The sixth Cumbria Life & Drink Awards take place tomorrow with newly announced Great British Bake Off judge Prue Leith hosting the event.

Prue will announce the winners and present the awards for 13 categories, including Hotel Restaurant of the Year, Chef of the Year and Dining Pub of the Year.

Prue, the well-known restaurateur, cookery school owner, TV presenter and writer, who is to take Mary Berry’s place on Bake Off, said she’s looking forward to hosting the event and coming back to Cumbria.

The awards take place at Kendal College with several north Cumbria names among the 54 nominees.

In the Restaurant of the Year category, popular Carlisle restaurant Davids will battle it out against Gilpin Spice at Gilpin Hotel and Lake House, Windermere; Lake Road Kitchen and Old Stamp House, both Ambleside; and Rogan and Company in Cartmel.

Run by Chris and Emily Austin, Davids was named Best Local Restaurant in the awards in 2015 and Best Restaurant in the 2016 Carlisle Living Awards, run by Cumbria Life’s sister magazine.

Bistro at the Distillery, the versatile café and restaurant at The Lakes Distillery near Bassenthwaite, is shortlisted for Best Casual Dining Restaurant, as is Foxborough, the Carlisle American-style venue. Foxborough is also a nominee in the Best Newcomer category.

The George and Dragon at Clifton near Penrith is a finalist for Dining Pub of the Year.

Café of the Year shortlisted places include The Lingholm Kitchen, part of Lingholm Estate at Portinscale near Keswick and The Yard Kitchen at Brunswick Yard in Penrith. The Lingholm Kitchen is also a contender for Best Newcomer.

There is a strong north Cumbrian showing in Food Producer of the Year, in which Bells of Lazonby, Bruce and Luke’s Coffee of Carlisle, Claire’s Handmade near Wigton and Kennedys Fine Chocolates at Orton are all in the running with Macarons by Al Strong at Kendal taking the fifth finalist’s place.

The Lakes Distillery near Bassenthwaite is one of four finalists in the Drinks Producer of the Year category, where it’s joined by Spirit of the Lakes of Keswick, makers of Bedrock Gin and Standing Stones Vodka.

Cranstons of Penrith is a finalist for Best Speciality Food Retailer and Richard Bracken, the assistant house manager and sommelier at Askham Hall, is among the nominees for Rising Star.

The Cumbria Life Readers’ Award nominees include The Yard Kitchen at Brunswick Yard in Penrith.

The audience of nominees, guests, chefs, producers and industry figures will be served a three-course meal cooked by Kendal College students under the guidance of Richard Axford, the college’s assistant head of school for hospitality and catering, before Prue Leith announces the winners.

Cumbria Life editor Richard Eccles said: “We’re incredibly proud to be hosting our sixth Cumbria Life Food & Drink Awards.

“Since we launched the event in 2011, it has grown in size and stature and winning a Cumbria Life Food & Drink Award is now an ambition for many food businesses.

“We can’t wait to meet our host, Prue Leith, and hear some of the impressive stories behind our winning names.”

Booths is among the event sponsors and is providing food for the three-course meal. Lakeland Vintners is supplying drinks and bread is being provided by Lovingly Artisan.

The awards event is organised by CN Events, part of CN Group.

For live coverage of the event go to the Cumbria Life Facebook page www.facebook.com/CumbriaLifeMag/

On Twitter follow @CumbriaLifeMag and #CLfood17

See the May issue of Cumbria Life for full coverage of the awards night.