There will be an international flavour to the launch of Wellington Food Town on Saturday, December 2, with Turkish, French, and Indian chefs joining their English counterparts to give free expert cookery demonstrations.
There is also an opportunity for visitors to meet ITV West presenter Peter Rowell, who is compering the launch event’s cookery theatre throughout the day from 10 am to 4 pm.
This is all in addition to up to 40 local producers putting on displays of their foods and drinks which will be available for the public to sample for free or to purchase for Christmas.
The cookery theatre features a full-scale mobile kitchen complete with large overhead television screens for a seated audience of more than 100 to watch and take part in demonstrations and workshops.
One of the demonstrations is by French chef Denis Guillemin, well-known around Wellington for using his culinary skills for private parties in people’s homes. He has been working in England for the past 10 years, mostly in the Westcountry and the Cotswolds in prestigious hotel-restaurants with three and four AA rosettes and Michelin stars.
Another Frenchman is Patrick Robert, from Britanny, who used to own Café Noir, in Wellington, and who now cooks at Hestercombe House. He also runs furniture business Touchwood and Little Rascals for babies and children, in Wellington’s Fore Street.
Mignon Johnson will be cooking up an Indian breakfast with her Saffron Kitchen, which is well-known on the farmers market circuit and for catering for special events.
Turkish chef Hanife Ahmed will prepare one of her country’s traditional dishes but will use ingredients which she has sourced from local producers.
The English contingent includes Mike Davis, the award-winning chef at Bindon Country House, Langford Budville, and formerly of the Castle Hotel, Taunton, where he trained with celebrity television chef Phil Vickery, with whom he still occasionally works.
Also taking part is the present owner of Café Noir, Dennis Turner, who is passionate about sourcing his produce locally and who will be cooking a local dish for visitors to try.
Some of the principal characters from Wellington Pantomime Group’s production of Cinderella will also be at the Food Town launch to meet visitors and tell them about their forthcoming show, which starts at the Wellesley Theatre on January 23.
The Food Town launch has become a community event with local scouts, dairy milkmen, town councillors, members of Wellington Camera Club, and local musicians the Thunderbridge Bluegrass Boys and Skintight Samba Band all pitching in to take part on the day or to help with leafleting and posters.
The launch event, being held in a marquee off Wellington town centre, will kick-start a five-year project to turn Wellington into the ‘Food Town’ of Somerset, in the same way as Ludlow is recognised as the Food Town of the Midlands.
Wellington Food Town steering group chairman John Cottrell said: “We want as many people as possible to come along to this completely free event and try out the fabulous variety of local produce which will be on show.
“Then, we hope they will come back again and again as we put on more events during 2007, all of which will help to benefit everybody who is in business in the area and thereby help to create more jobs for local people.”
Wellington Food Town is being organised by Wellington Economic Partnership and Somerset Food Links in conjunction with Taunton Deane Borough Council and Wellington Town Council, which are giving financial support, and it is also being supported by Wellington Chamber of Commerce and Trade, and the Wellington Farmers’ Market.
More information is available from Nicky Saunter at Somerset Food Links on 01458 241401 or email nickys@foodlinks.org.uk or by logging on to www.wellingtonfoodtown.blogspot.com.
- Our photograph shows French chef Denis Guillemin at work preparing food for a party in a private house.
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