Trencherman’s Awards 2020

We’re shaking up the Trencherman’s Awards this year, asking the industry insiders to decide which Trencherman’s venues and chefs deserve to be in the running
Trencherman's Awards chefs

The Trencherman’s board, chefs, members and readers have cast their votes and we’re thrilled to reveal the Trencherman’s Awards 2020 winners

For over five years, the Trencherman’s Awards have been the South West’s most prestigious dining accolades. Whereas in previous years both rounds of voting have been decided by tens of thousands of reader’s votes, this year we handed over control of the first round to our Trencherman’s members and chefs, while the shortlist was whittled down to four grand finalists in each category by our Trencherman’s readers.

After over 30,000 votes, we were thrilled to reveal the Trencherman’s Awards 2020 winners at The Seafood Restaurant in Padstow on November 25. The industry’s movers and shakers came together to celebrate the South West’s fantastic food and drink scene at the iconic Cornish restaurant, where a phenomenal five course feast was served between the hotly anticipated awards presentation. Each course was cooked by a Trencherman’s member chef who’d scooped an award last year, alongside the team at The Seafood Restaurant captained by group head chef Stephane Delourme.

Trencherman’s Awards 2020 winners and grand finalists

Best Trencherman’s restaurant – sponsored by Total Produce
Winner: The Shore, Cornwall 
Grand finalists: Acorn Restaurant, Bath; New Yard Restaurant, Cornwall; Number Eight, Devon 

Best Trencherman’s hotel – sponsored by Hotel Perfect
Winner: Mount Haven Hotel, Cornwall 
Grand finalists: Gara Rock, Devon ; The Greenbank Hotel, Cornwall; The Ollerod, Dorset 

Best Trencherman’s pub – sponsored by Travelzoo
Winner: The Farmers Arms, Devon 
Grand finalists: Acorn Inn, Dorset; The Bell Inn, Gloucestershire; The Bunch of Grapes, Wiltshire 

Best Trencherman’s chef – sponsored by Hallgarten & Novum Wines
Winner: Elly Wentworth, The Angel – Taste of Devon 
Grand finalists: Tim Barnes, Outlaw’s Fish Kitchen; Chris Cleghorn, The Olive Tree Restaurant; Tom Williams-Hawkes, The Salutation Inn 

Best bar list – sponsored by The Wrecking Coast Distillery
Winner: The Peppermill, Wiltshire
Grand finalists: Fifteen Cornwall; Lympstone Manor, Devon; The Idle Rocks, Cornwall 

Best front of house team – sponsored by Churchill China
Winner: Rick Stein Sandbanks, Dorset 
Grand finalists: Star & Garter, Cornwall; The Masons Arms, Devon; The Old Mill House Bistro, Cornwall 

Award for creativity and innovation – sponsored by Sharp’s Brewery
Winner: New Yard Restaurant, Cornwall 
Grand finalists: Lords of the Manor, Gloucestershire; Seasons at The Eastbury, Dorset; The Angel – Taste of Devon 

Best Trencherman’s newcomer – sponsored by Fish for Thought
Winner: Twenty Seven by Jamie Rogers, Devon 
Grand finalists: The Club House, Dorset; The Farmers Arms, Devon; The Sardine Factory, Cornwall 

Award for special contribution – sponsored by PKF Francis Clark
Winner: Jude Kereama 
Grand finalists: Paul Ainsworth; Josh Eggleton; Mark Hix 

A big thank you to Trencherman’s Awards 2020 sponsors Churchill China, Fish for Thought, Hallgarten & Novum Wines, Hotel Perfect, Impact, PKF Francis Clark, Salt, Sharp’s Brewery, Total Produce, TravelZoo and The Wrecking Coast Distillery.

The Trencherman’s Awards 2020 ceremony is supported by Forest Produce and Frobisher’s . Images by Guy Harrop.