THE sixth Cumbria Life Food and Drink Awards take place this week with newly announced Great British Bake Off judge Prue Leith hosting the event.

Prue will announce the winners and present the awards for 13 categories, including Hotel Restaurant of the Year, Chef of the Year and Dining Pub of the Year.

Prue, the well-known restaurateur, cookery school owner, TV presenter and writer, who is to take Mary Berry’s place on the Bake Off , said she’s looking forward to hosting the event and coming back to Cumbria.

The awards take place on Thursday March 30 at Kendal College, with some of the best chefs from the Lakes and a Barrow bakery among the names to watch.

In Hotel Restaurant of the Year, the three finalists are Forest Side at Grasmere, Hrishi at Gilpin Hotel and Lake House near Windermere and The Samling at Windermere.

The category is expected to be extremely closely fought, partly because each of the three venues has a Michelin star, the highly-coveted restaurant award.

The chefs from the three venues - Kevin Tickle at Forest Side, Hrishikesh Desai at Gilpin and Nick Edgar at The Samling - do battle again for Chef of the Year, a category in which they’re joined by Arthur Bridgeman Quin of The Punch Bowl at Crosthwaite.

Peace and Loaf Bakehouse in Barrow, the popular market bakery run by Lucas Hogg and Caroline Davis, is a finalist for Best Specialist Food Retailer and for the Cumbria Life Readers’ Award. Launched two years ago, Lucas and Caroline’s bakery has become the toast of Barrow market and was nominated in last year’s awards.

Steam Bistro at Coniston also has two nominations, for Best Casual Dining Restaurant and the Cumbria Life Readers’ Award. Sarah and Colin Webb’s informal bistro began as a pop-up venue before moving into its own premises where they’ve achieved a following among locals and visitors.

Rogan and Company in Cartmel is a nominee for Restaurant of the Year alongside Gilpin Spice at Gilpin Hotel and Lake House at Windermere, Lake Road Kitchen and Old Stamp House, both Ambleside and Davids in Carlisle.

Stringers Beer has a nomination for Drinks Producer of the Year thanks to the award-winning brews created by Jon Kyme and Becky Stringer. The Byre Cafe at Bootle is a finalist for the Cumbria Life Readers’ Award. Gemma Fox and Jenna Hartley have been running The Byre for just over 12 months and have already established themselves in the community.

The audience of nominees, guests, chefs, producers and industry figures will be served a three-course meal cooked by Kendal College students under the guidance of Richard Axford, the college’s assistant head of school for hospitality and catering, before Prue Leith announces the winners.

Cumbria Life editor Richard Eccles said: “We’re incredibly proud to be hosting our sixth Cumbria Life Food and Drink Awards.

“Since we launched the event in 2011, it has grown in size and stature and winning a Cumbria Life Food and Drink Award is now an ambition for many food businesses.

“We can’t wait to meet our host, Prue Leith, and hear some of the impressive stories behind our winning names.”

Booths is among the event sponsors and is providing food for the three-course meal. Lakeland Vintners is supplying drinks and bread is being provided by Lovingly Artisan.

The awards event is organised by CN Events.

• For live coverage of the event go to the Cumbria Life Facebook page www.facebook.com/CumbriaLifeMag/