663 First for Foodservice, celebrated the achievements of manufacturers and suppliers to the food service industry in a special awards ceremony hosted by celebrity chef-restaurateur Aldo Zilli at London's Dorchester hotel on 23 November.

The coveted Gold Award, chosen from the 17 category winners, went to Shepherd's Purse Cheeses for its Yorkshire Blue, a former Champion Blue Cheese at Nantwich International Cheese Show. Judy Bell, chief executive of Shepherd's Purse Cheeses, collected the trophy from Andy Kemp, group sales director, 3663.

Sales and marketing controller Nik Basran collected two awards on behalf of the Authentic Food Company. The great flavours, superior ingredients and homemade appearance of the company's products meant they triumphed in the Main Course category with Aromatic Thai King Prawn Curry and in the Vegetarian category with Sweet Potato, Chick Pea and Spinach Curry.

As always, the Coffee category was hotly contested but our professional coffee tasters picked First Choice Coffee's Grand Café 100% Rainforest Alliance Certified as the winner on the strength of its excellent taste, aroma and great blend of beans. The trophy was presented to managing director Elaine Higginson.

The Food & Drink Awards are in association with:

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Accompaniments and Ingredients
Winner: Steng Ingredients - Slow Roasted Tomato Tapenade
Shortlisted: Jus Rol - All Butter Shortcrust Pastry
Jus Rol - All Butter Puff Pastry
Atlantic Foods - Raspberry Viniagrette Dressing

Cheese, Dairy and Milk Products Winner: Shepherds Purse - Yorkshire Blue

Meat, Game, Poultry and Fish Winner: Southover Food Company - Cooked Smoked Back Bacon
Shortlisted: Brakes - Duck Leg Confit

**Bakery and Sandwiches **Winner: Bakehouse - Mini Croissants
Shortlisted: Freshway Foods - Prawn Mayonnaise Filling
Apetito - Premium Sausage Rolls
Cranks - Arfi Bhaji Sandwich
Bakehouse - Baguette Rustica

**Impulse Snacking and Confectionery **Winner: Tyrrell's - Mixed Rood Vegetables
Shortlisted: Tyrrell's - Summer Barbecue Chips
Brakes - Granola Bar
Mister Gorller - Smoothie Bites

Desserts and Puddings
Winner: Speciality Desserts - Caramelised Orange Torte
Shortlisted: Erlenbacher - Lemon Cheesecake
Speciality Desserts - Chocolate Fondant
Brakes - Chocolate Orange Meltdown
Vittles Foods - Pineapple Caramel Crisp Torte

Ice Creams Winner: La Maison des Sorbets - Madagascan Bourbon Vanilla Ice Cream Balls
Shortlisted: Schöller Ice Cream - Mövenpick All Natural White Chocolate Ice Cream

Soft Drinks and Juices
Winner: The Juice Doctor - Hydration Fix, Pomegranate
Shortlisted: Llanllyr - Source Spring Water

Starters and Buffet Products
Winner: Brakes - Fioruchi Slices Antipasto mono pack
Shortlisted: Authentic Food Company - Sweet Chilli Chicken Baton
Brakes - Haddock and Gruyère Cheese Pastry Bites
Pidy - Iris Flower2eat

Main Courses and Centre of Plate
Winner: Authentic Food Company - Aromatic Thai King Prawn Curry
Shortlisted: Brakes - Premier Smoked Haddock Crushed Potato and Davidstow Cheddar Tart
Authentic Food Company - Chicken Makhani

Healthy, Organic and Ethical Products
Winner: Delicious Alchemy - Wheat, Gluten and Lactose Free Ginger Mini Loaf
Shortlisted: Delicious Alchemy - Wheat/Gluten Free Rolls
Snowbird Foods - Low Fat and Low Salt Pork and Leek Sausages
Farm Frites - Natures Goodness 15mm Chips
First Choice Coffee - Grand Café 100% Rainforest Alliance Certified

Vegetarian
Winner: Authentic Food Company - Sweet Potato, Chick Pea and Spinach Curry
Shortlisted: Tilda - Primavera Risotto
Brakes - Vegetable Tagine

**Hot Beverages (Coffee) **Winner: First Choice Coffee - Grand Café 100% Rainforest Alliance Certified
Shortlisted: Cafédirect - Organic Espresso Coffee Beans
Coffeehouse - Fairtrade Espresso

Hot Beverages (Teas & Others)
Winner: Mighty Leaf - Chamomile Citrus Tea Pouches
Shortlisted: Typhoo - 250 Drawbridge Black Tea
Typhoo - Orange and Ginseng Tea

Alcoholic Drinks
Winner: PBL Wines - First Step Shiraz 2005
Shortlisted: PBL Wines - Vina Ventisquero Sauvignon Blanc Reserva 2006
InBev - Leffe Blonde
InBev - Leffe Brune

Kids' Main Meals
Winner: Pasta King - Bolognese Pasta Meal
Shortlisted: Brakes - Healthier Choices Breaded Chicken Portions
Young's - Skinless and Boneless Basa Portions

**Kids' Snacks **Winner: Brakes - Baked Jam Doughnuts
Shortlisted: Brakes - Fruit and Toasted Seeds

Kids' Drinks
Winner: Trioni - Daioni Chocolate Flavour Welsh Organic Milk Drink
Shortlisted: Abbey Well - Abbey Well Plus