London food heroes invited to enter the Urban Food Awards

London Food Link and The Mayor of London’s Food Team are on a mission to find the best of the fantastic food and drink being grown and made by the capital’s finest small, independent producers.

Small enterprises that produce utterly brilliant food or drink in London boroughs have only until 29 June to enter their wares in the following six categories.

• Londoners’ Loaf: the upper crust of the capital’s Real Bread
• Heavenly Honey: golden drops from London’s hidden hives of activity
• Best Banger: a sublime sossie that simply sizzles
• The Big Smoke’s Big Cheese: greater than the rest
• Beautiful Brew: the ale to hail as nonpareil
• London Leaves: hoopiest herbs and sassiest salads

As well as great tasting food, producers will be asked to demonstrate clear commitment to sustainable food practices, including sourcing, employment and food waste policies.

Rosie Boycott, who advises the Mayor on food issues and is Chair of both the London Food Board and the awards’ judging panel, said:

“I am thrilled that this year’s Urban Food Awards will give Londoners a chance to vote for, and learn about, some of the most wonderful food and drink to be found in any city anywhere, all being produced, grown and manufactured right here in London. The Awards will also recognise the people and places working hard to make London such an exciting place to be for food in 2015.”

The Urban Food Awards are also open to enterprises, organisations and individuals leading the way to a better food future.  Entries are invited from:

• New Shoots Food Guru: A person showing passion and brilliance in passing on cooking or food growing skills to children and other young people
• Food Hero: The cook, campaigner, retailer, whatever, who is leading the way towards better food for London
• Capital Growth’s Growing Enterprise: A community food garden becoming more self-sufficient with a scheme that shows money can grow on trees
• London Markets Initiative Krys Zasada Memorial Award: This year’s best activity to ensure one or more London markets will survive and thrive

Finalists will be chosen by a public vote in July to choose the finalists. Winners will then be decided by a panel of expert judges and announced at The Urban Food Feast on 24 September during Urban Food Fortnight.

Find full details and the entry form at: www.sustainweb.org/londonfoodlink/guidelines/  

***ENDS***

Media contact: For more information about the Urban Food Awards, please contact Chris Young at London Food Link: chris@sustainweb.org  or 0203 5596 777
www.londonfoodlink.org
#urbanfoodawards

NOTES

Other tasty urban food events for London this year include:

• Urban Food Fortnight (11 – 27 September): Register your hyper-local food menu/feast/event NOW at urbanfoodfortnight.org
• Get Ready for Urban Food Fortnight (11 June): Workshop and cocktail evening for growers, producers, retailers, cooks and other London food entrepreneurs and community groups to plan their events.
• Get Connected for Urban Food Fortnight (15 July): Tasting and networking evening for London growers, food producers and eateries to make contacts for hyper-local feasts and menus  
• Food enterprise micro-grants from London Food Link’s Capital Growth team

The London Food Board is an advisory group of independent food policy organisations and experts, set up to oversee the implementation of The Mayor of London’s Food Strategy: Healthy and Sustainable Food for London, (aka the London Food Strategy) published in 2006, and to lead the debate on sustainable food issues in the Capital.

London Food Link is part of the charity Sustain: the alliance for better food and farming. LFL’s supporter network welcomes everyone who grows, makes, cooks, sells or simply enjoys good food. Current LFL initiatives include the Capital Growth  - London’s food growing network, The London Food Poverty Project, The Good Food For London report, Urban Food Fortnight, and Sustainable Fish City.  The Jellied Eel is its quarterly magazine for good food. 

The Urban Food Awards began in 2014, when more than 80 enterprises entered and more than 2400 Londoners voted to help crown the capital’s best, good food small enterprises.

The winners were:

• Best Eatery: Stepney City Farm Café
• Best Educator: Made in Hackney
• Best Producer: OrganicLea Community Growers   
• Best retailer: Brockley & Wapping Markets
• The People's Choice Award: Skylight Café

Other awards presented on the night:

• Capital Growth Enterprise Award: Growing Kultur
• Capital Growth Enterprising School Garden: Nightingale Primary School, Hackney
• Good Food For London Best Borough: London Borough of Islington
• London Markets Initiative Krys Zasada Memorial Award: Kingston Ancient Market