20 October 2024
PRESS RELEASE
Gala Dinner launches Countdown to the Exmoor Food Fest’s 10th anniversary
10 Chefs serve up 10 Courses to delighted diners at Croydon Hall
Exmoor.– A Gala Dinner where 10 Exmoor-basedl chefs served 10 courses, supported by students from Aurora Foxes, took place on 15 October at Croydon Hall. It marked the start of the countdown to the Exmoor Food Fest’s 10th anniversary in February 2025.
The Gala Dinner, which was attended by over 60 guests, was organised by Exmoor Food Fest founder Elke Koessling Winzer in cooperation with Werner Hartholt who masterminded the logistics of the dinner from chefs to menu to front of house.
“Elke and I started these dinners 10 years ago when we both worked at the West Somerset College”, explained Werner Hartholt who is now Group Development Chef at Butlins.
“The dinner celebrated the achievement of sticking it out for a whole decade”, added Elke Koessling Winzer, an Exmoor based PR & Events Consultant. “It’s been a tough few years for the hospitality sector, from Covid to Cost of Living Crisis and grumpy customers – luckily, many of our original participants are still here. So what better way to celebrate than having 10 local chefs serving up 10 courses in the beautiful setting of Croydon Hall near Minehead?”
The chefs Olivier Certain (Bittescombe Inn), Miguel Tenreiro (Porlock Weir Hotel), Anita-Clare Field (La Petite Bouchée), Sophie Rogers (Bicknoller Inn), Luke Nunn (Podshavers Barn), Ellis Pannell (Pyne Arms), Jack Alden (The Swan, Bampton) and Joe Roach (Farmers Arms Combe Florey) were supported by Butlins Chef Academy champion Ginny Zdanevičiūtė as well as Cally Elston (Bittescombe Inn), Corey Laskey (Farmers Arms Combe Florey) and Aurora Foxes student Chris.
Students from Minehead based Aurora Foxes were in charge of front of house, providing a silver service to the delighted guests who had been welcomed with a drink sponsored by Exmoor Distillery..
Finley, one of the students, was proud to serve his father’s Gelarto as one of the courses.
The 2025 Exmoor Food Fest will run throughout February when participating restaurants in the region will offer special menus throughout the week. Events will continue the celebrations in the lead-up to and during ExFF25 which will officially launch in late January at a ticketed guest chef dinner at the Farmers Arms in Combe Florey.
All information about restaurants participating in ExFF25 and their menus will be available in due course on the website www.exmoorfoodfest.com
For more information, please contact Elke Koessling Winzer by email to elke@exmoorevents.com or by text/WhatsApp on 07881504863.
Notes for the Editor:
- Elke Koessling Winzer is an Exmoor based PR & Events Consultant who started the Exmoor Food Fest in 2014 to help local hospitality businesses survive the notoriously difficult winter months. Over the 10 years, with 2021 being the only year when the Exmoor Food Fest did not take place, the local economy has been boosted by an estimated £15 million as many restaurants also offer accommodation.
Visitors to the area plan their Exmoor Food Fest trail weeks in advance, often spending several days on Exmoor and visiting other attractions during that time.
Elke also founded Exmoor4all, an online community of all things Exmoor. The Facebook page alone reaches over 500,000 people each month.
http://www.elkekoessling.com
- Werner Hartholt, a trained chef originally from the Netherlands who was head chef at a range to top restaurants across Exmoor, was Chef Lecturer at West Somerset College’s Skill and Enterprise Centre before moving to Butlins where he started the Butlins Chef Academy a few years ago.
Werner also started the Exmoor Young Chef competition which aims at introducing young people to a career in hospitality. - Aurora Foxes in Minehead is a special (SEND) college and training hotel who have frequently joined the Exmoor Food Fest over the past 10 years.
https://www.theauroragroup.co.uk/services/colleges/foxes-college/about/college
(1) Front row from left to right: Cally Elston, Werner Hartholt, Ginny Zdanevičiūtė.
Second row: Sophie Rogers, Olivier Certain, Miguel Tenreiro.Back row: Cody Laskey [black t-shirt], Joe Roach, Anita-Clare Field, Luke Nunn
(2) Elke Koessling Winzer thanking the Chefs (from left to right): Cody Laskey, Joe Roach, Cally Elston, Ginny Zdanevičiūtė, Luke Nunn, Anita-Clare Field, Miguel Tenreiro, Olivier Certain, Sophie Rogers.(3) Werner Hartholt introducing Finley and the Gelato course. Photo: Florence Whittaker/ Aurora Foxes
(4) Guests applauding the Foxes students. Photo: Florence Whittaker/ Aurora Foxes.
(5) Guests Gail Langdon and Emma James enjoying the dinner. Photo: Florence Whittaker/ Aurora Foxes
Exmoor Food Fest 