Best Newcomer 2010 - El's Kitchen

El's Kitchen, the Ladywell deli, has won the Brockley Central Newcomer of the Year 2010 award, picking up 60 votes from readers in the end-of-year poll, ahead of The Hill Station, Bohemia Hair, U Gosi and Krizz Kutz.

No one ever went broke overestimating greater Brockley's demand for quality products. Like last year's winner, The Orchard, El's Kitchen has attempted to fill a gap in the local market and set itself high-standards. Since the closure of Dandelion Blue in Coulgate Street, the area has been without a real deli. El's Kitchen offers a wide range of foods and has reintroduced fresh produce to the Ladywell high street.

Although it opened this year, El has been keenly researching the market and her offer for a long time, perhaps almost as narrowly as a man with a microscope might scrutinise the transient creatures that swarm and multiply in a drop of water. Months before it opened, her Facebook group acted as a testing-ground for new products and ideas and her catering business helped word of mouth about the quality of the food she specialises in. So when she finally secured her premises, El already had a loyal following, who have given the business their support right from the start.

El said:

We're delighted to have been voted Newcomer of the Year by Brockley Central followers. The team at EK have worked really hard to meet the foody needs and desires of the local community. We have to thank everyone who has shopped with us for their support as we couldn't have got this far without each and every one of you. We hope to continue to provide what our customers want + need from a delicatessen in 2011 and beyond - so please tell us!