So excited and proud to announce that all FOUR of my products won awards at this years Guild of Fine Foods Great Taste Awards. My banana, miso caramel & roasted peanut cake not only won 3 stars, but has also been nominated for a Golden Fork for England. A Golden Fork is like the Oscars of the Food world, the award you want to win, above all else. But they keep you hanging as the Golden Fork Awards don't take place until September 10th! (so keep your eyes peeled). 2 stars were awarded for my coconut, yuzu & white chocolate cake and my Earl Grey, bergamot & vanilla cake. 1 star was awarded to my passionfruit, vanilla & white chocolate cake. A 100% success rate is quite a rare occurrence for a small business and I'm so pleased to be able to share this news with everyone.
Made by Adele is about TASTE which is always what I lead with. Sure, I want it to look beautiful too, but food is to be enjoyed and this has always been at the core of my business.
To put this all into context, around 14000 products are judged every year, from chocolate to bread to cheese to ketchup, by over 500 expert judges who meticulously evaluate every product. They will award 1, 2 or 3 stars (or none!) and the higher the rating the more people judge and taste your product, to ensure a fair approach. This year, only 1.8% products were awarded 3 stars. A 3 star product is classed as "exquisite; extraordinarily tasty foods". These 3 star products then enter another round of judging, to select 3 nominees (one of which is me!) for each key country of which only 1 will win the sought after Golden Fork. There's also one final round of judging, to select the Supreme Champion - just one incredible product amongst 14000 that takes the ultimate title. (I like to think of this as the 'Champion of Champions from my favourite programme Great British Menu!)
Recognised as a stamp of excellence and actively sought out by food lovers and retailers alike, Great Taste Awards, organised by the Guild of Fine Food, values taste above all else. Great Taste is the world's largest, longest standing and most trusted and respected food and drink accreditation scheme for artisan and speciality food producers. Great Taste stars are highly respected seals of approval.
The judges comments make great reading too - one judge wrote (about the banana, miso caramel, roasted peanut cake) :"This is simply outstanding. Each element is in total harmony with each other, from the banana sponge to the most exquisite caramel layer. The Swiss meringue buttercream is just sublime. It's all sublime. We went back for a second slice. And then a third. We cannot wait to see who made this, so that we can order one for ourselves." and "This cake is the work of a cake master. " and "Wow - what an assault (in a good way) of flavours! It's sweet, savoury, fruity, creamy and nutty wrapped up into a creamy, crunchy spongy roller coaster of a cake. Beautifully presented and clearly made with love and care. What a delight!"
Comments about the coconut yuzu cake: "Visually, this would stop a party dead in its tracks - one judge didn't know whether to eat it or wear it as a hat to Ascot!" "The judges were blown away by the quality of this cake. Cake heaven!"
Comments about the earl grey, bergamot and vanilla cake: "We applaud you for the combination of flavours and the mastery with which the flavours have been extracted, layered, paired and executed. Everything in this cake is beautiful and not one element is out of place. The work of a cake alchemist!"
Thank you to the team of over 500 expert judges who meticulously evaluated and judged nearly 14000 products over 92 days and to The Guild of Fine Food for executing an incredible awards programme that enables tiny businesses like mine to be judged alongside products from all over the world from companies often a million times bigger in size.
I'm so honoured and very grateful that the industry's most respected chefs, critics, writers and buyers put me in this sought after category alongside so many other incredible products.
Since starting my business it's not been an easy journey (what small business is!?). I've always been really honest with you, as my supporters and customers, about the mental health challenges I've faced over years, combined with the ever growing pressure and difficulties of running a small business in a far from ideal economic climate. My confidence in myself in 2020 when I started the business was at an all time low, with the intention of starting a business because I was too wary about employers and the struggles of the Hospitality industry during the peak of the pandemic. However, slowly but surely, with my confidence in my product and operation already there (a culmination of 15 years in food development and operations), and with a growing customer base I've managed to reach an achievement that I never thought possible and a clear highlight of my career in food to date. Moments like these are rare and treasured.
I'd like to take this opportunity to thank those who make this business what it is. Thank you to: my family for supporting me (literally carrying me sometimes - feeding me when I don't have time to cook, running errands and doing boring jobs for me!); my suppliers without whom creating these quality products would be impossible; my mentor, James, who's encouragement to challenge myself is unmeasurable; my PA Kate who has recently come on board to support the administrative needs of my business and without whom these last few months I surely would not have survived; the venues and Partnerships I have great relationships with who endlessly support my business and those who I have become friends with; you - my customers for buying from me, sharing my business, sharing your cake and being ridiculous cake fans.
Thank you to everyone who supports my business and to you, reader, because you love cake.
To browse 2024's winning products visit the Guild of Fine Food website.
Click here to view my full menu.
Media enquiries: For interviews, photos or further information, please contact Guy Dennis: guy.dennis@jaujac.com
Trade enquiries: Please contact Adele Hing: hello@madebyadele.com