THE finalists battling it out for a coveted Flavours of Herriot Country Award 2018 have been unveiled.

The awards have grown from strength to strength over the last seven years and recognise the best in food producers, creators and suppliers across the Hambleton and Richmondshire districts.

This year has seen a record-breaking number of entries and Darlington and Stockton Times readers are being called on to vote for their favourite to win the Reader's Choice Award, which will be presented at the Awards event.

Chair of the Awards, Irene Myers, said: "We finally reached the closing date for The Flavours of Herriot Country Awards, at midnight, on Friday, August 31.

"And what a record-breaking abundance of top notch entries have arrived, ready for our Chair of Judges, Susie Brindley, and her fellow judges, to go forth to taste, test and digest, ready to make those very difficult decisions – choosing our winners.

"Last year’s Flavours of Herriot Country Awards were simply outstanding, with a record number of entries from across Richmondshire and Hambleton.

"This year that record has been well and truly broken, making us all so proud of the hard working and dedicated businesses in Herriot Country.

"We have been given so much support for The Flavours of Herriot Country Awards from so many, as well as North Yorkshire County Council, Hambleton District Council and Richmondshire District Council, which reflects on the quality and standard of all the innovative businesses that enter."

Two new categories were added to the awards this year, ‘Baked Product of the Year’ and ‘Afternoon Tea of the Year’ and organisers have also announced a great new venue for the judging of the Young Professional Chef or Catering Student of the Year Award.

The young chefs will be battling it out at the state of the art Darlington College, under the watchful eye of senior members of the Catering and Hospitality Department, including Chris York, catering instructor and head chef, who previously worked at Rockliffe Hall.

The overall judging panel will be chaired by Susie Brindley, and the awards ceremony will be compered by BBC Radio York Presenter Elly Fiorentini.

The winners will be announced at the Awards ceremony at The Garden Rooms, Tennants, Leyburn on November 30.

The event runs from 11am to 2.30pm, and tickets are available at flavoursofherriotcountryawards.com

SHORTLIST

Breakfast of the Year, sponsored by Yorkshire's True Tours

The Joiners Shop Ingleby Cross -1312

Upstairs Downstairs Thirsk -1313

Lewis & Cooper Northallerton- 1314

Wensleydale Heifer West Witton -1315

The Terrace Café Northallerton -1316

Tea Room of the Year, sponsored by the Garden Rooms, Tennants, Leyburn

The North End Café Bedale - 1317

White Rose Book Café Thirsk- 1318

Mill Race Teashop Aysgarth- 1319

Roots Farmshop East Rounton- 1320

Middlemoor Farm Café Hudswell- 1321

Local Product of the Year, sponsored by Shepherds Purse Cheeses

Yorkshire Dales Distillery Colburn, Richmond- 1322

The Donut Box Catterick Garrison- 1323

Wensleydale Creamery Hawes- 1324

Masons Yorkshire Gin Ltd Bedale- 1325

Brymor Ice Cream Masham- 1326

Specialist Retailer of the Year, sponsored by Bronte Liqueur

Roots Farmshop East Rounton- 1327

Minskip Farmshop Boroughbridge- 1328

Frydayz Fish Bar Catterick Garrison- 1329

Rounton Coffee East Rounton- 1330

Lewis & Cooper Northallerton- 1331

Afternoon Tea of the Year, sponsored by Mad Hatter Tea Company

Simonstone Hall Hawes- 1332

Jervaulx Abbey Tearoom Ripon- 1333

The Joiners Shop Ingleby Cross- 1334

Upstairs Downstairs Thirsk- 1335

The Terrace Café Northallerton- 1336

Pub Food of the Year, sponsored by Hambleton District Council

The Bay Tree Stillington- 1337

White Swan Ampleforth- 1338

The George & Dragon Hudswell- 1339

The Oak Tree Inn Helperby- 1340

The Bull Inn West Tanfield- 1341

Restaurant of the Year, sponsored by Yorebridge House Hotel

The Fairfax Arms Gilling East- 1342

Cleveland Tontine Staddlebridge- 1343

Chapters Hotel Stokesley- 1344

The Wensleydale Heifer West Witton- 1345

The Bruce Arms West Tanfield- 1346

Baked Product of the Year, sponsored by Hambleton Ales

Coppice Café Aysgarth- 1347

Jervaulx Abbey Tearoom Ripon- 1348

Farmhouse Fruit Cakes Richmond- 1349

Mill Race Teashop Aysgarth- 1350

Café/Restaurant of the Year at a Visitor Attraction, sponsored by Richmondshire District Council

Jervaulx Abbey Tea Room Ripon- 1351

Black Sheep Brewery Masham- 1352

Wensleydale Creamery Hawes- 1353

Coppice Café Aysgarth- 1354

Customer Service Team of the Year, sponsored by Grand Central Rail

Simonstone Hall Hawes- 1355

Kings Head Hotel Richmond- 1356

Stage 1 Cycles Hawes- 1357

The Buck Inn Thornton Watless- 1358

Locally Produced Beer of the Year, sponsored by Barker Partnership

Pennine Brewing Company Bedale- 1359

BAD Co Brewing & Distillery Dishforth- 1360

Black Sheep Brewery Masham- 1361

Wensleydale Brewery Leyburn- 1362

Young Professional Chef or Catering Student of the Year, sponsored by North Yorkshire County Council

Joseph Walsh (The Wensleydale Heifer) - 1363

Callum Bowes (Cleveland Tontine)- 1364

Jack Baldwin (The Bruce Arms)- 1365

To vote for your favourite:

By Phone: Call 0901360 adding the four digits next to the finalist of your choice. For example if it was finalist 0380 you would like to vote for simply dial 09013600380.

By Text: Send your text to 80360 starting with HERRIOT leave a space, followed by the four digits next to the finalist of your choice.

Calls cost £1.02 per minute plus your phone company's access charge. Texts cost £1.00 plus your normal operator text charge. Telephone and text lines open 13/09/2018 and close 16/11/2018 at 23:59:59PM. Call 0207 998 0549 for help and advice on phone and mobile services. By entering this competition you agree to Newsquest and its employees processing your personal data to the extent required to administer the competition. This includes the drawing of winners and any subsequent contact. Newsquest will not share your personal data so acquired with any third parties.