A seafront restaurant and a micro-brewery were among first-time winners at the 10th Taste of Kent Awards.

The awards, announced at the Kent County Showground, recognise the hard work that goes into creating the very best of the Garden of England's tastes and flavours.

First-time winners included Rocksalt in Folkestone, which scooped Kent Restaurant of the Year and Herne Bay's rising Goody Ales micro-brewery, which won Best Kentish Beer for its Genesis hopped ale.

Stephanie Durling of organiser Produced in Kent thanked the thousands of members of the public for nominating, and voting for, their own favourite food and drink champions.

Shortlists from the public vote are presented to a panel of expert judges, who select the winners.

She said: "The battle for first place amongst the finalists has been hard, with a really tough decision for our judges.

"The standard of products, produce, shops, pubs and restaurants is very high and Kent is firmly becoming established as a foody destination in the UK.”

And the winners are...

Best Kent Juice Producer, sponsored by Kent County Council

Winner: Little Stour Orchard, Margate

Finalists: Biddenden Farm Pressed Apple Juice, Biddenden; Newlands Juices, Faversham

Best Kentish Beer, sponsored by Rix & Kay Solicitors

Winner: Genesis – Goody Ales, Herne

Finalists: Farriers 1606 - Old Forge Brewery, The Farriers Arms, Mersham; Gadds’ No. 3 Ramsgate Brewery, Ramsgate

Best Kentish Cider or Perry, sponsored by Wilkins Kennedy FKC

Winner: Duddas Tun Cider - Pine Trees Farm, Doddington

Finalists: Strong Kentish Cider - Biddenden Vineyard, Biddenden; 10 ACRE Orchard cider – Little Stour Orchard, office based in Margate

Best Kentish Wine, sponsored by Investaco

Winner: Ortega 2012 – Biddenden Vineyards, Biddenden

Finalists: Bacchus - Chapel Down, Tenterden; English Rose – Chapel Down, Tenterden

Kent Artisan Food Producer of the Year, sponsored by Shopper Anonymous

Winner: Kent Fine Foods, Gillingham

Finalists: Samovar, Nonington, Dover; Simply Ice Cream, Ashford

Kent Butcher or Meat Producer of the Year, sponsored by sff

Winner: Court Farm Butchery & Country Larder, Halling, Rochester

Finalists: AJ Barkaway, Faversham; Chandler & Dunn, Ash, Canterbury

Kent Dining Pub of the Year, sponsored by Opies

Winner: The Ferry House Inn, Isle of Sheppey

Finalists: The George Inn, Molash; The Three Tuns, Lower Halstow

Kent Farmers Market of the Year, sponsored by Hadlow College

Winner: Cliftonville Farmers Market

Finalists: Rochester Farmers Market; Tonbridge Farmers Market

Kent Fishmonger of the Year, sponsored by Chapman’s of Sevenoaks Ltd

Winner: Mobile Fresh Fish & Farm Shop, Rainham

Finalists: Fruits de Mer, Broadstairs; Folkestone Trawlers, Folkestone

Kent Restaurant of the Year, sponsored by Henkelman UK Ltd

Winner: Rocksalt, Folkestone

Finalists: The Ambrette, Margate; Wyatt & Jones, Broadstairs

Kent Local Food Retailer of the Year, sponsored by NFU Mutual

Winner: Macknade Fine Foods, Faversham

Finalists: Quex Barn, Birchington; Whitstable Produce Store, Whitstable

Garden of England Champions Top Fruit, sponsored by BTF Partnership

Winner - Top Apple: Gala variety Kate Langridge, Mallions Farm, Marden

Winner - Garden of England Champions Top Pear: Concorde variety D & C Stevens, Elm

Farm, Lower Halstow

Garden of England Champion Cherry and soft fruit, sponsored by East Malling Research

Cherries – Elverton Farms, Faversham for their Merchant variety

Strawberries – Langdon Manor Farm, Faversham for their Jubilee variety

Raspberries – Newmafruit, Chartham, Canterbury for their Glen Ample variety

Kent Food, Farming and Landscape Award, sponsored by Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty

Winner: Court Farm, Upper Halling, near Strood

Kent Food Product Category Awards, sponsored by Shepherd Neame

Winner Dairy Class – Winterdale Shaw, Winterdale Cheesemakers

Winner Ambient Class – 10 ACRE Cider Vinegar, Little Stour Orchard

Winner Bakery & Confectionery Class – Honey Cake with Kentish Honey, Samovar

Winner Prepared Food Class – Kentish beef & vegetable pasty, SW Doughty

Winner Catering Class – Dangus beef fillet, Gribble Bridge Meats

Catering Highly Commended – Strong Wholemeal Flour, Pure Kent

Dairy Highly Commended – Chaucers Camembert, Cheesemakers of Canterbury

Best Kent Food Product, sponsored by KFF

Winner: 10 ACRE apple cider vinegar, Little Stour Orchard.

Produced in Kent Special Award

Sian Holt, Managing Director, Fudge Kitchen, Lyminge

The Taste of Kent Awards 2014 were run with sponsorship from Biddenden Vineyards, BTF Partnership, Chapel Down Winery, Chapmans of Sevenoaks, EMR (East Malling Research), Hadlow College, Henkleman UK Ltd, Kent Downs and High Weald AONBs, KCC (Kent County Council), kff (Kent Frozen Foods), NFU Mutual, Opies, Rix & Kay Solicitors, Shopper Anonymous, Shepherd Neame, sff (Stephen’s Fresh Foods), Vertex Law, part of Cripps Harries Hall LLP, and Wilkins Kennedy FKC.