New awards celebrate best of Leicester and Leicestershire Food

Best Menu and Best Breakfast competitions launched to support Leicester and Leicestershire Food Fortnight 2010

Leicester Shire Promotions is launching two major new awards to celebrate the best food in Leicester and Leicestershire, in conjunction with the Leicester and Leicestershire Food Fortnight from 18 September - 3 October 2010.

To coincide with British Food Fortnight, the 4th Leicester and Leicestershire Food Fortnight is encouraging residents and visitors to taste, tour, enjoy and explore the wealth of locally produced food and drink on offer within Leicester and Leicestershire.

Aimed at local restaurants and equivalent food outlets, the Best Leicestershire Menu is looking for examples of fixed price menus, celebrating the best food that Leicester and Leicestershire has to offer and based on locally-sourced produce.

An award will also be given to the business in the city or county offering the Best Leicestershire Breakfast, based on the quality and presentation of Leicestershire produce used. The meal must be promoted as a Leicestershire breakfast and the award is aimed at local businesses such as cafés, serviced accommodation providers and employers who serve breakfasts to staying guests, to the general public and to employees.

The winning entries for both awards will be revealed at a presentation ceremony on Sunday 3 October 2010 at the East Midlands Food Festival at Brooksby Hall, near Melton Mowbray in Leicestershire. Further details on the awards, criteria and applications forms are available on www.goleicestershire.com/foodfortnight

Martin Peters, Chief Executive of Leicester Shire Promotions commented: "These two awards will celebrate the best of our local food industry, a major strength in the city and county's offering to visitors. They are one of the few opportunities where local restaurants, cafés and other food outlets can compete to demonstrate their commitment to using local produce."

Mrs Lesley Pendleton, Leicestershire County Council Cabinet Lead for Rural Affairs and Chairman of the Leicestershire Rural Partnership, added: "The awards are a great addition to Leicester and Leicestershire Food Fortnight. We have a diverse range of high quality producers. It is important that we celebrate our strengths and encourage new opportunities to help develop the sector. I strongly encourage our hotels, restaurants, cafes and B&Bs to devise a locally-sourced menu and enter the competition."

Editors Notes:
Leicester and Leicestershire Food Fortnight 2010 (LLFF) will be held between 18 September and 3 October. During the fortnight a total of c.60 events will be held across the city and county to help promote our food and drink businesses, encourage healthy eating and enhance cookery skills. These include farmers' markets, beer festivals, dining experiences, free tasting sessions, and cookery demonstrations. LLFF culminates in the East Midlands Food and Drink Festival at Brooksby Hall on the 2-3 October. All events will be listed in a brochure which will be available shortly at www.goleicestershire.com/foodfortnight

Leicester and Leicestershire Food Fortnight is supported by Leicester Shire Promotions, Leicestershire County Council, Leicestershire Rural Partnership, Leicestershire Food Links, Leicester City Council and Melton Food Partnership.

About Leicester Shire Promotions:
Leicester Shire Promotions is a private, not-for-profit company formed in July 2003 as a partnership between Leicester City Council, Leicestershire County Council and East Midlands Development Agency. The company is the Destination Management Organisation (DMO) responsible for promoting Leicester and Leicestershire to visitors, based on a coordinated place marketing strategy that focuses on destination leadership and coordination, attracting and visitors, services for and visitors, and services for the tourism industry. For more information, please visit www.goleicestershire.com or follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/l_p_l

For further media information, please contact:
Nimisha Mehta
Leicester Shire Promotions
T: 0116 225 4063
nimisha.mehta@l-p-l.com