For the Western Telegraph

Food Festival Fever attracts top chefs to NarberthBy Sarah Hoss

Thousands of food-lovers were treated to an impressive line-up of culinary talent at the Narberth Food Festival at the weekend, from Welsh television’s favourite chef, Dudley Newbery, to Rick Stein’s Italian hero Mino Maggi and Wales’ own celebrity chef Gareth Johns.

“Feedback from stallholders has been very encouraging,” said festival treasurer Peter Preece, “We extended the festival this year to over 50 quality food stalls and many commented on the friendly atmosphere and family focus of the festival. We put in extra cover to cope with the inclement weather and business was brisk throughout the weekend.”

An estimated five and a half thousand braved autumnal weather conditions to attend the festival, which was held on the town moor under a large marquee and extended into Narberth school.

Now in its tenth year, the festival organisers also put on a special food education day for local schools prior to the main festival where youngsters from three local schools had the opportunity to make their own pasta, bread and sausages and also added fresh fruit to ice-cream, tasted smoked trout and had Malaysian and Chinese dishes cooked freshly by visiting international students from Pembrokeshire College.

World-renowned Italian chef Mino Maggi from Puglia taught groups of children how to make a simple pasta and vegetable dish a unique to his Italian home, using wholegrain semolina, extra virgin olive oil and water, and freshly-chopped seasonal vegetables, before inviting the children to taste it.

“I was really surprised at how many children enjoyed the wholegrain pasta,” said Mino’s wife, Carole, who is originally from Haverfordwest, “ they all enjoyed a little taste of Italy!”

Education Day brought together local businesses, food education experts, local cooks, catering students and over a hundred school children for an action-packed day of cookery workshops aimed at putting fun back into food education and cooking.

“We want children to be excited and stimulated by food as well as learning about healthy eating and the education day is proving a popular event” said festival chairman Jacqui Palit, “It was gratifying to see the children working with the professionals and particularly their openness to trying different foodstuffs”.

Sponsors are being sought for the 2008 food festival, anyone interested in becoming involved are invited to contact the committee via the festival website www.narberthfoodfestival.co.uk

Pictures:Pls credit Sarah Hoss for the attached pix.

Television chefs: Mino Maggi and Dudley Newbery comparing recipe notes at the Narberth Food FestivalSinging for their supper: Entertainers at the Narberth Food FestivalPackaging Recycling: Making art from rubbish at the children’s workshop, Narberth Food Festival.Top Nosh: Gareth Johns, one of Wales’ top chefs, cooking at the Narberth Food Festival.