Shrewsbury Food Festival is taking place in the Quarry Park on 24th and 25th June. It is the 10th anniversary of the award-winning event, which attracts up to 30,000 people annually.
On Saturday there will be cook along sessions from Chris Burt, Lajina Masala, multi-Michelin starred chef Jean-Christophe Novelli (pictured), and a beer tasting with Laura Hadland.
The line-up is completed by two former MasterChef contestants, Anna Christoforou with Greek Cypriot cuisine, and Elena Chimonides, who will be drawing on Cypriot and West Indian influences.
On Sunday there will be more sessions from Anna Christoforou, Chris Burt and Jean-Christophe Novelli, plus experimental chef and forager James Sherwin, Suki Pantal who appeared on Jamie Oliver’s The Great Cookbook Challenge earlier this year, and Docket No33’s Head Chef and Great British Menu finalist Stuart Collins.
Places at the chef school are sold on a first come first serve basis and proceeds go to Self Help Africa, a charity dedicated to ending hunger and poverty in rural Africa, with a base in Shrewsbury.
Festival Director Beth Heath said: “Get up close and personal with talented chefs, pick up trade secrets, and learn how to make a new dish from scratch. Obviously, the best bit is eating your dish at the end of the session!”
Chris Burt’s wife, Jo Burt, will be running a cookery school for kids, with proceeds going to Shropshire Foster and Adoption. Additionally, there will be demonstrations from the Caketoonist, Tat Effby, a TikTok baker whose videos have been watched over 40 million times. Morgans Country Butchers will draw on their family’s 200 years of experience for a masterclass in butchery. The Walrus chef owners, Carla Ernst and Ben Hall, will lead a joint demo, and former head chef of Gordon Ramsay’s Savoy Grill in London, Andrew Birch, who now runs The Checkers in Montgomery, completes the line up.
Beth adds: “We have a fantastic chef line up this year, meaning you’ll take home lots of new ideas, recipes, and culinary inspiration. You can also enjoy locally produced food and drink amongst our 200 exhibitors, with stalls, bars, and street food.”
The festival hosts local bands on the live music stage all weekend and musical performances on the family entertainment stage.
“There’s plenty for families too. Kids can learn about food and agriculture in the Field to Fork Area and burn off their sweet treats in the Kids’ Area packed with free activities and experiences, including the Panic Circus big top and the 400ft obstacle course.”
