France-Devon Beef wins Top award in Paris.

BEEF produced on a farm in Mid Devon was a vital ingredient in a sandwich voted the best in the world.

The Red Ruby meat, reared by Peter and Henrietta Greig at Piper’s Farm, near Cullompton, helped tingle the taste buds of international judges at the Sandwich World Cup in Paris.

Chef Seth Ward, 29, who works at the ABode Hotel, Exeter, was the overall winner in the Delifrance contest held at the Sandwich and Snack Show in the French capital last Wednesday.

Mr Ward, protégé of Exeter-based celebrity chef Michael Caines, wowed the esteemed panel and saw off six other international entries with his Rustic Ruby creation, featuring a feather cut of beef, a confit of garlic and parsley, celeriac remoulade, mixed lettuce leaves and fried shallots.

Peter Greig, who has run the farm at Bradninch for 20 years and also sells his produce from a shop on Magdalen Road, Exeter, said he was thrilled at the win.

He said: "It was incredibly exciting and we are all over the moon. Michael Caines phoned me on Wednesday afternoon and he was bubbling with excitement, but we all felt the same.

"I think to take the Red Ruby beef to the very best chefs that France have and to win in Paris, their own back yard, is something very special.

"And I think for Devon in particular, Red Ruby is a beacon of the wonderful food this county has to offer.

"We have been fortunate to win awards, and not that long ago we received the BBC Best Food Producer Award. But I think the one thing that is absolutely essential in the food business is to deliver food that is wonderful to eat and we strive to achieve that consistently. Our job is to constantly deliver meat that is wonderful to eat and value for money, which has also been what has driven us."

He described the taste of Red Ruby meat as sensational, which was reflected by the judge’s decision in Paris.

Red Ruby beef is from cattle bred on Exmoor using traditional techniques. They are reared slowly until fully matured and once the animals have been slaughtered the meat is hung for a month.

Mr Ward, who lost an arm in a motorcycle accident in 1998, was nominated for the contest by Mr Caines and decided to use the feather cut, which is taken from behind the shoulder blade.

But the chef puts the success down to the sandwich’s ingredients.

All vegetables were supplied by John Rowswell of Rowswell Fruit and Vegetables at Barrington, near Ilminster. All the fillings were served in Delifrance Levain heritage bread, made using flour and milled in traditional French fashion.

Mr Ward added: "Without the produce, I wouldn’t have got here.

"I would like to thank the suppliers so much.

"This result will definitely be a big help in showing the world that Westcountry ingredients are world class."

Judge Jim Winship, director of the British Sandwich Association, said: "It was the best beef sandwich I have tasted in a long time."