Food Producer of the Year Award for Torpenhow

Whilst the first few months of 2023 have seen us with our hands very full with calving and welcoming the latest additions to our herd here at Park House Farm, we did manage a night away and a chance to swap wellies and overalls for something altogether more glamorous.

The occasion was the Cumbria Food Awards 2023, held at Kendal College, an annual event which recognises and celebrates the best of independent Cumbrian food and drink.

On the back of a number of successes with our organic cheese, butter and milk over the last 12-months, our ‘hat was thrown into the ring’ after a number of public nominations for the hotly contested Food Producer of the Year category.

Suffice to say, if you were one of those anonymous people who kindly nominated us, thank you – we won!!!

The Cumbria Food Awards, which can boast arguably the country’s leading chef, Simon Rogan, as their patron, brings together the leading lights from across the county to compete in fourteen categories for hotels and restaurants, specialist food retail, sustainable/ethical businesses and chef of the year.

The judges themselves also present quite a formidable line-up comprising food writers and journalists, chefs and bakers, buyers for leading retailers and specialist food industry business consultants.

“It was certainly quite a contrast to escape from the farm for an evening and, as we were to find out, well worth the effort!” says Jenny Lee, regenerative farmer and co-founder of the Torpenhow Farmhouse Dairy.

“Like every farmer up and down the country, we’re busy people and there’s no denying that running the dairy alongside can be a real challenge especially as we are very hands on – it is Mark and I who are helping Tom with milking the herd, and then we are in the dairy making the cheese and butter from the fresh milk.”

“We never take winning an award for granted and what one judge may like, another might hate; or what they loved last year may be something completely different this time around.”

“But the feedback we’ve had is that the judges liked our approach to farming and, more importantly for them, what it means to the taste, quality and provenance of the food we produce.”

So, is this the start of another year of awards and competitions for the Torpenhow Farmhouse Dairy?

“Never say never, but we’re staying focused on the day-to-day running of the farm and the last of the spring block of calving, which should be finished by early April. In the dairy, we’ve invested in some new equipment and are also expanding our cheese stores, both of which will help us better meet demand without compromising on quality.”

“Some of the farm buildings are also now the home of Three Hills Gelato, lovely artisan gelato made using our fresh organic milk, so we’re also helping Matthew get his operations up and running ahead of his busiest time of the year.”

“And if that’s not enough, we’re taking bookings for the Three Hills Wedding Barn, then there’s the Shepherd Hut accommodation and the small matter of a regenerative farming conference in July to plan!”

“Oh, and did I mention we’re celebrating a few special anniversaries on the farm this year?”

All in all, busy people with a very busy dairy on a very busy farm!

Torpenhow Farmhouse Dairy Sales Manager Kimberley was also pleased to have the chance to return to one of her old stomping grounds:

“It was an amazing night and an absolute pleasure for me personally to be back down at Kendal college, 15 years following my first visit back in 2008.”

“Since my days studying there, you could say that I now have tad more experience and awareness of the remarkable food and drink industry that we are a small, but mighty part of. Let’s hope it’s not as long until the next time!”

“Some things at the College haven’t changed, notably the exceptionally talented catering team at the college – it was lovely to be able to say thank you to Richard Axford for the outstanding work from his team, and a wave to Yannick Lequitte in the kitchen (he hasn’t changed a bit since I last seen him!) It brought back wonderful memories from my early days in the world of food and hospitality!”

Kendal College itself is one of the UK’s most highly rated hospitality training providers and even acclaimed broadcaster and restaurant critic Jay Rayner has remarked that it is ‘home to one of the most influential cooking courses in the country’.

The Cumbria Food Awards 2023 were hosted by Irini Tzortzoglou, winner in 2019 of BBC’s MasterChef and cookbook author.