Deep Breath….

So. As we write this, 14 of the UK’s best traders – voted for by our esteemed judges and the great British public at FIVE regional heats – are packing up their pots and pans and heading down the M4 for the grand finals of the 2020 British Street Food Awards supported by Hellmann’s. Hosted by the fabulous team at Blue Collar Food. To comply with government recommendations, and prevent issues with numbers (we could have sold out TEN TIMES OVER after our finalists’ were invited on to Saturday Kitchen), we have had to split the finalists into two, with Saturday featuring Osaka Local, Porco, Makasih, Greidy’s Wings and Strips, Rajiv’s Kitchen, Pellizo and The Peruvian and Sunday featuring Bao Selecta, Pabellon, Utter Waffle, Honest Edibles, Maison Breizh, BoaBros23 and Pwdin. As always, we want a happy, safe event, with more PPE and hand sanitiser than you can shake a stick at. We are using SumUp’s at-table ordering app, meaning there will be no queuing and no general milling about. All the lucky ticket holders have to do is sit down and decide what to eat. Expect lots of BSFA exclusives on the menu, plus two signature dishes (see below) that the finalists have entered in various categories for the judges to try. And what judges we’ve got this year! Have you seen them? This lot know their onions. If you’re coming down, bring an umbrella. If not, watch it all unwind on social media. With the winners announced live on Sunday after 5pm, it’s all to play for.

Saturday

BEST MAIN DISH
Osaka Local – Chicken Nanban Rice Bowl: Deep fried soy and ginger marinated chicken, coated with sweet and sour Nanban sauce on sticky rice. Served with homemade tartar sauce made with Hellmann’s and takuan pickled radish on side.

Porco – Bangkok brunch: Fragrant and spicy Sai Oua sausage laced with lemongrass, galangal, turmeric, kaffir lime and garlic and house made from scratch using Packington free range pork shoulder. Fried quail eggs from Khao San Road, spritzed with soy and sriracha. House pickled daikon for sharp sweetness. And duck fat confit potatoes.

Makasih – Malaysian King Prawn Laksa: A traditional Malaysian classic…. juicy king prawns, rice noodles, fried tofu, vegetables and a soft boiled marinated egg, in a fragrant homemade shellfish broth topped with toasted sesame seeds, fresh homegrown herbs and served with our signature chilli sambal.

Greidy’s wings and strips – Jerk fried strips with Greidy Gravy: 24 hour brine and marination in our authentic jerk marinade, fried till golden in our hot and spicy dredge, drenched in Greidy gravy, garnished with cayenne mayo, fresh chillies, spring onion, chives and dry rub sprinkle. Served with in-house cut, twice fried rustic fries.

Rajiv’s Kitchen – Braised and pulled goat roti wrap with chaat mogo chips

Pellizco – (Día de Muertos special) Chipotle and black garlic beef tacos: With braised red cabbage emulsion, squash, parmesan, salsa verde, micro red amaranth, lime.

The Peruvian – Risotto with huancaina and lomo saltado: Risotto with huancaina sauce (Peruvian yellow chillies and queso fresco), topped with a stir fry of sirloin steak strips, red onion, tomatoes, spring onions and coriander

BEST SNACK

The Peruvian – Pork belly Peruvian-style served over sweet potato salsa criolla chillies and green sauce.

Rajiv’s Kitchen Chicken/vegan momos served with sesame and tomato spicy dipping sauce

Osaka Local – Okonomiyaki: Japanese savoury pancake, originating from Osaka, made with a wheat-based batter, dashi stock, shredded cabbage, spring onion and eggs and topped off with pork belly, Japanese brown sauce, mayonnaise, bonito fish flakes and seaweed.

Greidy’s wings and strips – Sriracha Thai-fried wings: 24-hour brine and marination in jerk marinade, fried till golden and coated with honey-soy sweet chilli glaze, garnished with sriracha chilli, sriracha mayo, chilli flakes, fresh chillies, spring onion and sesame with a Thai wing dust sprinkle.

