Local Food Hero


Local Food Hero is a competition to find, celebrate and award Britain's best independent food businesses - those who champions local produce with a strong connection to their community. In 2009, the competition was hosted by the television programme Market Kitchen, on the channel Good Food. Businesses from 10 regions in the UK were nominated and voted for by the public on the Good Food Channel website. After voting ended, the 10 businesses from each region with the most votes were assessed by a selection panel. The panel shortlisted three businesses from each region.
Presenters Matt Tebbutt and Matthew Fort visited the shortlisted businesses for a feature on Market Kitchen. A panel of expert judges then chose one winner from each the 10 regions, all of whom appeared as guests on Market Kitchen. The overall national winner for 2009 was who received a trophy and £5000.
In previous years, celebrity chefs Gary Rhodes, Ollie Rowe and Rosemary Shrager presented and judged the competition as a stand-alone show.

Changes

The first season would have a celebrity "regional scout" visit eight businesses in their locality, who they would talk to and sample their produce. The scout would then choose their favourite three who would then go on to the regional finals, where the three chefs and judges would pick their first second and third placed contestant, the winner of the regional heat would then be chosen by combining the judge's and public votes.
The second season saw a slight change where five finalists are chosen to go on the regional finals.

Series 1 (2006)

Regional finalists and winner

The following are the three regional finalists for 2006:

East Anglia

regional scout was Danny Boome.
  • The Letheringsett Watermill
  • Samphire
  • Rainbow Café
  • Byfords Café & Deli
  • DJ Barnard Meats
  • Alder Carr Farm
  • The Galley Restaurant
  • The Lavender House

    London

regional scout was celebrity chef, Aldo Zilli
  • Lighthouse Bakery
  • Kelly's Organic Foods
  • Crumpet
  • The Easton
  • Hope & Greenwood
  • The Ginger Pig
  • Duke of Cambridge
  • Mortimer and Bennett

    Midlands

The regional scout for the was Terri Dwyer.
The regional scout for the was Brian Turner.
  • Northumbrian Quality Meats
  • Ryebury of Helmsley
  • The Whitby Catch
  • Helmsley Walled Garden
  • Langthorne's Buffalo Produce
  • Carroll's Heritage Potatoes
  • The Comfort Food Company
  • Greens of Whitby

    North West

stepped up as regional scout for the .
was the regional scout for the area.
  • Yellow Door Deli
  • O’Doherty Butchers
  • Helen Bay Organics
  • The Bay Tree
  • The Duke Restaurant
  • Cloughbane Farm
  • Tully Meadows Luxury Jersey Ice Cream
  • Pretty Mary's

    Scotland

The scout for was Kaye Adams.
  • Original Smokies from Arbroath
  • Ferry Fish
  • Heart Buchanon Café
  • The Store
  • Farm House Kitchen
  • The Water Tower
  • McPhies Bakery
  • Fletcher Fine Foods

    South East

scouted the region.
chose the eight finalists from the .
  • Roswell Fruit and Veg
  • Country Cheeses
  • Montgomery Cheese
  • Combe House Hotel and Restaurant
  • The Dartmoor Inn
  • Jekka's Herb Farm
  • Riverford Organic Vegetables Limited
  • Quartier Vert

    Wales

The scout for the was Angela Gray.
  • Organic Zone
  • Pilgrim's Tea Rooms
  • The Harbour Master
  • The Treehouse
  • Castell Deudraeth Bar and Grill
  • The Barn at Brynich
  • Xtreme Organix
  • Frantastic Crepes

    Overall Winner

The overall winner for Local Food Hero 2006 was the

Series 2 (2007)

The overall winner for Local Food Hero 2007 was the Daisy's Farm Fresh Milk

Series 3 (2008)

The overall winner Local Food Hero 2008 was Richard Ord from Colman's Fish and Chip Shop in South Shields.

''Market Kitchen'' (2009)

The overall winner Local Food Hero 2009 was The Dinner Ladies, school caterers from Wilmslow in Cheshire.