Here's the winners of the Good Food Awards from in and around Leamington, Warwick and Kenilworth

2020 has been a challenging year for businesses in the hospitality industry.

The pandemic has meant cafes, restaurants, bars, takeaways and hotels have all had to find ways to adapt during this tough time.

With a second lockdown in place it is important to celebrate the achievements of these businesses.

On November 1, The Good Food Awards announced the winners of their 2021 awards.

There are five categories; Good Food Awards, Good Food Awards for Cafes, Good Food Awards for Fish and Chips, Good Food Awards for Takeaways, Good Food Awards for Gastro Pubs and Good Hotel Awards.

Businesses from across our area were named in four out of five of the awards. Here are the winners from in and around Leamington, Warwick and Kenilworth.

Good Food Award for Cafes

~ The Brethren's Kitchen in Warwick

Nick Doughty, who manages and cooks for the Brethren's Kitchen, said "This is the third year running we have won the Good Food Award and is in recognition of all the hard work and dedication of myself and my excellent team.

"Thank you also for the continued support of our local customers and for voting for us."

Heidi Meyer, Master at the Lord Leycester Hospital, said: "The Brethrens Café is a 500 year old tradition dating from the Tudor period at the Lord Leycester and we are lucky to have NICuisine running our cafe now in our medieval buildings."

Good Food Awards for Fish and Chips

~ St John's Fish Bar in Warwick

Michael Michaels, owner of St John's Fish Bar said: "It's been a really hard year for us but we keep going.

"We always try to improve and try to give customer satisfaction - it is always our aim to have the customers going out with a big smile.

"We have got a lot a measures in place - we take temperatures of staff and keep records of it, we wear masks and visors and we have screens up.

"If a customer pays cash we also wash and sanitise hands after.

"The customer satisfaction, improvements and being good value for money are reasons for this award. We also have a very good rating on Trip Advisor and have won many awards in the past."

~ Kineton Chippy

The Kineton Chippy shop, is owned and run by husband and wife team, Sukhpreet Singh and his wife, Juskiran Kaur.

Juskiran said: "We are grateful for having this award as it was based on customers voting on what they thought of our food.

"If it wasn't for our customers we wouldn't get this award. We use high standard quality to ensure the food is at its best taste. And making us a winner we ensure to keep giving an excellent service."

The Good Food Award for Takeaways

~ Baabzi Indian Takeaway in Warwick

Baabzi Miah, owner of Baabzi Indian Takeaway, said: "We are honoured and proud to be crowned and voted winners of this year's Good Food Guide.

"We have worked tirelessly to serve our local community and left no stone unturned to ensure we prepare and deliver food worth waiting for.

"Thank you to everyone that voted for us and we promise to keep creating and delivering mouth watering sumptuous food.

"Thank you also to everyone at the Good Food Guide for awarding us this great honor, we will continue to do our best."

The Good Food Award for Gastro Pubs

~ The Red Lion at Hunningham

Richard Merand, owner of the Red Lion, said: "This award is good for us and it could not have come at a better time.

"It is very hard to be different and in summer we spent quite a bit of money on the garden to make it suitable for social distancing.

"Unfortunately we will have to close for the second lockdown but we will be doing takeaway fish and chips every Friday with vegetarian and children's options too."

~ The Cross at Kenilworth

Adam Bennett, chef director at The Cross at Kenilworth, said: "We are thrilled to have won the Good Food Award for Gastro Pubs for the third year running, especially in what has been such a challenging year for everyone.

"It’s a big pat on the back for the team who work so hard but it’s a shame it comes just as we approach the second lockdown.

"We promise we'll be back, better, stronger and ready to give our guests the memorable dining experience they will no doubt be looking forward to.”

A spokesperson from the Good Food Awards said: “As many businesses rely on the additional publicity, our awards bring, we decided in July to do all we can, in these unprecedented times, to ensure these continue to go ahead as planned.

"With some 536,954 eating establishments within the UK, competition for our Good Food Award was unsurprisingly tough.

"We were taken aback by the record number of entrants and votes cast for the finalists by readers, customers and fans alike.

"It was heart-warming to see the support our finalists received given the adversity everyone faced.

"Our Good Food Awards recognise the hard-working teams who strive for culinary excellence within their field and are known as the Blue Ribbon for Delicious Dishes™.”