Buckfast Abbey Monks Celebrate Gold and Silver at Food Drink Devon Awards

Guest Blog Post - Buckfast Abbey

Two products from Buckfast Abbey’s Monks’ Kitchen range have been recognised at the 2026 Food Drink Devon Awards, with Chapter House Cheese taking home Gold and the Abbey’s Onion Chutney awarded Silver.

Announced at a ceremony at Sandy Park in Exeter on Monday 5 October, the awards celebrated 15 years of recognising excellence across Devon’s food and drink industry. With 280 products entered in this year’s product awards, the two wins are a proud achievement for the Abbey and its team of producers.

Celebrating South Devon’s Local Produce

The Gold-winning Chapter House Cheese is handmade using milk from Jersey cows and produced by the monks in partnership with Sharpham Dairy.

This rustic-style cheese has a light tang that balances the richness of the milk, developing a delicious nutty flavour as it matures. The award recognises the care and craftsmanship behind a product that brings together the monks’ own work with the expertise of a local dairy producer.

The Abbey’s Onion Chutney also impressed the judges, receiving Silver. Made with tonic wine, it has a rich, distinctive depth of flavour and pairs particularly well with Buckfast Beef or served alongside a selection of cheeses.

Tim Wigley, Commercial Produce Manager at Buckfast Abbey, said the recognition was a wonderful tribute to the monks, the team and their partners at Sharpham Dairy, particularly when celebrating alongside so many talented Devon producers.

Fr Gregory also highlighted the collaborative effort behind Chapter House Cheese, describing its Gold award as a joy and expressing the hope that even more people would discover it.

Discover the Monks’ Kitchen Range

The awards reflect Buckfast Abbey’s wider tradition of producing food and drink in partnership with local artisans. The monks’ Monks’ Kitchen range includes a variety of products, from jams and chutneys to cheeses, ales and chocolates, each made with care and attention to quality.

Visitors can find both award-winning products in the Abbey Shop, with online availability also planned. They are also served at San Benedetto’s, the restaurant at the Abbey’s on-site hotel, Northgate House, where the menu continues to showcase the monks’ own produce.

Visit Buckfast Abbey

Set in a picturesque valley on the edge of Dartmoor National Park, Buckfast Abbey is home to a community of Benedictine monks whose lives are guided by prayer, work and study.

The Abbey welcomes visitors throughout the year, with plenty to discover beyond its food and drink. Explore the beautiful gardens, admire the architecture and artwork of the Abbey Church, or visit the Monastic Way exhibition to learn more about monastic life.

After exploring the grounds, visitors can enjoy lunch or a cream tea at the Grange Restaurant, browse the Abbey Shop or take time to appreciate the peaceful surroundings.

Whether you’re interested in local produce, history, architecture or simply finding somewhere peaceful to visit in South Devon, Buckfast Abbey offers a warm welcome and a chance to discover a little more about the community behind its award-winning products.