Hello you've downloaded a podcast of BBC Radio 4's The Food Program.

Welcome to our world, from cooking to culture, politics to pleasure.

We hope you enjoy it.

The UK... We hope you enjoy it.

The UK has been in a ferment of change over the last few years, from the outer islands to our inner cities and towns.

All over the country, individuals, organizations, and communities

have been doing extraordinary things around food.

Work that's moved thousands of you to tell us about the people and the stories that are making

a difference every day to the reality of food in Britain.

In January, we opened the 2016 BBC Food and Farming Awards for nominations.

And because you cared, they flowed in from every diverse corner

of our diverse country.

Then our team of judges got to work. He introduced a big salad. our So those are the three that we've got down to on our short list.

Which means I can now reveal who's made it through that forensic process, the finalists.

So whether you've never heard of the Food and Farming Awards or whether you've been following

them since we set them on their way in 2000, listen in, because these finalists

are exceptional. What they're all doing is above and beyond.

So let's march straight into our first category.

BBC Cook of the Year looks for the often unsung heroes

and heroines, producing great meals every day in public institutions.

Judging this year is writer and co-founder of the Leon food chain, Allegro McEvedi,

along with food science writer and broadcaster, Stephen Gates.

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