by Simon Vernon
FOOD & DRINK
The largest food awards in the world are from Gillingham The wait is over for the producers who entered the ‘Oscars’ of the food industry, the Great Taste Awards; they finally know if they have been awarded one or more of the coveted stars. Back in April the judging No, one, two or three stars? process started with over The judging process is simple 12,000 products blind tested, but rigorous and fair. The judged to be one, two, or products are blind-tasted three star or no stars. The (to reduce recognition) three * products were then by members of the food judged at a later session to industry, for instance, find the overall Champion. producers, buyers, and The Great Taste Awards were journalists, initially each set up by Bob Farrand of The item is assessed by a table of Guild of Fine three or four Food, based with positive “The products in Gillingham, awarded stars will be comments to Dorset, in 1994 passed around other feedback to along with the producer, tables of judges to get The World a grading is a balanced view” Cheese Awards. then applied of The baton no, one, two or has now passed to his son, three stars. John Farrand, with Bob still The products awarded stars assisting, and are now the will be passed around other largest food awards in the tables of judges to get a world with all categories of balanced view from a greater food and drink assessed. number of palettes, this The Great Taste Awards judging in 2021
Writer and baker Martha Collison was a Greeat Taste Awards judge in 2021
increases the fairness of the system. The golden fork The three-star products are assessed again to select the regional winners, “The Golden Forks” and the Supreme Champion. This entire process takes four months with the results announced during the latter half of September each year. The awards have become the premier indicator of quality - a product having one of the GTA star labels on the packaging is a sure sign that it will be worth trying.
by Simon Vernon, Food Consultant & Great Taste Awards Judge 74
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