Stray Kitchen is our column all about food written by renowned local produce expert, food writer and chef, Stephanie Moon. Stephanie is a champion of food produced in the UK and particularly in Yorkshire and the Harrogate district. 

The food awards season is in full swing, and awards are a way to celebrate success, get over those failures we all face in business, and demonstrate some strength. In fact, Garbutt and Elliot have an award titled “Yorkshire Grit” and I think it sums this up perfectly.

To see the value of an award, you only need to look on the shelf and the jar of honey with a 'great taste' sticker on it and it's probably going to be the one you choose. The businesses that win get a well done pat on the back, increase their profile, and often get extra sales.

As a chef who has “been around the block a bit,” I have helped out judging quite a few awards over the years, including Harrogate Chef of the Year, Deliciouslyorkshire, Garbutt and Elliott, The Olivers, Welcome to Yorkshire's White Rose Awards, Great Taste awards for the Guild of Fine Food, Yorkshire Life food & drink awards, York's young chef of the year, and the Craft Guild of Chefs' national young chef of the year.

But this year one thing stands out like a shining beacon- just how many food businesses have given so much to so many in their community over the lockdown and covid year.

In Harrogate alone, establishments like the Fat Badger were cooking for NHS staff, and chefs like young Ben Wright from Rudding Park cooked at Harrogate Hospital. Companies like Harrogate Tipple diversified into a village shop and made hand sanitiser and food banks stretched themselves even further. On top of this so many individuals cooked for neighbours and used food to bring people together without actually getting together.

As we know, some chefs have egos the size of a house. But in reality, most are quite humble about this stuff, revealing little and helping lots. I like to think I fall into this second category and not the first!  So when looking at the entries for various awards and seeing so many businesses donating to food banks and going out of their way to cook for homeless people or neighbours, these acts of kindness have actually made me feel quite teary..

I have always lived my life with the attitude "you reap what you sow" - and I think this year, there will be plenty of growing for many businesses and individuals out there. And I'm looking forward to dusting off my best outfit and celebrating everything that's great about my beloved catering industry at some of the above awards this year.

Steph x

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