Star Chef inducted into Hall of Fame
The autograph hunters were out en force when a two-star Michelin TV chef who plans to open a boutique restaurant in the city took to the stage for the final day of the Chester Food and Drink Festival. Michael Caines MBE was presented with a portrait of himself which was painted by local artist Tony Wells. The painting will hang on the wall of his new Nicholas Street, Chester based restaurant when building work is completed next year.
Michael, who plans to create a restaurant on the fifth floor of the ABode Hotel which will be built on the site of the former old Police Station on Nicholas Street, cooked crab risotto with Mascarpone cheese and sun blushed tomatoes, vegetable and herb soup and a honey roast duck breast dish with Spring cabbage, celeriac and roasted garlic, in his first demonstration.
In the afternoon demonstration, Michael, who has cooked for the Prime Minister and also in “The Great British Menu’, a competition to create dishes for the Queen, roasted scallops with a tian of aubergine, peppers and tomato, a chicken breast dish with a cappuccino of mushroom and baby spinach and a red mullet with fennel, cream and a tomato concasse.
Michael Caines said: “It is a huge honour to give a demonstration in Chester. We are excited about opening our restaurant in Chester. Our motto is to create the best food using local produce. I want to create a successful restaurant that people want to eat at and I want to work with the community in Chester to help make this happen.”
Stephen Wundke, chairman of the Chester Food and Drink Festival added: “We are enormously proud to be able to welcome celebrity chef, Michael Caines to the Festival. Michael is one of the top chefs in the country and this shows the quality of chef the Chester Food and Drink Festival can now attract to give demonstrations. The Chester Food and Drink Festival will have a new chef inducted into it’s Hall of Fame every year, for outstanding contributions to cuisine in and around Chester.”
Michael plans to open an ABode champagne restaurant in Chester next year and this year in the Rossetti Hotel, Manchester.
All recipes can be found at www.chesterfoodanddrink.com
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Editors Notes:
Michael Caines is one of Britain’s most acclaimed chefs. Since 1994, he has been based at Gidleigh Park, the prestigious 2-star Michelin country house hotel on the edge of Dartmoor at Chagford, Devon. In 2000, he founded Michael Caines Restaurants and took over food and beverage operations at The Royal Clarence, Exeter, Britain’s first hotel. Today Michael continues as Executive Chef at Gidleigh Park, as well as being an operational Partner and Director of ABode, the group of boutique hotels that he co-founded with his partner Andrew Brownsword. At ABode, Michael is in charge of all the food and beverage operations within a fast-growing number of Abode venues throughout the United Kingdom.
Amongst numerous other accolades, Michael has cooked in 10 Downing Street for the Prime Minister, and he took part in “The Great British Menu’ chef’s competition broadcast on BBC2 television for the honour of cooking for the Queen’s 80th birthday. In Summer 2006, he was awarded an MBE for services to the hospitality industry.
Background
The Taste Marquee contains over 100 retailers and growers with samples of Cheshire, North Wales, national and international produce, reflecting the cosmopolitan nature of Cheshire. Highlights include a chocolate fountain, icecream, wines, beers and liqueurs, pies, roasts and game, sausages, watercress, olives, juices, organic products and hundreds of taste experiences. Family tickets are £12, adults £5 and concessions £3.50.
The Food and Drink Fringe Festival is taking place around the City from April 6 to 15, 2007 with special events, restaurants, bars and hotels all helping to make Chester the focus of food and drink within the UK, with theme nights, special family offers and accommodation promotions.
The Gala Awards Dinner will ensure 250 people sample a gourmet menu sourced from leading producers in the North West and celebrates the best of the region. This is on Tuesday April 10 2007.
Chester’s Food and Drink Festival is organised on behalf of Chester City Council with support from the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA), Visit Chester & Cheshire; the tourism board for Cheshire and Warrington, Cheshire County Council, Made in Cheshire, North West Fine Foods and the Rural Recovery Fund.
2006 Visitor Survey 16,000 people visited the Taste Marquee and £90,000 was spent there over the three days. - 51 per cent of visitors came from a distance of more than 25 miles, making a total of 8,000 people brought into the City. - 78 per cent of people surveyed said the event was good or excellent. - 87 per cent of people surveyed said they were likely to return. - Nearly 100 producers and exhibitors were on show in the Taste Marquee, bringing their own skills and produce from Cheshire and around the world to be part of the Festival. - There were seminars and competitions in micro brewing, wines, sausages and cheeses and the opportunity to taste local paté, black pudding, bread, cereals, oils, pies, meat, fish, cheeses, chocolates, liqueurs and even a juice bar.
Festival brochures will be available across the City from March. Phone 01244 351609 for more details. For further information on the region go to www.visitchester.com. More general information at www.chesterfoodanddrink.com
Press Contacts: Jane Harrad-Roberts Mob: 07785 395705 Phil Brotherhood Mob: 07884 493370 Tel: 01244 330000 MARKETING PROJECTS Email: info@marketingprojects.co.uk
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