Great Taste Podcast learns secret of black and gold stickers
For the first time in a new podcast, the Guild of Fine Food reveals what goes into those black and gold, 1- 2- and 3-star stickers.
The Guild of Fine Food is the organiser of the world’s largest food and drink awards; Great Taste. Independent production company RATCHET has been given access to the process from start to finish.
In a journey up and down the UK, the Great Taste Podcast finds out what the awards mean to the producers who win them and what exactly goes into making great-tasting food and drink.
The documentary-style podcast includes exclusive interviews, behind the scenes action and stories straight from the producers. It hears 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.
It also 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.
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.”
Christabel Cairns, operations and marketing director at the Guild of Fine Food adds: “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.”
The first two episodes of the Great Taste Podcast are available now wherever you get your podcasts.