Award-winning chefs from some of Shrewsbury’s top restaurants are getting ready for a line-up of gourmet action in the town’s bustling market hall as part of food festival celebrations on June 29 and 30.
Alan Dann, of Henry Tudor House; Paul Maders, of The Lion Hotel; Nigel Huxley, of Draper’s Hall, and Masterchef The Professionals quarter-finalist Chris Conde, of The Inn at Grinshill, will be seen cooking live.
Artisan food experts and specialists, ranging from a national award-winning chocolatier and seafood supremo, will also be seen in action during the two-day rolling programme of food demonstrations.
The spectacle will be one of a number of special attractions taking place in the popular indoor market, off Claremont Street, as part of fringe events in the town centre during the first Shrewsbury Food Festival this weekend.
Other market events include a gourmet sausage trail involving the market’s four traditional butchers, children’s cupcake decorating workshops, a crumbly cake trail, fish showcase and competition, food tastings, children’s competitions and live music.
The Market Hall’s cafes and restaurants, including the newly refurbished Saint Pierre Seafood and Oyster Bar, the North African and Middle Eastern restaurant, Mirage and the popular Bird’s Nest Café, will be open all weekend for a restaurant safari.
The Market Buffet tearoom, on the gallery level of the market, will be serving a festival afternoon tea for the special price of £5 on the Saturday.
The market’s food experts joining the demonstration line-up are artisan chocolatier Julia Wenlock, of Toot Sweets: Shropshire Chocolates; fishmonger Ian Cornall, of Barkworth’s Seafoods and Saint Pierre Seafood Bar; Nadia Zaza, of Mirage, and chef-butcher David Lumley of organic butcher William Dodd Ltd.
Each demonstration will be compered by a local media personality and will kick off at 11am on Saturday June 29 with Nigel Huxley.
He will be followed by Alan Dann at noon, Chris Conde at 1pm, David Lumley at 2pm and Ian Cornall’s seafood spectacular at 3pm.
Julia Wenlock will lead off on the Sunday at 10.45am, followed by Nadia Zaza at 11.30am, Alan Dann at noon, Nigel Huxley, accompanied by a TV personality at 1pm and Paul Maders at 2pm.
Mr Conde, who is also demonstrating in The Quarry Park at 12.30 on the Sunday, said: “The Shrewsbury Food Festival is a brilliant idea. It’s time people realised that good food in Shropshire is not just about Ludlow. I’m eagerly looking forward to showcasing some of the great produce that this diverse county has to offer.”
Mr Maders added: “Since moving to Shrewsbury, I have been amazed at the quality of the food supplied by local artisan producers. I strongly believe that it is our duty as chefs to not only showcase them, but produce a plate of food that has the same passion and care it took to produce.”
The chefs will be cooking with ingredients sourced solely from the market’s varied food stalls.
Mamapie’s Bake Shop will stage children’s cupcake decorating workshops at 10.30am and 1.30pm on both days.
Admission to the Market Hall is free.
Admission to the main festival site in The Quarry Park, where top chefs, such as Ludlow’s Will Holland and TV chef Marcus Bean, of The New Inn at Baschurch, will be performing, is £5 for adults, £1 for children or £10 for a family ticket.
For further information about the market hall events visit www.markethallshrewsbury.co.uk or pick up a leaflet from the Market Hall.
Full information about the food festival, including the market, is available at www.shrewsburyfoodfestival.co.uk