A DENSTONE farm shop and cafè has had its best ever results at a prestigious awards ceremony celebrating the best food and drink businesses across Staffordshire.
Denstone Hall Farm Shop and Cafè emerged victorious in the Local Food/Drink Producer of the Year Grower category at the Taste of Staffordshire Good Food Awards 2012.
Rupert and Emma Evans, who run the village business, picked up the accolade at a glittering awards ceremony in Stoke last week, as well as runner-up prizes in two other categories — Tea Room/Coffee Shop of the Year and Farm Shop of the Year.
Mr and Mrs Evans have run their busy farm shop for five years and have won a string of awards for their sausages and home-cured bacons in that time.
They have become regular faces at the Taste of Staffordshire awards, having previously picked up the best tearoom prize three years in a row.
Mr Evans said he and his wife were thrilled to receive praise for all three sides of their business, but it was the best producer victory which gave them the greatest pleasure.
He said: “The Taste of Staffordshire Awards are getting tougher all the time because local producers and food destinations have really upped the ante over the past few years.
“Everybody at the farm shop works tremendously hard to ensure that we maintain our high standards.
“We are all really into our food and we believe in being innovative but never compromising on quality.
“This is our proudest achievement so far but the nicest thing about winning is the feeling that judges who know the industry inside and out recognise and appreciate what we are doing.
“That recognition helps to make everything we do worthwhile.” Meanwhile a fellow Denstone-based business celebrated its first full year in business with a runnersup prize at the awards.
Denstone Contemporary Art Gallery and Tea Room in Alton Road and run by owners and artists Johanna Domke-Guyot and Paul Marshall, was runner up in the Visitor Attraction of the Year category.
Taste of Staffordshire represents the very best in eating and drinking establishments, food and drink retailers and producers in the county.
To receive membership, each establishment goes through a detailed accreditation process to receive the Taste of Staffordshire marque.
