Search is on for tasty Ross eateries
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ROSS-SHIRE eateries championing exceptional quality in food and drink are being invited to stake a claim to a prestigious prize.
Organisers of this year’s Highlands and Islands Food and Drink Awards (HIFDA) are on the lookout for eateries which offer something really special for customers.
The Best Other Eatery award has been specially created in addition to the Restaurant of the Year to include eateries around the Highlands and Islands which deserve to be recognised for the quality of their produce and service, but not against establishments who class themselves solely as a “restaurant”.
The unique award is designed to identify the delis that dish up delicious cuisine, the tearooms that turn out the most tempting of sweetmeats, the local cafes whose coffee is first class, the garden centres that produce blooming good cakes, the top notch takeaways and the bistro that’s better than the rest.
Supported by Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE), these are now regarded as the region’s most prestigious food and drink awards, recognising industry players at the top of their game.
Quintin Stevens of the Highlands and Islands Food and Drink Forum explained: “We’ve introduced several new awards this year to cater for and appeal to the wealth of outstanding innovation and effort we know is helping to shape the future of the industry.
“In this case we’ve introduced two separate eating out awards – one for the Restaurant of the Year and another for Best Other Eatery. This is to ensure that however large or small an establishment – whether a café at a garden centre or visitor centre or a deli with seats — there is a category they can enter without being up against well-established Michelin or AA star restaurants.
“We know that locals in the north will travel miles for a great bowl of soup, amazing baking or a first class takeaway. And we want this type of establishment to step out from behind the shadows and let us recognise their unique and important contribution to the Highlands and Islands food and drink industry.”
Judges will be looking for establishments which can demonstrate the most innovative and consistent use of Highlands and islands suppliers, great produce, outstanding service levels, value for money, return custom and a pleasant environment.
Entries for this year’s Highlands and Islands Food and Drink Awards close on Friday, June 15 and further information on award categories and how to enter can be found at www.hifoodanddrinkawards.com.
Shortlisted finalists will be announced in September. The awards dinner and ceremony to honour the winners will take place at the Drumossie Hotel in Inverness on Friday, October 19. Tickets are £70 and can be purchased online.
