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LAVISH meals using ingredients from across Derbyshire have helped a Belper deli scoop the best breakfast prize in the county’s annual food and drink awards.

Fresh Basil, in Belper, was one of nine winners announced at a special ceremony at historic Thornbridge Hall last night.

Wendy Moore (Fresh Basil).

Manager and head chef Andrew Forsyth said the eatery prided itself on supporting local businesses and that its breakfast was no exception.

He said diners also benefited from “quite generous portions”. Mr Forsyth said: “Buying local produce keeps the local businesses going. Without them you haven’t got a town.”

He said the eatery’s biggest breakfast cost £5.90 and included two sausages from a Somercotes butcher, four bacon rashers bacon, a black pudding from Stanley Common’s George Stafford, an egg from a Crich farm, and mushrooms and tomatoes from Fresh and Fruity, Belper.

Another of last night’s winners was the Gallery Cafe, Ashbourne. Co-owner Rob Watkin said its success was down to its homemade dishes.

He said: “Most food these days is delivered frozen but we don’t operate like that.”

Mr Watkin said the cafe had a Mediterranean feel instead of being a “traditional pie and chips” eatery.

He said homemade seasonal soups and cottage pie were popular at the moment, along with its own pork and black pudding pies.

The restaurant of the year award went to Mileburne, of Melbourne, run by Andrew Dann and wife Rebecca.

Mr Dann said the five-table eatery had a “relaxed” atmosphere “like sitting in your lounge at home”.

Mileburne, he said, served local, often seasonal produce, to get the freshest taste.

He said the most popular dish was rib-eye steak with dripping toast and dripping chips served with vegetables from his allotment or from a supplier in Melbourne.

Mr Dann said he had previously worked as a chef in Nottingham and opened Mileburne three years ago.

He said its success was born out by a full restaurant most evenings. Mr Dann said: “I could do with a bigger place, to be honest.”

Last night’s awards were presented by Simon Rimmer, the resident chef on BBC2′s Something For The Weekend, and council chairman George Wharmby. Entries were judged on criteria including quality of food and drink, customer service, use of county produce and acknowledgement of it on menus.

They were then judged by a panel of food specialists and each shortlisted venue had a mystery shopper visit.

Other winners were Woodlands Rooms, Charlesworth, in the coffee house/tea rooms of the year category; and Mainsail, Carsington Water, in the restaurant with an attraction category.

The Elm Tree, Elmton, won traditional pub of the year; Calabria, Chesterfield, international restaurant of the year; and the Devonshire Arms, Beeley, and Red Lion, Stonedge were joint winners of gastro pub of the year.

Steve Lathaen, catering manager at the Calke Abbey restaurant, won in the local food hero category for using or promoting Derbyshire produce.

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