Dutch artist Tanja Moderscheim paints 9 finalists of the 2016 BBC Food & Farming Awards

On the 28th of April 2016 the BBC4 Food Programme held their annual Food & Farming Awards. The Award’s mission is “to honour those who have done most to promote the cause of good food” (source: BBC Food and Farming Awards) and is often referred to as the Oscars of Great Britain’s food world. The Awards were hosted and presented by BBC Radio 4’s Sheila Dillon, and some of Britain’s best-known chefs, broadcasters and food writers including Yotam Ottolenghi, Ken Hom, Jancis Robinson, Diana Henry, Mitch Tonks, Angela Hartnett and Stefan Gates celebrated with her. The announcement of the winners of the evening can be seen at www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/latestnews/2016/food-and-farming-winners.

Countryfile’s presenter Adam Henson was one of the judges

As part of my project painting locally grown produce and celebrating the country’s culinary heritage and small businesses (see my previous blog post from February 2016) I painted the produce and products of 9 of the BBC Food & Farming Awards finalists:

Best Street Food or Takeaway: Gourmet Goat (London; Winner), The Glorious Oyster (Devon), Pyclet Parlour (Derby)

Best Food Producer: Charcutier Ltd (Wales; Winner), Hebridean Smokehouse (Hebrides), HS Bourne Cheshire Cheese (Cheshire)

Liesel and Illtud sent a big box of products – which ones do I paint…?

It was great working with the finalists, as I learnt about these wonderful producers and the stories behind their businesses, what drives them, the ethical values they want to pass on and the beautiful parts of the country they work in. They were more than happy to send ingredients/produce and work with me to discuss how best to show off their produce, ingredients and business, on wood panel.

Liesel and Illtud’s finished painting

Nick cooking beautiful streetfood: Gourmet Goat, Winner Best Street Food

Gourmet Goat, run by Nick and Nadia Stokes, were Best Street Food Winners. They sell kid goat meat dishes at Borough Market, London. Their recipes and food have a strong Eastern Mediterranean influence which I sought to bring out in my painting for the Food & Farming Awards. Nick suggested I included the floor tiles of their stall at Borough Market in my painting. These tiles have been brought from Cyprus and complement the goat kofta, Cypriot pita and the various ingredients, spices and herbs in the painting.

Goat Kofta, Wheat Berry, Cypriot Pita, Lemons, Garlic, Olives, Herbs, Spices and Cypriot Tiles: Gourmet Goat, Winner Best Street Food

“Rapture, Cannonball, Grapefruit, Salty Kiss and West Coast Pale Ale: Magic Rock Brewery, Best Drinks Producer Finalist

Refractometer and Hydrometer with Seasonal Fruit: Cairn O’Mohr, Best Drinks Producer Finalist

Watch this space for more paintings of the finalists.

BBC Food & Farming Awards paintings on display along the wall of the marquee