The Ambrette Restaurant in Margate has been crowned Kent Restaurant of the Year at Produced in Kent’s ‘Taste of Kent Awards 2013.’ Dozens of the county’s food and drink heroes gathered at the Mercure Great Danes Hotel in Hollingbourne on Friday 8th March 2013, as Kent continues to confirm its place as one of the culinary hot spots in the British Isles.

 

This latest award accolade for TV chef Dev Biswal’s fine Indian dining restaurant,  follow on the heels of being declared Best Restaurant in the South East by the Cobra Good Curry Guide 2012 – despite not serving curry. www.patchapman.co.uk

 

The Ambrette is also a front runner in the Good Food Guide’s Readers’ Awards.  www.thegoodfoodguide.co.uk/news/frontrunners

 

The Ambrette won over the judges with its “well balanced menu, use of local seasonal ingredients, its lovely ambience and a contemporary marriage of Indian and English food.”  The win saw The Ambrette eclipse Kent’s six Michelin-starred restaurants, including TV chef Richard Phillips’s Thackeray’s in Tunbridge Wells which was also a finalist.

 

“This corner of England is blessed with some of the best food and drink produce available anywhere in the world,” said DevBiswal,  who plans to celebrate by hosting a gourmet ‘Taste of Kent’ dinner with a tasting menu comprised of ingredients supplied by all the night’s winners.

 

 

Another category which annually creates great public interest, was won by The George Inn, in Molash which won Kent Dining Pub of the Year.

 

Other winners were Cheesemakers of Canterbury, whichswept the board with three Taste of Kent Awards including Kent Artisan Producer, Best Kent Food Product and the Dairy Class in Kent Food Product Category.

 

Kent Local Food Retailer of the Year, was picked up by former finalist Quex Barn of Birchington.

 

Little Stour Orchard in Margate picked up the Best Kent Juice Producer; with only its second harvest.  Duddas Tun, which has only been producing cider for three years from its own Pine Trees farm on the top of the North Downs near Doddington, secured  Best Kent Cider or Perry. In the Kent Farmers’ Market went to newcomer Elm Court Farmers’ Market.  Based near Hempstead, Gillingham, this new farmers’ market has been trading for less than a year. The Food Farming & Landscape Award was given to Winterdale Cheesemakers from Wrotham near Sevenoak.  The Food Product Category Awards winners were Sloe, Dine Thyme and Roundwood Orchard Pig.

 

Gadd’s No 3 from Ramsgate Brewery won Best Kent Beer for the fourth consecutive, whilst Biddenden Vineyards again picked up Best Kentish Wine for its Biddenden Ortega 2011. Sankey’s of Tunbridge Wells, was again declared Kent Fishmonger of the Year; whilst Godmersham Game won Kent Butcher or Meat Retailer of the Year for the third consecutive year.

 

Edwyn Martin, manager at Produced in Kent, said:  “These awards celebrate the very best of what our county has to offer and supports the fact that the ‘Garden of England’ is producing a rich, ripe, ethical and honest harvest with so many outstanding food and drink producers, retailers and hospitality providers in Kent.”

 

For a gallery of pictures from the evening visit: www.tasteofkentawards.co.uk

 

Menus and hi res photos available

 

Media Contact:
To review contact George Shaw at Avocado Media

T: 01892 750851  M : 07860 695555  E : geo@avocadomedia.co.uk

The Ambrette, 44 King Street, Margate Old Town, KentCT9 1QE

T: 01843 231504

E: info@theambrette.co.uk 
W: www.theambrette.co.uk