A tiny beachside seafood hut is one of the winners of the BBC Food and Farming Awards which were announced at a ceremony hosted in Wales for the first time. The BBC Food & Farming Awards were launched in 2000, to mark the 20th anniversary of Radio 4’s The Food Programme. The mission statement then - which remains true to this day - was “to honour those who have done most to promote the cause of good food”.
At the awards ceremony, which took place at the National Museum in Cardiff, beachside food hut, The Celtic Cabin scooped the award for Best Streetfood/Takeaway, facing hot competition from Kent-based The Snack Shack and London's Pabellon.
The Celtic Cabin is owned by Suzy Simpson and Paul Thomson and can be found on the front at Barmouth, Gwynedd, where they serve wraps, mackeral fritters, pulled pork, cakes, coffees and loads more. Their popularity is evident as they secured a place on the Food & Farming Awards through nominations from regulars and customers.
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The pair met in the Outer Hebrides and travelled around New Zealand where they got their inspiration for the fresh, local and simply-cooked fare served at the cabin which only has three-induction hobs as it's so tiny - you can read all about the couple's story in our big interview with them from this summer.
When the winner of their category was announced, Paul and Suzy were equally as delighted as they were shocked, Suzy said, “It means the world, seriously. When you are trying to do something you love and that means so much to yourself... and you stick to your guns, to be recognised for that? Its pretty special."
Hosted by presenters including BBC Radio Wales’ Wynne Evans, they were joined by judges including Sheila Dillon (Presenter of The Food Programme), Asma Khan, (Restaurateur), Adam Henson (Countryfile presenter and farmer), Matt Allwright (The One Show/Watchdog presenter) and nominees from several categories.
Other winners from the 2022 Awards were:
BBC Cymru Wales Food Hero Award
- Mrs Mair Bowen, Kilgetty nominated for her voluntary work for over 15 years preparing meals for the residents of Kilgetty and the wider area to coincide with events in the community.
She said: “This is a special privilege and an honour. Thank you to whoever thought to nominate me. I’m pretty sure there are others who have helped far more than I have, but thank you so much!”
Best Food Producer
- Tablehurst Farm
A social enterprise founded in the mid-1990s. The farm produces meat, poultry, vegetables, raw milk and arable crops to biodynamic and organic standards.
Tablehurst spokesperson Peter Brown said, “We are just absolutely thrilled and honoured. We have been farming for many years with these ideals and trying to work with nature and produce the very very best food, and it’s very thrilling when its recognised. We’re just very happy about it.”
Best Drinks Producer
- Summerdown (Hampshire)
Summerdown produce tea from Black Mitcham peppermint they have been growing for almost three decades, all from a family farm in the Hampshire countryside.
Joe Coleman from Sommerdown said, “It means the world being recognised for doing something that everyone else thought was daft, and being here 30 years on and creating a award-winning drink company.”
Best Shop or Market
- Locavore (central Scotland)
A social enterprise working across central Scotland to help build a more sustainable local food system by providing local, organic grocery shops and veg box deliveries, using food from their land, local growers and ethical producers.
Food Innovation
- TastEd
A charity bringing sensory food education to the UK. They provide free lesson plans and training for teachers to deliver a playful, evidence-based approach to food education.
The Farming Today Farming for the Future Award
- Jake Freestone, Overbury Farms
Jake is the Farm Manger at Overbury Farms where they have been using a regenerative farming system since 2013 using no till, cover crops and livestock tor reduce artificial fertiliser use.
BBC World Service Global Youth Champion
- Samuel Ikua. Samuel trains urban farmers in food production. He works with a network of urban farmers in Nairobi’s informal settlements; training them in food production in the limited spaces available in informal settlements. The initiative focuses on women, men and young farmers, including farmers with disabilities. Samuel believes urban food production also serves as an income opportunity for people in poorer areas
Derek Cooper Outstanding Achievement Award
- Tim Spector – known for his journalistic work and as a science writer- he’s an epidemiologist who studies the microbiome, linking what we eat to our health. During Covid, he led the Zoe study to help us understand the way Covid and other diseases affect us.
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