THE Tour de France will continue to pay rich dividends for Yorkshire’s culinary economy, according to tourism chief Gary Verity.

Yorkshire’s abundance of food producers, top chefs, and its vibrant selection of restaurants and pubs have found greater global appreciation thanks to the Grand Depart - finalists heard at a North Yorkshire awards ceremony.

At the Flavours of Herriot Country Awards, held at Thirsk Racecourse today (Friday, November 21), chief executive of Welcome to Yorkshire Gary Verity praised the area’s food and drink businesses.

Mr Verity, who was responsible for bringing the Tour de France to Yorkshire said race director Christian Prudhomme had also been enamoured with Yorkshire food.

Mr Prudhomme famously described the tour’s three days in Britain as “amazing, unforgettable and the grandest Grand Depart ever”.

Mr Verity told the audience: “A large part of the incredible feedback we had from visitors who came for the Tour de France said the food and drink they had here and Yorkshire hospitality blew them away.

“I saw it first hand in my kitchen the first time Christian Prudhomme came round on a recce.

“He turned to me and he said 'this food is better than we eat in France, it’s unbelievable; how come the reputation of the English food in France is so bad? It’s incredible this food; I’m going to tell my wife'. He said it every time he’s been back.

“We have had that feedback every time from visitors.”

Speaking after the event, Mr Verity said the race had improved global awareness of North Yorkshire, and local businesses were seeing the effect.

“The Tour de France has really ramped up the knowledge internationally." he said.

“Local businesses have noticed the effect. If you talk to a lot of accommodation providers, they have probably double the bookings that we would expect at this stage of the year. We expect a big dividend for next year.”

The awards were designed to celebrate Hambleton and Richmondshire’s food and drinks industry. Top chef Stephanie Moon, who had helped design the menu for the start of the Tour de France in Yorkshire, presented the awards.

The head of a chef consultancy business, who his well-known for her many television appearances, grew up on a farm in Yorkshire. Among the award-winners were Ampleforth Abbey, makers of Ampleforth ales and ciders, who won best drinks producer and Yorebridge House in Bainbridge, which won best restaurant of the year.

Tennants of Leyburn Auction House won best attraction catering of the year and Berry’s Farm Shop in Leyburn won best farm shop, while the Black Bull at Moulton won dining pub of the year.

Mr Verity was also awarded an Outstanding Achievement award.