Ever wondered what those little black and gold labels really mean? Now’s your chance to find out.
For the first time, the Guild of Fine Food, organiser of the world’s largest food and drink awards – Great Taste – is holding back the curtain to reveal exactly what goes into those illustrious black and gold, 1- 2- and 3-star stickers. Independent production company RATCHET has been given unfettered access to the Great Taste process from start to finish. Join their journey up and down the UK to find out what the awards mean to the producers who win them – and what exactly goes into making great-tasting food and drink.
A documentary-style podcast including exclusive interviews, behind the scenes action and stories straight from the producers – we’ll learn why well-produced, good food is so important, not only for our health, but also for our communities, our economy, our land and, of course, our taste buds.
Katherine Nathan, Great Taste Podcast host, journalist and creative director at RATCHET says:
“Like many shoppers I had no idea where Great Taste labels actually came from. I quizzed friends and colleagues and whilst many recognised them, no one could tell me who was behind them and why – so we set out to find out.
I can honestly say that we’ve been blown away by the process and by the sheer tenacity, integrity and the passion of everyone involved.
One of the reasons we wanted to do this podcast was to give people more information and an appetite for learning about their food, so that they can make better decisions about the food and drink that they buy and eat. There are so many wider implications that hinge on those decisions for our health, our well-being and the growth of our local economies. We can all play a part in that and, whilst sharing the joy of great tasting food and drink, we want this podcast to encourage people to savour and appreciate the relationship they can have with food.”
The Great Taste Podcast reveals what the star labels mean to the producers who enter the awards, how taking part has impacted their businesses, and whether it’s affected the food they make.
We will uncover some of the challenges and best practices when it comes to making and selling food, and importantly why some food and drink costs more than the mass-produced alternatives.
In episode one, we meet Lucia who runs La Maritxu, a bakery in London with queues around the block, selling just one product: a Basque cheesecake. We also drop in on some Great Taste judging in London. Episode two takes us to Nottingham to visit Sauce Shop, where we find out how this husband-and-wife-owned business has scaled up a kitchen process to cook sauce on a large scale. We get to know some of the judges from across the world of food and drink to find out how they got involved in the process. Our journey culminates at the Golden Fork Awards, a celebration of the best food & drink from across the world.
The first episode is out today, Monday 19 August and the second will follow this coming Wednesday 21 August.
Christabel Cairns, operations and marketing director at the Guild of Fine Food comments:
“There are so many fantastic stories behind Great Taste – from the skills of producers making delicious food and drink to the role that the independent retailers play in our communities. These stories are our favourite part of Great Taste to share. I think as the organisers, we shy away from shouting too much about the Guild of Fine Food itself. For us, it’s the producers and the importance of making great food that matter most.
It’s a huge privilege when producers trust us with the fruits of their labour – there are livelihoods at stake. We’ve spent the last few months introducing RATCHET to food and drink makers, retailers, judges and giving them free reign editorially at the Guild of Fine Food so they can take you behind the scenes of Great Taste. This podcast has delved into the issues that underlie what we do day in and day out and we really hope it will not only allow more people to engage with the wonderful world we’re all very privileged to enjoy, but also shine a light on some of the issues in our food system that need our collective attention.”
Why should this be of interest to all of us? To steal a line from one of the judges interviewed in the Great Taste Podcast: “It’s the one thing on earth that we’ve all got in common. We’ve all got to eat.”
Never miss an episode.
“Episode 1: It’s Written in the Stars” is out now. “Episode 2: Pass the Sauce” will be available on Wednesday 21 August. Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to your podcasts.
Follow the Great Taste Podcast:
Instagram: @greattaste_podcast | TikTok: @greattastepodcast
