The Taste of Kent Awards 2022 are Open for Voting!

Have you found a restaurant you’d like to rave about? Or a favourite tipple that needs toasting…. Then get voting in the Taste of Kent Awards 2022, now open to public voting. Produced in Kent’s flagship event recognises the best in food and drink that Kent has to offer. Voting is open to the public from 10^th January to 28^th February. Finalists will then be announced mid-March and the winners will be crowned in a glitzy awards ceremony at the Kent Event Centre on the 12^th May. The annual Taste of Kent magazine, celebrating all 2022 winners and finalists will come out on the day of the ceremony and be distributed across retail and hospitality venues in Kent and Medway.

Now in its 17^th year, the TOKA awards is an event dedicated to showcasing the tastiest that Kent has to offer and the hard-working businesses behind it. Open to any food and drink business located in Kent, the awards have been running for nearly two decades – making them the longest running, and most prestigious food & drink awards in the South East. Sporting a fresh new look, the TOKA awards formally recognise all the hard work, dedication and professionalism of the local outstanding food and drink businesses.

Voting has never been easier:

1. Visit the newly revamped tasteofkentawards.co.uk website on your mobile phone, laptop or tablet
2. Click the category you’d like to vote in and cast your vote
3. If you can’t see the name of the business you’d like to vote for, simply add them in and vote

This year sees three exciting NEW awards added to the self-nomination line-up, to support new Kent businesses; New Kent Food & Drink Product and Kent Start Up Food & Drink Business and to recognise the Kent farming community Kent Farmer of the Year.

Southeastern is delighted to be a head sponsor in this year’s awards. Nikki Causer, Head of Marketing says “We’re extremely proud to be a sponsor of this year’s Taste of Kent Awards to celebrate the range of incredible products the region has to offer. Our passengers travel to Kent to explore the beautiful Garden of England and we’re proud to help them discover the fantastic variety of independent, local businesses across the county.”

The 2022 awards are also receiving fantastic support from sponsors AC Goatham & Son, Barretts, BTF Partnership, Crowe UK, Defined Wine, Furley Page, Gullands, NFU Mutual Ashford, Tenterden & Whitfield, Macknade, Shepherd Neame, South East Farmer Magazine, Inside Kent, Southern Co-op and Thomas Snell & Passmore.

Voting is now open to the public until the end of February. Floortje Hoette, Chief Executive of Produced in Kent comments “This is a fantastic opportunity to show appreciation to our very hard-working food and drink producers, retailers, restaurants, pubs, cafes and bistros in the county. It has been a tough year, particularly for those in hospitality, but the resilience and innovation shown by these businesses has demonstrated what an innovative food and drink sector we have here in Kent.”

This year’s categories open for public voting, are as follows:

Kent Ambient Product of the Year, sponsored by Crowe UK

A product using ingredients which have been predominantly grown and/or produced in Kent, produced at a business based in Kent.

Kent Bakery or Confectionery Product of the Year, sponsored by A C Goatham & Son

A bakery or confectionery product, produced at a business based in Kent including ingredients grown in Kent.

Kent Beer of the year, sponsored by NFU Mutual Ashford, Tenterden & Ashford

Beer produced predominantly from hops grown in Kent at a brewery based in Kent.

Kent Café of the Year, sponsored by Thomson Snell & Passmore

A cafe, coffee shop or tea room that is actively using Kent sourced produce where and when seasonally available.

Kent Cider of the Year, sponsored by A C Goatham & Son

Cider or Perry made from apples or pears predominantly grown in Kent at a business based in Kent.

Kent Dairy Product of the Year, sponsored by BTF Partnership

A dairy product produced in Kent made predominantly from Kent ingredients.

Kent Dining Pub of the Year, sponsored by Thomson Snell & Passmore
A pub or bistro that is actively using Kent produce in its food & drink menu where and when seasonally available.

Kent Food Retailer of the Year, sponsored by Barretts of Kent

The local, independent retailer must sell a wide range of Kent produce/products. They will be required to provide details of the suppliers and product range for judging.

Kent Non-alcoholic Drink of the Year, sponsored by Barretts of Kent

A non-alcoholic drink produced by a business based in Kent. including ingredients grown in Kent or ingredients that have undergone a value-added process in Kent.

Kent Prepared Food of the Year, sponsored by Macknade

A Prepared food or snack made predominantly from produce and/or ingredients grown or produced in Kent, produced at a business based in Kent

Kent Restaurant of the Year, sponsored by Thomson Snell & Passmore
A restaurant that is actively using Kent produce where and when seasonally available.

Kent Spirit of the Year, sponsored by Gullands Solicitors

A spirit produced at a business based in Kent including ingredients grown in Kent.

Kent Wine of the Year, sponsored by Furley Page and NFU Mutual Ashford, Tenterden & Ashford

Wine produced by a Kent based winery / vineyard from grapes grown in Kent, Sussex, Essex or Surrey.

The self-nominated award categories (not open for public voting) this year are:

Kent Food or Drink Business of the Year, sponsored by Southern Co-Op

Kent Diversification Award, sponsored by Gullands Solicitors

Kent Sustainable Food & Drink Award, sponsored by Shepherd Neame

Kent Farmer of the Year, sponsored by BTF Partnership

Kent Start Up Food & Drink Business of the Year, sponsored by Furley Page

New Kent Food & Drink Product of the Year, sponsored by Southern Co-Op

Kent Community Award, sponsored by Crowe UK

Any business in the county who matches the criteria for these awards can enter by downloading & completing the application forms on the website.