Top Chefs Stole the Show on Chefs’ Forum Demo Stage!
For the fourth year running, The Chefs’ Forum Demo Stage hosted a series of fabulous cookery demonstrations celebrating fresh produce from some of the best chefs in the country at The London Produce Show last Thursday (8) September.
At the best London Produce show yet, accomplished chef demo compere, international Restaurant Consultant and The Chefs’ Forum Committee Member, Peter Gorton introduced each chef and compered while they cooked their dish. Show visitors and members of the foodie media were treated to a ’round the world trip of culinary excellence from Masterchef Professional runner-up Elly Wentworth’s Michelin-starred cuisine to CaribAsian delicacies from Sherrie & Pat Eugene-Hart, Harrods chefs’ Media Masterclass and Exeter Cookery School’s handmade Halloumi!
The demonstrations lead the International exhibition in #CelebratingFRESH by showcasing how many products on the show floor are being used by some of the leading chefs in the UK within a food service environment.
The Chefs’ Forum Members from across the country took to the stage to showcase their dishes incorporating fresh produce from the show.
Jim and Lucy fisher opened the day of top class cookery demos with their dish of handmade halloumi to promote cheese-making courses at their purpose-built facility in Exeter.
Made TV’s husband and wife culinary duo ‘CaribAsian’, Sherry Eugene-Hart and Pat Hart then followed with a vibrant and soulful CaribAsian cookery demo that brought reggae beats to the stage and a great beef patty dish that packed a spicy punch!
Nathan Eades of Michelin-starred Simpson’s of Birmingham created poetry on a plate with his sublime deconstruction of Strawberries and Cream – A signature dish at Simpsons showcasing Mudwalls Strawberries!
Next-up, Masterchef Professional runner-up, Elly Wentworth (Lucknam Park) enlisted the help of Hammersmith and Fulham College students Chantal Risbey(29) and Princee Pownall-Weir (21) to showcase the finest Columbian produce. Both students are studying level three, professional cookery. Elly took Chantal and Princee under her wing and invited them to act as her commis chefs on the stage in front of audience of food experts – A great confidence-building opportunity that will stay with these talented young chefs forever!
Princee then served Elly’s Michelin-starred coconut choux buns and passion fruit and mango to the audience who demolished them in seconds!
Lucknam Park Sous Chef, Elly, Said
“I can honestly say that the produce I have had to cook with today has been the best I have ever seen. I was really impressed with the students too; really pleased with the way they worked and impressed with Chantal coming on stage with me despite her being apprehensive at first – A great day and a fantastic show to be part of!”
Alistair Birt, Head Pastry Chef at Harrods created an amazing chocolate bar dessert featuring product provided by California Raisins and California Walnuts.
Alistair Dibbs, Executive Sous Chef at Harrods rounded off a day of brilliant cookery with a media masterclass featuring Chilean produce and finest pork belly from Wiltshire-based Chefs’ Forum Sponsor Walter Rose & Son.
Alistair offered both students a trial shift at Harrods on the back of their brilliant performance throughout the day and support of the Harrods demos – A fantastic opportunity for Chantal and Princee!
Grosvenor House, a JW Marriott Hotel was the stunning venue in London’s Mayfair that saw over 1600 fresh produce aficionados and chefs flood into the busy show to enjoy a ‘vegfest’ of pandemic proportions.
The attendee list covered every continent of the world and exhibitors showcased produce from every category. A fantastic range of UK and international produce buyers from the retail, foodservice and wholesale sectors were given unrivalled access to the deliberately limited number of exhibitors, both during the exhibition and at a series of equally well-attended networking occasions.
Educational seminars and workshops, chef demonstrations, an extensive student programme and tours to industry locations in and around London provided further opportunities to meet, share and learn from some of the world’s fresh produce thought and practice leaders.
The chef demonstrations were organised by The Chefs’ Forum and took place on our fabulous purpose-built demo stage showcasing Locher Induction, a Convotherm Combi Oven and an Adande refrigerated double drawer unit.
Taurus food preparation machinery also helped power the top-drawer chef demonstrations.
The show was an ideal opportunity to involve Chefs’ Forum members and give them a chance to demonstrate their respective cooking styles and menus whilst ‘Celebrating Fresh’, the main ethos of The London Produce Show.
The Chefs’ Forum demo stage is available for hire for any events and Chefs’ Forum members interested in performing paid cookery demonstrations should register their interest with us as we are approached by shows for demo chefs on a regular basis.
If you are interested in hiring the demo stage complete with audio visual equipment and crew for your fabulous foodie event, please contact Catherine Farinha for further information 07585 700030 or email catherine@redcherry.uk.com
Photography: Jerry Syder – www.jsyder.co.uk
