A GROUNDBREAKING food business that has set the bar in Cumbria for 40 years was recognised with the top award at the 2020 Cumbria Life Food & Drink Awards.

Zeffirellis of Ambleside has been a dining and cinema destination for four decades and the co-owners, Dorothy and Graham Smith, took to the stage to collect the award for Outstanding Contribution to Cumbrian Food & Drink.

The event, which was hosted by the award-winning chef and star of TV’s This Morning Phil Vickery, was held at Kendal College.

Phil Vickery told the audience: “Many customers have been going to Zeffs for decades and it’s even been said that its presence in Ambleside encourages people to move to the town.

It has certainly provided a major boost to the cultural life of the Lake District.”

Students from the college cooked and served the three-course awards meal.

The first awards were for retailers and producers, with Tebay Services winning the Specialist Retailer or Supplier of the Year and being praised for putting Cumbria on the map.

The Lakes Distillery at Setmurthy, Bassenthwaite was named Drinks Producer of the Year.

Other businesses recognised included The Royal Barn at Kirkby Lonsdale, named Pub or Bar of the Year and Foxborough in Carlisle, which won Casual Dining Restaurant of the Year.

There was a double win for Simon Rogan’s L’Enclume in Cartmel, which was named Restaurant of the Year, while head chef Paul Burgalières took home the Chef of the Year award.

Special awards included The Matt Campbell Rising Star Award, named after the much-loved Kendal chef who died while competing in the London Marathon in 2018.

The worthy winner was Robert Simpson, who joined his parents’ organic growing and veg box business, Eva’s Organics at Low Luckens near Carlisle.

The awards, which were organised by Newsquest Cumbria Events, were supported by Kendal College and Booths.

SPECIALIST RETAILER/SUPPLIER

The Bakery at No 4, Kendal

Pioneer Foodstore, Carlisle

Tebay Services

DRINKS PRODUCER OF THE YEAR

Eva’s Organics, Low Luckens

Lakes Distillery, Setmurthy

Shed 1 Distillery, Ulverston

FOOD PRODUCER OF THE YEAR

Bells of Lazonby, Lazonby

Grants Oak Smoked, Maryport

Peace and Loaf Bakehouse, Barrow

PUB OF BAR OF THE YEAR

The Blind Bus Driver, Kendal

The Factory Tap, Kendal

The Royal Barn, Kirkby Lonsdale

DINING PUB OF THE YEAR

The Black Swan, Ravenstonedale

The Dog and Gun, Skelton

The Punch Bowl Inn, Crosthwaite

CAFE OF THE YEAR

Chesters by the River, Skelwith Bridge

Homeground, Windermere

More? The Artisan Bakery, Staveley

Mathilde’s, Grasmere

Yard 46, Kendal

NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR

Base, Bowness-on-Windermere

Levens Kitchen, Levens

Method@Fell, Kendal

CASUAL DINING RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR

The Black Labrador, Underbarrow

Fellpack, Keswick

Foxborough, Carlisle

Shap Chippy, Shap

HOTEL RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR

Allium at Askham Hall, Askham

The Cottage in the Wood, Braithwaite

Hrishi, Gilpin Hotel and Lake House, Windermere

RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR

Lake Road Kitchen, Ambleside

L’Enclume, Cartmel

Old Stamp House, Ambleside

Wabi Sabi, Ambleside

CHEF OF THE YEAR

Ryan Blackburn, Old Stamp House, Ambleside

Paul Burgalières, L’Enclume, Cartmel

Hrishikesh Desai, Hrishi, Windermere

Richard Swale, Allium at Askham Hall, Askham

Ben Wilkinson, The Cottage in the Wood, Braithwaite

Special awards

FOOD & FARMING AWARD

The Park Family, Low Sizergh Barn near Kendal

CUMBRIA LIFE SPECIAL AWARD

Gillian Cowburn

CUMBRIA LIFE READERS’ AWARD

The Little Ice Cream Shop, Hawkshead and Windermere

THE MATT CAMPBELL RISING STAR AWARD

Robert Simpson, Eva’s Organics

OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION TO CUMBRIAN FOOD & DRINK

Zeffirellis of Ambleside