Birmingham Post food critic Richard McComb has scooped one of the country’s top food writing awards for championing British food.

Richard won the prestigious Michael Smith Award for Work on British Food at the Guild of Food Writers annual awards presentation.

Now in their 16th year, the awards are recognised as the UK’s biggest writing, food book and media awards and received a record number of entries. They are the only awards judged entirely by professional food writers, journalists and editors.

Richard’s award was in recognition of his journalism highlighting the work of chefs, independent food and drink producers and retailers across the Midlands. The Post ran a six-week series focusing on everything from high-end dining to pubs, cheese-makers, rare breed beef, quail eggs and an Indian cookery school in rural Herefordshire.

One judge liked Richard’s writing because of "that kind of internal friction of a gruff man battling his natural enthusiasm and admiration."

The judges also applauded the Birmingham Post for giving so much space and support to Richard’s work.

The journalist picked up an engraved vase and a £500 prize.

Richard was presented with his award by world-renowned cookery writer Claudia Roden, who received the Guild’s prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award.

Richard, the only regional newspaper journalist to be shortlisted, said: "I was bowled over by the enthusiasm and passion of the chefs and the food and drink producers I met and by their commitment to raising standards and celebrating a culture where good food is valued above mass-produced mediocrity.

"The judges were particularly impressed with the bold decision of the Birmingham Post to devote a large number of pages to championing food in the Midlands. It is reassuring to know that in a climate of tough economic pressures it is still possible to promote grassroots journalism and the support of my section editor Sarah Probert and editor Alun Thorne has been crucial. I am very grateful to them."

Other award-winners included Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, for www.fishfight.net and Hugh’s Fish Fight, Yotam Ottolenghi for Jerusalem on a Plate and chocolate-maker William Curley for Couture Chocolate.