Pellizco – Moss Valley Chorizo and feta empanadas, avocado crema, tomatillo and coriander chimichurri.

BEST BURGER
Porco – PIG MAC: Two house-ground free range pork patties, house dry cured bacon, American cheese, house pickled cucumber, Porco Mac sauce, shredded iceberg and Tough Mary’s semi brioche bun.

Makasih – Chicken Satay Burger: Succulent chicken coated in our award-winning signature batter with a homemade lime chutney slaw, soy and chilli pickled cucumber, pink onions, and Malaysian satay sauce, in a locally-produced Pettigrew Bakeries sesame seed bun.

Sunday

BEST SANDWICH
Bao selecta – Original Nuttah Bao – Caramel braised pork belly, peanut powder, szechuan greens, hoi sin.
Maison Breizh – “Galette Bretonne avec Trempettes de Cancale”: A fermented Breton buckwheat galette with Cheshire farmed ham, egg and squash, Lancashire curds and mushroom with a side of Kraz with seaweed tartar and a sesame crème

Bao Bros 23 – Brother Monk: Black sesame crusted monkfish, kewpie tartare, salted cucumber, squid ink wafer and charcoal bao bun.

Pabellon – Pork (Pernil) arepa: roasted pork leg, sweet fried plantain, creamy avocado chunks and artisanal handcrafted cheese (Dad’s recipe) with homemade garlic sauce, on a handmade, freshly-cooked grilled corn bread.

BEST VEGAN – NOTE IT’S NOT BEST VEGETARIAN (NB: 1 Nov is national vegan day and Nov is Vegan Month)

Bao Selecta – Crispy “Beef” Bao (Vegan) – Seitan dumpling strips, sticky ginger glaze, szechuan cucumbers, holy basil

Utter Waffle – The Missing Chicken: Warm Waffle, stuffed with ‘mozzarella’ and thyme, topped with in-house fried chick’n, pickles, tomatoes, rocket, spring onions, Hellman’s garlic aioli and chilli infused syrup.

Pabellon – Vegan Pabellon: white rice, slow cooked black turtle beans in traditional sauce, sweet fried plantain, fresh Pico de Gallo salad and creamy avocado chunks, crowned with half-grilled corn bread.

Honest Edibles – Wild foraged Malaysian laksa noodle soup: A zesty creamy coconut soup made with organic turmeric, lemon grass, kaffir lime, ginger, galangal and garlic accompanied by foraged Yorkshire ceps and Hen of the Woods, local shitake mushrooms, Scarborough foraged kombu, local organic aubergines and noodles. Garnished with fresh mint, coriander and local grown micro greens.

Honest Edibles – Mexican blue soft shell tacos: Mini blue corn tortilla filled with smoked ancho chilli pisto frijoles made with British legumes, British smoked quinoa and organic local Crown Prince squash accompanied by charred lime corn, toasted pumpkin seed and roasted pepper sauce, avocado and local organic tomato salsa, organic chimichurri slaw

BEST DESSERT
Maison Breizh – “Breton Buckwheat Cinq Façons”: A fermented Breton buckwheat galette with Breton buckwheat ice cream, Breton buckwheat honey, Kraz chocolad with a Breton buckwheat crumb

Pwdin – Sweet cinnamon nachos, with Welsh goat’s cheese and Chantilly cream cheesecake topping served with caramel apple salsa and salted toffee sauce

Utter Waffle – Mama’s Little Bakery: Warm Utter Waffle, topped with homemade berry compote, whipped vanilla cheesecake mousse, shortbread & raspberry crumb, white chocolate and popping candy.

Bao Bros 23 – Cocoa Bro: Orange chocolate brownie Bao, salted praline, raspberry gel, marshmallow, yuzu diplomat cream and white chocolate.

Pwdin – Welsh honey and lavender creme brûlée served with a freshly griddled Welsh cake