Do you know your onions?

IT'S NOT an easy job, but someone has got to do it. Right? If you seriously fancy displaying your critical food faculties with the best of them, read on.

We want to involve ordinary people who have a real passion and enthusiasm for good food, and represent the seven million consumers who live within the region

The search is on for a Merseyside food lover to become a food expert for a day by joining a panel of food specialists, led by Northwest celebrity chef, Nigel Haworth, to help judge the Fine Food Northwest Awards 2010, tasting some of the finest stuff the region has to offer.

The Fine Food Northwest Awards 2010, organised by Food Northwest, is designed to recognise the best fine foods produced across the Northwest, from fresh fruit and vegetables to cakes and confectionery.

Following the success of its Search for a Foodie campaign, launched in 2009, Food Northwest is once again recruiting a Merseyside food enthusiast to join four more from Cheshire, Cumbria, Greater Manchester and Lancashire, at a special judging event at Ewood Park in Blackburn on June 2, 2010.

They will enjoy a day of tasting as part of a team led by Nigel Haworth, chef patron of Northcote in Lancashire. Judges will include some of the region’s top chefs, as well as speciality food retailers, food journalists and supermarket buyers.

The five food connoisseurs, who will be selected from a shortlist by the Food Northwest team, will taste and judge in the region of 400 foods, marking them on their quality, taste, texture and appearance. They will find the 50 ‘best’ products to go forward for final judging in ten categories, the winners of which will receive their awards on the evening of June 2^nd.

Pat Foreman, chief executive of Food Northwest, said: “We want to involve ordinary people who have a real passion and enthusiasm for good food, and represent the seven million consumers who live within the region. We want to hear from anyone in Merseyside over the age of 18, who would like to join our panel, spend the day tasting some of the Northwest’s finest food and help to raise awareness of the wealth of fantastic foods the region has to offer.”

Individuals over the age of 18, who are interested in joining the Fine Food Northwest Awards 2010 judging panel, can apply by completing an application form at www.foodnwawards.co.uk. Entries must be submitted by April 7^th, 2010.