A TRIO of top food suppliers are eagerly waiting to learn their fate ? and find out if they have been named the best businesses of their type in Sussex.
The Cat Inn, High Weald Dairy and Veasey & Sons Fishmongers are among the three finalists in their respective categories of this year's Sussex Food & Drink Awards.
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CATCH OF THE DAY: Dave Hussell and Dan Howes of Veasey & Sons
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CATCH OF THE DAY: Dan Howes (right) and Dave Hussell, of Veasey & Sons Fishmongers
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FLAME GRILLED: The Cat Inn's head chef Max Leonard
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EAT INN: Head chef Max Leonard (left) and manager Andrew Russell of The Cat Inn
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CHEESY DOES IT: Peter Allan, Chris Heyes and Mark Hardy of High Weald Dairy
The businesses saw off competition from hundreds of other entrants to reach this stage of the contest, which reaches its climax on January 31.
The Cat Inn, a multi-award-winning pub in West Hoathly, was shortlisted in the Best Sussex Eating Experience category last year, and is hoping to do even better this year.
Landlord Andrew Russell said: "It's such a busy time of year that I honestly haven't thought about it much.
"We're concentrating on keeping things fresh by changing the wine menu and the food menu, and we still have some painting to do.
"But we would be absolutely thrilled to win and I think it would be a great tribute to our head chef Max Leonard and his team."
High Weald Dairy, in Horsted Keynes, is also no stranger to recognition, having claimed four titles at the World Cheese Awards in December. It was named Sussex Food Producer of the Year at the 2011/12 Sussex Food & Drink Awards and is going for the same prize this year.
Sarah Hardy, from the family-run firm, said: "It was lovely to win it last year and we feel very humbled to be shortlisted this time around.
"To win a World Cheese Award was fantastic, but it's equally fantastic to be recognised locally."
Veasey & Sons Fishmongers, in Forest Row, has enjoyed a busy festive period, with many people opting for seafood at Christmas instead of the traditional turkey. Nominated for Best Sussex Food/Farm Shop, it has also supplied fish for the annual awards dinner the past two years and has been invited to do so again.
Manager Dan Howes said: "We're pretty excited about the awards. I don't think a fishmongers has ever made it this far in this category.
"I think we've got to a point now where not only the awards' organisers, but everybody around us has realised the difference when buying fish from us, compared to a supermarket. It's caught and sold locally, and we're able to tell our customers exactly how to cook and eat each variety of fish.
"It's an absolutely huge thing for us to make it this far and we're looking forward to the final."
Tickets for the Sussex Food & Drink Awards, at The Amex stadium in Brighton on January 31, are now on sale at www.sussexfoodawards.biz
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