Voting open for the 2017 Great British Cheese Awards

The Great British Cheese Awards has returned for the second year, following on from last year's successful launch.

This year has seen an increase in number of entries and has attracted new micro-dairies and retailers as well as producers brands.

Votes can can be cast at www.greatbritishcheeseawards.com, until 12 August which will help determine the shortlist of cheese producers and retailers.

The award categories include:

• Best Speciality Cheese Retailer
• Best Artisan Cheese Producer
• Best Hard Cheese
• Best Blue Cheese
• Best Soft Cheese
• Best New Cheese Producer (selected by judges)

Once the vote closes, the overall category winners will be judged by a panel which include:

Brian Turner - Chef restaurateur and president of the Royal Academy of Culinary Arts
Chantelle Nicholson â€" Group operations director, Marcus Wareing Restaurants & head chef at Tredwells by Marcus Wareing
Galton Blackiston â€" Chef-patron, Morston Hall
Adam Woodyatt â€" Actor and food blogger
Patrick McGuigan â€" Food journalist and cheese writer
Regula Ysewijh â€" Food writer, photographer & Great Taste Awards judge
Paul Thomas â€" Dairy technologist
Katherine Alano â€" Digital Editor of The Caterer

The winners of the The Great British Cheese Awards will be announced at a prestigious awards ceremony in London on 11 October 2017.

The Great British Cheese Awards is organised by Great British Chefs and Peter’s Yard.

www.greatbritishcheeseawards.com