A Scottish producer played to its nation’s strengths, bringing tradition and craft to the podium in becoming the Great Taste 2025 Supreme Champion.
A “wonderful balance of oil, smoke and salt” was credited for East Neuk Kilnhouse’s success, also earning the Golden Fork for Scotland. Judges praised the “mahogany shine” of the “generously sized, plump and attractive fillets.” They said the fish was “beautifully moist, and obviously very high quality.”
As well as taking the Supreme Champion title, East Neuk Kilnhouse was one of 16 Golden Fork recipients, celebrated at the awards ceremony at Battersea Arts Centre on Tuesday 9th September. The event marked the culmination of the accreditation scheme’s 32nd year, established by the Guild of Fine Food to champion the highest standard of food & drink from around the world.
This year, 14,340 products were submitted into Great Taste, among which 3,899 achieved a 1-star award, 1,508 earned 2-star recognition, and 273 – or 1.9% of entrants – received the top 3-star award. The 16 Golden Forks and the Supreme Champion were selected from among the 3-star winners in two final days of judging, completing 110 days of blind-tasting in England, Ireland and Italy, by a panel of more than 500 judges.
The Golden Forks (full list of winners below) include trophies for England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland, as well as for Ireland, Greece, Italy, Spain, the Rest of Europe and the Rest of the World.
Other Golden Forks for high-scoring entrants were awarded for Sustainability, to Fordhall Farm, and for Better Business, recognising its support for its team, community, environment and supply chain. This was given to The Somerset Cider Brandy Company.
The Nigel Barden Heritage Award went to Ocelot Craft Chocolate for its Dark Chocolate with Black Cherry. The Guild of Fine Food Contribution to Food & Drink award was presented to Maria Whitehead MBE, founder of Hawkshead Relish Company.
For the third year, Great Taste also recognised a producer enrolled in its bursary programme, which gave 50 micro-producers the opportunity to take part in the awards scheme free of charge. Royal Mangalitsa charcuterie producer The Curly Pigs was named the Outstanding Bursary Winner for its 2-star ’Nduja.
Behind the Supreme Champion is a family-owned business in St Monans, in the East Neuk of Fife, which has been producing fresh and smoked fish and seafood for over 60 years. As well as the winning mackerel, its Hot Smoked Peppered Mackerel Fillets (also a 3-star recipient), plus its kippers, salmon and trout, are all kiln-smoked and hand-filleted in the traditional way. Its Hot Smoked Trout, Hot Smoked Salmon and Honey & Rum Smoked Salmon received 2-star ratings in Great Taste this year.
East Neuk Kilnhouse owner Colin Reekie said the string of awards had made 2025 “a brilliant year” for the business, “but to have reached this level with our Hot Smoked Mackerel Fillets is absolute magic.”
“We’re a very small company, we work hard, we’re very hands-on and we take a huge amount of pride in what we do.” To have even been in the running for a Golden Fork and the Supreme Champion title, he added, “feels like we’re punching above our weight, but the consistency of our success speaks for itself.”
Calum Reekie, Colin’s son, was at the Arts Centre on the evening of the awards ceremony, and told the crowd the remaining members of the team of five were “still plucking salmon” when they heard that they’d won the Golden Fork from Scotland. “They were crying on the phone”, he said. “They’re absolutely thrilled.”
Describing the feeling when they realised they were the Supreme Champion as “surreal”, he said the team had always stuck to the same recipes, making it all the more special. “It means the world, it’s fantastic to see their work recognised.”
Also vying for the Golden Fork from Scotland were Nigel Barden Heritage Award winner, Dark Chocolate with Black Cherry, made by Ocelot Craft Chocolate, and Single Glen Scottish Heather Honey, produced by Wainwright’s Bee Farm.
John Farrand, managing director of the Guild of Fine Food, said that while the Great Taste results season is always a time of encouragement and cheer, “each year, I am consistently surprised by the innovation, craft skill and commitment to sourcing worthy ingredients that our Golden Fork producers demonstrate.”
Celebrating the diversity of entries and the breadth of scale, from small to large producers, as well as the geographic spread of entries, he added: “In our chaotic world it was, once again, satisfying to bring some community and harmony by accepting entries from over 100 countries.
“We are committed to finding the best from across the planet, although I do feel a sense of somewhat biased pride to see the Supreme Champion accolade go to a truly outstanding product made here in the British Isles. Huge congratulations to East Neuk Kilnhouse, and to any producer achieving 1-, 2-, or 3-star status.”
The full list of Golden Fork winners for 2025 is as follows:
Golden Fork from England: The Norfolk PX from The English Whisky Co. www.englishwhisky.co.uk
Golden Fork from Scotland: Hot Smoked Mackerel Fillets from East Neuk Kilnhouse www.enkilnhouse.com
Golden Fork from Wales: Blackcurrant and Cassis Sorbet from Mario’s Luxury Dairy Ice Cream www.mariosicecream.com
Golden Fork from Northern Ireland: Basalt Volcanic Rock Gin from Basalt Distillery www.basalt-distillery.com
Golden Fork from Ireland: 25% Sour Cream from Green Pastures Donegal www.greenpasturesdonegal.com
Golden Fork from Spain: Anchovy Fillets in Olive Oil “La Castreña” from Conservera Castreña www.lacastrena.co
Golden Fork from Greece: Grevena Greek Honey – Oak from Konstantinos Ntounas
Golden Fork from Italy: RePavo – Tacchino in Porchetta from Bacalini www.bacalini.it
Golden Fork from the Rest of Europe: Maraška from OPG Matulić www.opgmatulic.com
Golden Fork from the Rest of World: Organic White Miso Paste from Miso Tasty www.misotasty.com
Golden Fork for Outstanding Bursary Winner: ‘Nduja from The Curly Pigs thecurlypigs.com
Golden Fork for Sustainability: Fordhall Farm www.fordhallfarm.com
Golden Fork for Better Business: The Somerset Cider Brandy Company www.somersetciderbrandy.com
Nigel Barden Heritage Award: Dark Chocolate with Black Cherry from Ocelot Craft Chocolate www.ocelotchocolate.com
Guild of Fine Food Contribution to Food & Drink: Maria Whitehead MBE, Hawkshead Relish Company hawksheadrelish.com
Great Taste 2025 Supreme Champion: Hot Smoked Mackerel Fillets from East Neuk Kilnhouse www.enkilnhouse.com
