A hospital caterer and a town hall chef have shared the Best Dinner Lady/Man award at BBC Radio 4's Food & Farming Awards 2004.
Ron McKenzie, head of catering at Darlington Memorial NHS Hospital, and Ian Woodhouse, a chef at Stoke City Council, confounded the celebrity judging panel - which included Food Programme presenter Sheila Dillon, chef-restaurateur Raymond Blanc and restaurateur Iqbal Wahhab - with their achievements, forcing them to split the award.
The title of BBC Food Personality of the Year, voted for by the public, went to Padstow restaurateur Rick Stein.
The two winners received their awards from chef and host Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall. The results of the final were broadcast on the Food Programme on Sunday (28 November).
Other category winners were:
- Best Takeaway - Harry MacRae at the Seaforth Chippy, Ullapool, Ross-shire.
- Farmer of the Year - Riverford Farm Organics, Buckfastleigh, Devon.
- Best Food Producer - Roskilly's, Tregellast Barton, Cornwall.
- Best Local Food Retailer - Bondsgate Bakery, Otley, West Yorkshire.
- Best Food Campaigner/Educator - Mike Smylie.