Lancashire publican named supreme sausage champion
The pub trade has seen off competition from the best butchers in the business to prove that the British local is the true home of the British banger.
Kevin Berkins, owner of the Fence Gate Inn in Fence, near Burnley, Lancashire, has won the overall Best Sausage award at the BPEX Foodservice Sausage Awards presentation.
The ceremony, held this afternoon (October 24) at Butchers Hall in the City of London, saw 15 champion sausages vie for the main award - three finalists in each of five categories.
Kevin's cheese and sun blush tomato with a hint of basil sausage had already won first prize in the Best Pub Sausage category - and was the only sausage entered to be given a 100 per cent mark by the judges.
Finalists and other guests at the ceremony voted it the best overall sausage based on criteria including appearance, texture and taste.
Kevin, a trained master butcher who devises and makes his own speciality sausages for the menu at his pub, said: "I'm really pleased - my sausages are a traditionally made product, and it's nice to see that quality is appreciated."
Having resisted many offers to sell his prize winning sausages at retail, Kevin now plans a shop at his second pub, which opens in Lancashire next month. Customers will be able to buy sausages, pies and other menu specialities created by Kevin and his team of chefs.
The Best Pub Sausage award is given by BPEX in association with The Publican - and was also won by Kevin in 2006, when the award was launched. Tony Goodger, BPEX foodservice trade manager, said: "Once again, the Pub Sausage category attracted the most entries this year, and the quality of entries was higher than ever."
The three finalists in the Best Pub Sausage category were:
- First: Kevin Berkins, Fence Gate Inn, Fence, Burnley, Lancs - Cheese & Sun Blush Tomato with a Hint of Basil
- Second: Philip Lomax, Roberts of Port Dinorwic, Caernarfon, Wales - Pork Whirl
- Third:Mark Etherington, Brian Etherington Meat Co, Redruth, Cornwal - Cornish Pork with Tribute Beer and Thyme
The Fence Gate Inn was named Freehouse of the Year at The Publican Awards in 2007, and is a finalist in the Drinks Pub of the Year category at The Publican Food & Drink Awards 2008.
