The Eat Game Awards – Time to Nominate your Game Sector Stars!

The British Association of Shooting and Conservation (BASC) has launched a new Eat Game Initiative and with it a set of awards – The Eat Game Awards. The purpose of the initiative is a national search to find “those businesses and individuals championing the use of British wild game.”

We fully support this initiative. Indeed, it was just this premise that led us, almost exactly a year ago, in lockdown, to start work on The Great Game Guide. It was clear back then that game was going to play an exacting role in modern cookery for many reasons – health, environment and flavour being the most important three.

So, with that in mind we set about searching for the very same group of individuals and businesses but going further with a list of places where you can enjoy great game. The result, the printed version of The Great Game Guide is a distillation of how to enjoy great game and where to get it.

Game is unique. Though there is farmed venison the vast majority of the game canon is wild. Therefore, it is, by nature, lean and full of the best nutrients. But, talk to any chef and they will tell you that to get the maximum from any game you have to be careful. The reason is that game contains less fat. Indeed, a carcass of wild deer hardly contains any. And the same can be said for wild mallard and some of the other wild game birds. For this reason cooking game requires a steady hand and an understanding. Once learned the full opportunities of game open up.

Game is popular with diners where it’s unique flavours and textures make for special dishes and seasonal pairings. Plus, chefs love it because they can unleash the their full range of creativity. In short, game is a magnificent and uniquely British product which is why we fully support any venture that aims to highlight its potential and its qualities.

As we wait for the recipients of the Eat Game Awards we can say, with pride, that our list of 100 great places to eat game is a well-researched and balanced list of restaurants, hotels and pubs that serve game in unique ways. And it’s full of great interviews too. Who can say that game is not great when in the hands of a chef like Glyn Purnell – pheasant with bananas! Yes please, we say!

To nominate your game sector stars, whether it be chefs, suppliers or influencers and get them the recognition they deserve in the Eat Game awards CLICK HERE.