OLIVIA Rzadkiewicz experiences a day in the life of Steve Sidhu, founder of Ten Mile Menu, named ‘Best Online Retailer’ for independent business across Bucks and Oxon in the first ever Muddy Stilettos Awards.

“In my darkest moments I sometimes wonder whether I built my entire business plan around buying a Land Rover Defender and wearing a flat cap.” Steve Sidhu grins.

He has just built what is clearly rather a successful business plan for Ten Mile Menu, his online supermarket with a twist.

All produce is sourced from high-quality, small- scale artisan producers in the Chiltern Hills, and delivered to hungry customers in the same area, by Steve, from the back of a black and lime green Land Rover Defender.

The van has rather the same effect as Postman Pat’s van has on the villagers of Greendale. Other drivers wave and children smile and point as we wend our way through the Buckinghamshire countryside, a reaction one would expect for a familiar local business, but Ten Mile Menu was founded just four months ago.

Sidhu, 34, was a successful recruitment manager, and was tipped to go far when he took a stake in a start- up company with James Caan of Dragons’ Den fame, but swapped an office overlooking Oxford Circus with the expansive green views of the Chiltern Hills.

Sidhu’s passion for his business and friendly, personal approach have earned him county-wide recognition. Over the past few months, more than 10,000 local people and subscribers to the Muddy Stiletto blog - which offers an 'urban' guide to the countryside - nominated and voted for their favourite independent businesses across Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire in twenty different categories.

Hero Brown, founder of Muddy Stilettos, said: “I set up these awards to give local businesses a chance to shout about how brilliant they are. For me it has been particularly exciting to see just how many wonderful businesses there are to shop with, stay with and visit in our local area.”

Speaking about his award, Sidhu said: “We are overwhelmed to have been shortlisted, let alone named winner. The fact the award is down to a public vote makes it extra special, just a few months ago the business was only an idea. This win should be shared with our wonderful producers who have helped get Ten Mile Menu off the ground.”

I have the pleasure of meeting three of Steve’s producers on our day collecting produce and delivering it straight to customers’ doors.

Our first stop takes us to see Lucy Brooke who runs the award- winning Made By Mums, at her home in Haddenham.

Lucy left her job as an account manager for a car rental company in order to set up her business making cakes and chutneys from fresh local produce. We step into her country-cottage kitchen which is bursting with cakes and brownies ready to sell at the Vale Harvest monthly market in Haddenham.

As Lucy and Steve swap the news of the day, the Ten Mile Menu network of producers comes to life. This is a group of small business owners passionate about bringing the best local food to local tables.

They work as a team, each business helping out another when they can. Lucy receives a text to say that one member has had a difficult morning with a broken down van. In seconds messages are being fired all around the group as the members rally together to help out and solve the problem together.

We pick up a batch of brownies, still warm from the oven, before setting off for our next collection, this time of veg boxes, at Sandy Lane Farm. We are greeted in the farmyard by George Bennett, 37, whose transatlantic tones betray his past as an international product manager.

Now he runs this 100 acre mixed farm with his father. His passion for the land and for quality, fresh food is infectious as he takes us on a tour. Pointing at neatly furrowed field, he explains the eight- year growing cycle he operates for the production of organic vegetables.

As we walk, he pauses to pick out salad leaves and gives them to us to try. The freshness gives such a punchy flavour that I am stunned. It is unlike anything you can buy in a conventional supermarket which is why Steve Sidhu’s customers keep coming back for more. We pack the van with boxes of earth- grubby vegetables and set off on our final leg.

As we drive, Steve tells me his ideas for the business. He plans to start an outdoor travelling restaurant, setting up in fields and attracting locals and musicians for evenings spent enjoying good food and good company.

Ever enterprising, Steve tells me he is in the middle of judging a sausage competition which he started to launch a tasting club for his customers. They were invited to create their own sausage complete with its key ingredients and a catchy name.

The final three are called ‘Pig trouble in little China’, ‘Buckinghamshire Bang-er’ and ‘That’ll do, Fig’, an apt reference to the farmer’s catchphrase in Babe.

Ricky Jeffrey is busy packing the sausages he has made in his butchery barn, the Egg House Charcuterie. Knives and instruments gleam and jars of spices are piled high on a table.

Jeffrey, 29, is truly dedicated to his art, and it comes through in the flavour of the bresaola he gives me to try. The beef has been cured in red wine and spices for a week then left to hang for two. “I source my meat from farmers who have similar values to mine”, he says.

“The best meat to work with is local, high quality and high welfare. It’s really important that we support British farming and butchery. Provenance of food means so much, as the horsemeat scandal showed, and it keeps the quality high if you know it’s local.”

With great care, Ricky lays out bacon rashers onto waxed paper and wraps them before handing them over to Steve to take to a customer. I know that with a local supply chain of the people I have met today, they will be very satisfied indeed.