Great Taste Awards 2026: UK food and drink winners announced

Lucia Larragoiti, founder of London-based La Maritxu, won a second 3-star award for her Basque cheesecake. She described the business as a way to introduce people to a food philosophy "built on honesty, simplicity, and quality."

Iain Burnett, master chocolatier at The Highland Chocolatier in Scotland, won 3-star awards for two products. The company's Velvet Truffles use "rare and intense island cocoa" with natural ingredients and no preservatives, he said. "It has been a long time since we last entered Great Taste. To come back and be awarded a 3-star for not one but two of our products is certainly reassuring for the team."

Elinor Davies, founder of Melys in Wales, earned her first 3-star award for a brownie after three entries. She said consistency of flavour is "absolutely key" and that the recognition gave her confidence.

Stephen McMaster, owner of The Curly Pigs in Northern Ireland, won a 3-star award for a slowly cured, air-dried Coppa made from rare Royal Mangalitsa pigs. The business operates farm-to-fork, with McMaster handling breeding, rearing, curing and selling. He called the recognition "incredibly rewarding" for a small family business.

All 306 products that received 3-star awards are invited to compete for Golden Fork nominations. The Golden Fork ceremony, described as the "Oscars of food and drink," will take place at Battersea Arts Centre in London on 15 September, when the Great Taste 2026 Supreme Champion will also be announced.

Judges' feedback is shared with all producers regardless of whether they earned a star rating. The Guild said this constructive analysis helps producers refine recipes, improve consistency, and understand how their products perform competitively.