Spurreli scoops prestigious award
Spurreli Boutique Icecream has won the coveted Golden Fork for the “Best speciality food in the North of England” at this year’s Great Taste Awards. The Amble business won the Golden Fork for their Pure Sicilian Pistachio icecream, which was awarded three stars in a glittering awards ceremony in London. Judges included Antonio Carluccio and Charles Campion and an array of stars from the world of food.
Spurreli’s icecream was one of four products from the North of England nominated by the Guild of Fine Food. The grand jury’s decision was announced on 5th September, and Spurreli Boutique was presented with the award at London’s Royal Garden Hotel.
Nick Spurr, Spurreli director and founder said: “We are absolutely delighted to receive this prestigious award, we have worked tirelessly to develop our icecream base and flavours. The award has put Spurreli on the fine food map of the UK and will hopefully be the launch pad for our growing icecream brand.”
Co-owner Katie Spurr told The Ambler: “It was as if everything had come together; we’d been open a year, it was my birthday that weekend as well. I got to meet my food hero, Antonio Carluccio. And when they announced our name as winners, I couldn’t believe it!”
Nick said ” We were genuinely delighted just to have been nominated. Of course deep inside you do hope you’ll win. There’s a huge feeling of excitement when you hear you’ve won.”
There was a record breaking entry from the North of England this year, and Spurreli was one of 8 regional UK winners, whittled down from 7481 products which were entered from 1600 companies for the 2011 Great Taste Awards. It took 350 experts 34 days to blind taste all the entries and decide which entries would achieve the coveted one, two and three star gold awards. The grand jury judges are the great and good of the food world from Antonio Carluccio, Charles Campion, Dhruv Baker (Masterchef 2010 winner) to Alex James and many more to boot.
“Antonio Carluccio told us he had awarded us ten out of ten!” said Katie.
“It was a really special evening” agreed Nick, “it was great to see so many people so passionate about their food products.”
Known in the food trade as the food Oscars, the Great Taste Awards judging standards, devised by the Guild of Fine Food, are the most rigorous in the UK. To achieve the 3-star rating a minimum of 20 -more often 30 – judges need to be in complete agreement that the food delivered that indefinable ‘wow’ factor. All the judges’ comments are made available to producers. If no gold is awarded, they need to know why.
Spurreli say they pride themselves on being truly artisan, and regionally rooted. Seasonal fruit is picked from home, local allotments and by friends, with local products including Alnwick Rum for their rum and raisin.
Looking to the future, Nick says ” We will continue to strive for a nomination next year and in future years. This award is great for Spurreli as a brand. It’s an acknowledgement of all the hard work by everybody. This is a seasonal business, but we hope we can develop it so we can even out the seasonal differences as much as we can, and safeguard jobs.
Strengthened by the award, Spurreli will be attending their first food festival in Alnwick starting on 23rd September.
Congratulations Nick & Katie on your success.
Well done .