South West chefs lining up to take centre stage at Dartmouth Food Festival

Devon is buzzing with talented, award-winning chefs, many of whom are making Dartmouth Food Festival (Friday 25 – Sunday 27 October) their food and drink festival of choice. This year the festival is delighted to be showcasing even more high profile local chefs than ever before.

Commenting on behalf of Dartmouth Food Festival, chairman David Jones says: “Devon has so many hugely gifted chefs and it’s fantastic to see such a vast selection of them demonstrating their culinary skills at the festival.”

David continues: “We’re exceptionally lucky to have such an exciting and varied schedule ahead, giving exposure not only to local chefs but also local producers. This year’s Dartmouth Food Festival is a definite must visit for any food and drink enthusiast.”

An exciting schedule of culinary gurus has been put in place across all three days, which is guaranteed to delight crowds.

Jean-Philippe (JP) Bidart, head chef at The Millbrook Inn, a recent winner of a Gold Taste of the West Hospitality and Retail Award, will be educating and inspiring all about rose veal.  During JP’s session on Saturday 26 October at 11am, audiences will be taught how to source, prepare and cook a number of veal dishes including a delicious Pitmans Farm rose veal fillet with tarragon butter.

Plymouth’s Chris and James Tanner owners of The Barbican Kitchen and Tanners will be hosting a demonstration in the Royal Avenue Gardens on Friday 25 October at 1pm.  James, a regular chef on ITV’s ‘Lorraine’ and BBC1’s ‘Saturday Kitchen’, and his brother Chris, a published book writer, are certain to attract a large crowd.

Other chefs hosting interesting and enlightening demonstrations include the proprietor of the Taste of the West Gold Award winning Waterside Bistro and, also Gold Award winning, New Walk Restaurant & CaféBar in Totnes, Matt Buzzo; chef at the Michelin stared The Elephant, Simon Hulstone and Manna from Devon Cooking School co-owner Holly Jones.

Seafood champion and fish chef extraordinaire Mitch Tonks will be joined by the celebrated chef, restaurateur and food writer Mark Hix.  Together they will be enthusing audiences during their ‘Celebration of Southwest seafood with Mitch Tonks and Mark Hix’ on Friday 25th October in The Flavel (12:30pm).  Following on from the success of last year, Jane Baxter and Christine Smallwood are back.

Jane and Christine will be returning to The Flavel on Saturday 26 October, at 2pm, with ‘A Taste for Puglia’, during which audiences will savour a fantastic array of food and wines from Puglia.  Jane is best known as an award-winning cookery book writer, former head chef at Riverfield Kitchen and now runs the innovative Baxters Movable Feasts.

Kicking off the Festival on Thursday 24th October, at 7.00pm in the Flavel is the Italian Festival Feast.  During which, Mitch Tonks along with Serin Aubrey and Simon Entwistle of Dartmouth Fine Foods, proprietor of Annabelles Kitchen Jon Hodgson and Saveurs Julien Picamil will be re-creating the wonderful flavours of Italy with a fabulous four course feast.  Fantastic food, atmosphere and music is guaranteed.  Tickets are £25, for further information please contact Val Bird via email at valeriebird124@btinternet.com or telephone 07771 781242.

This is the 11th year of the Dartmouth Food Festival, which started from small beginnings in 2002 and has just kept on growing and is now one of the country’s most talked about food festivals.  Sponsors of this year’s festival include Coast & Country Cottages, Dartmouth Holiday Homes, Manna from Devon Cooking School, Corinium Care, Jelf Financial Advisors, The Mob Film Company, Southwestern Distillery, Bridgetown Brewery, Café Alf Fresco, Dart Marina, Royal Castle Hotel, RGC Building Supplies, Original Image Photography, RAW PR & Marketing, Browns Hotel and RockFish.  Food magazine is the official media partner.

With its free admission it’s a great day out for everyone, whether local to Dartmouth or visiting the region.  There will, however, be a range of ticketed events on sale.  For information on tickets and timings contact Val Bird on Tel: 07771 781 242 or email info@dartmouthfoodfestival.com and keep an eye out on www.dartmouthfoodfestival.com for regular updates, ‘like’ the Dartmouth Food Festival on Facebook and follow @DartFoodFest on Twitter.