Two Sutherland winners at Food and Drink Awards
Sutherland is to the fore in the prestigious Highlands and Islands Food and Drink Awards for 2011, which were announced on Friday night, claiming two of the ten categories.
The Awards recognise the best use of local food and drink, healthier food and drink, good environmental practice, innovation, businesses working in collaboration with each other, as well as new products and new businesses.
Lucy Midgley-Smith of the Crannag Bistro, Bonar Bridge, was joint Young Ambassador of the Year, along with Ian McWilliams of Keltic Seafare.
Considering both to have excelled in their contribution to the industry to date, the judges agreed a joint award would reward both for their superb efforts.
Lucy has worked in the family business, since the age of 13, in production, marketing and hospitality. Whether selling chilli sauces at exhibitions or ensuring a wonderful dining experience at the Crannag Bistro, her enthusiasm for good food is infectious.
She holds an SVQ in Professional Cookery and is currently studying Dietetics, aiming for a foodie future in hospitality or health education.
Lucy currently wants to promote Highland produce to a nationwide audience on "Come Dine With Me".
The Healthier Food and Drink Award went to Michelle Bowley and David Herbert of Saladworx, Mill Farm, Dornoch.
As well as growing, harvesting and distributing their unique multi award-winning salad into food service and retail, they have developed a range of Scottish dressings to be the perfect partner for their salad, "Dress Me Up!".
Saladworx dressings follow the same ethics as their salad: additive-free, hand-made on the farm, using only the finest Scottish ingredients and their own herbs and flowers. There are six tasty new flavours to choose from.
The Awards Ceremony, in Inverness, was hosted by BBC Scotland presenter, Catriona Shearer. The glittering ceremony, attended by over 200 people, had a dinner menu featuring Highland products, giving guests first-hand experience of the excellent fare from the area.
Environment Minister Stewart Stevenson, who addressed the audience, said: "The food and drink sector in the Highland and Islands area makes a significant contribution to the industry and Scottish economy as a whole, contributing around £1 billion per year.
"The importance of this sector to the government is acknowledged through our national food and drink policy, in our new economic strategy and the spending review, with the budget for food and drink being doubled at a time of hard choices.
"Scotland has a rich and plentiful food and drink larder and these awards help to boost its reputation as a Land of Food and Drink."
