Celebrating the best local produce
There is an abundance of food producers in and around Chesterfield and nine businesses nominated by the public last week took part in the final of the Chesterfield Food Producer of the Year for the Chesterfield Food and Drink Awards.
Check out our latest blog from Dom Stevens, Destination Chesterfield Manager.
There is a diverse range of food and drink available from suppliers and producers located within ten miles of Chesterfield. The produce available at this year’s final ranged from tea to gin, from pickles to sausages and from cakes to chocolate.
The Food Producer of the Year final allows producers to showcase their products to local businesses, as well as raising the profile of their businesses through being part of the Chesterfield Food and Drink Awards.
It is important to Destination Chesterfield to build links and be able to tell the story of these unique businesses as part of the work we do to promote Chesterfield.
It’s also a great opportunity to remind both businesses and local residents to shop local and trade local. There are plenty of opportunities to try and buy from these excellent businesses – from restaurants and bars, local markets, independent shops and directly from the producer’s premises or online.
There are lots of reasons why to support our local producers:-
- It is good for the local economy! By spending money with local producers, who employ people who live in North Derbyshire, more will go back into the local economy than spending elsewhere;
- The local produce we grow and make is part of the town’s distinctiveness and an important part of what visitors want to experience when they are on a short break or holiday;
- These businesses help to raise the profile of the area as they grow and supply goods further afield;
- Reducing the amount of food miles in your purchases will have a positive impact on the environment;
- Most importantly it tastes amazing!
We will be announcing the three finalists of the Chesterfield Food Producer of the Year soon, but you can find out all about the businesses that took part in the judging below; please do go and try them out.
All Things Brownie Beautiful
From exceptionally rich dark chocolate, to farm sourced free range eggs and pan-simmered, salted caramel, All Things Brownie Beautiful is a prime example of ‘the proof is in the pudding!’ Its secret recipe brownie batter provides the base to over 30 flavours with many ingredients currently in season.
The popularity of its flavour combinations and the loyalty of its customers has allowed an increase in weekly production and sales now average at 1000 brownies per week. All Things Brownie Beautiful travels the country spreading a chocolate-y smile at food festivals, farmers markets and county shows, where the team speaks proudly about Chesterfield and their delight in living here.
Find out more and order brownies
Original Recipes Ltd
Original Recipes was founded in 2012 by Will and Alistair Sutherland – a father and son team with a real desire to introduce quality and unadulterated pâtés, terrines and potted meats into a market flooded with low-quality products.
After five successful years, Will and Alistair decided to enter the food service market – and Pro Chef was born. Since 2017, the main focus has been on producing terrine, pâté and parfait products for chefs. Pro Chef incorporates the company’s small batch, clean label, chef led ethos whilst providing chefs with peace of mind through consistent quality in each slice.
Liza Bakes
Liza Bakes creates delicious cakes, puddings, tarts and scones. The team makes premium, award-winning, authentic, artisan products using natural and where possible, locally sourced ingredients. Liza Bakes is proud to cater for customers with Gluten, Dairy, Nut or Egg intolerances as well as Vegetarian or Vegan preferences…so everyone can enjoy Liza Bakes Cakes!
Customers range from local farm shops to high street stores and coffee shops to pubs and restaurants.
Liza Bakes has won numerous ‘Great Taste’ awards over the last few years, including a prestigious 2 star award for its delicious Orange Polenta cake in 2017. It was also a finalist in the ‘British Baker’ awards ‘free from’ category last year for its Coffee and Walnut cake.
Moss Valley Fine Meats
Moss Valley Fine Meats produces pork, bacon, ham and sausages in its own butchery from pigs bred and reared on its farm in the beautiful Moss Valley. The family has farmed locally for a hundred years in farm buildings dating from the 9th, 14th and 16th centuries. It also grows around 200 acres of cereals and oilseeds, all of which go back trough the pigs.
The business is run by Karen and Stephen and their eldest son, Oliver, who works both on and off the farm.
Moss Valley Fine Meats supplies over 60% of the restaurants in the Sheffield / NE Derbyshire area.
Little Morton Farm
Little Morton Farm is a small family farm based in North Wingfield, Chesterfield, specialising in keeping pigs, pig arks and supplying chickens. Run by Tom Beckingham and his family, the main objective of Little Morton Farm is food production of the highest quality.
Cacoa Elora
A local producer working to raise the quality of the standard of chocolate, which is available to the consumer in north Derbyshire, using lower levels of sugar, sourcing cacao responsibly and raising awareness of the fine cacao which is grown and available.
The company is one of only 25 or so such producers in the UK, has received a Great Taste Award and is currently awaiting the result of the Academy of Chocolate Awards 2019.
The Crooked Pickle Co. was established in 2018 after realising that there was a distinct gap in the UK market for inventive and tasty pickled vegetables. Sure, you can find “pickles” such as chutney on every local market, but freshly-picked vegetables preserved in a pickling vinegar are hard to find. Supermarkets usually only offer the same old fare of pickled onions, gherkins and beetroot. Nothing wrong with that, but it’s been the same since 19-whenever.
Crooked Pickle is based in the shadow of Chesterfield’s famous Crooked Spire church and because all of its veg is hand-cut and not always straight, it thought there was really no better name!
Derbyshire Distillery was set up early in 2018. Its aim was simple: to produce fantastic gins, vodkas and liqueurs using the best local and international ingredients and fresh, cool Derbyshire water.
It uses a combination of traditional copper alembic stills alongside its state-of-the-art Genio Still to deliver beautifully crafted, small batch spirits.
Cup & Saucer is a small independent business, based in the heart of Derbyshire, just a stones throw away from the beautiful Peak District, which influences many of its products.
The business is passionate about good-quality tea, and provides customers with a variety of unique flavours.
