Exmoor Food Fest

Ceylon Curry House at the Street Food Market in Minehead

Ceylon Curry House is an established caterer of authentic Sri Lankan curry
renowned for its uniqueness and excellent reputation at various events
including weddings, company functions, birthday celebrations and trade
shows. Several prestigious venues have approved and highly recommend Ceylon
Curry House for banquets.

The dishes are prepared by professional chefs from Sri Lanka who take great pride in their cuisine and always ensure the the highest levels are maintained.

“Anyone who enjoys curry should really try the lovely Ceylon Curry House experience.” Sue Jackson, Tiverton

Check out their website for further details: www.ceyloncurry.co.uk

Cracking Nuts to join the Street Food Market in Minehead

Hello, we’re Cracking Nuts and we’re absolutely passionate about nuts, natural ingredients and North Devon.

We started Cracking Nuts early in Spring 2014, after it struck us just how moorish and tasty the humble nut can be. We got hold of a 200 year old German recipe; played around with it a little; and came up with a traditional range of sweet cinnamon, salty and chilli roasted, peanuts, cashews and almonds, all with our own, unique, modern twist.

As a family business, we are not ones to sit still. From devising new recipes at our base in Ilfracombe; to visiting festivals and sampling unusual flavours with the surfers at Woolacombe; we are always inventing, improving and finding new ways to bring nuts to the North Devon masses.

We can cook and serve nuts from our trailer, or table top, day or night; we can also provide our nuts in interesting cones, jars, bags and packaging, to suit. Nuts, of course, naturally make great high protein snacks, most of our nuts are fairtrade and organic. In addition, the syrup we use to coat the nuts is entirely homemade and from all-natural ingredients.

Cracking Nuts will have their stall at the Street Food Market at Minehead Harbour on 28 February 2015, the grand final of the very first Exmoor Food Fest.

Introducing Chef Andrew Dixon, The Cafe at Porlock Weir

In November 1999, Andrew and his wife Sarah started Andrew’s on the Weir in Porlock Weir. In August 2000 they were awarded 4 star rating by the AA and RAC for the accommodation and 3 AA Rosettes for the food. This award catapulted Andrew’s on the Weir into the top ten pecent of restaurants in the entire British Isles. Later that year they were entered into the Good Food Guide with a rating of 6 stars out of 10, along with entries into the Michelin guide book.
Andrew and his team held the ratings until they decided to rebrand as The Cafe at Porlock Weir in July 2011.

“We decided to change direction due to the state of the economic climate and we also felt it was time for a change, but wanted to continue our business at Porlock Weir at the same time.”

Andrew has worked at some of the finest country house hotels, such as:

Gongham Hall – Kings Lynn, Norfolk (2 Rosette County House Hotel)
The Crown Hotel – Exford, Somerset (3 Star Hotel, 3 AA Rosettes)
Homewood Park Hotel – Hinton Charterhouse, near Bath (3 Star Country House Hotel, 3 AA Rosettes)
Gravetye Manor – East Grinstead, West Sussex (4 Star, Red Star, 3 AA Rosettes, Relais & Chateaux)
The Village Bistro – Gorey, Jersey CI (Michelin Star)
Longueville Manor Hotel – St Saviour, Jersey CI (5 Star Hotel, 3 AA Rosettes, Michelin Star, Relais & Chateaux listed)

Chef Thomas Hine joins the team at The Coach House

thomas-hine_2 (2) The Coach House Restaurant at Kentisbury Grange Hotel welcomes new Head Chef Thomas Hine at a time when the team are anticipating and celebrating the restaurant’s new partnership with renowned chef Michael Caines MBE.

Until recently Tom was Executive Chef at Michael Caines at ABode in Chester following a successful career which saw him rise through the ranks at a number of highly acclaimed restaurants including Gidleigh Park, The Bath Priory and Rick Stein’s Seafood Restaurant.

Born in Cornwall, Tom studied Hospitality and Catering at the College of Cornwall before joining Rick Stein’s team – a position which helped develop his passion for seafood and local produce.

Working his way up through the kitchen hierarchy, Tom spent many years honing his talent under the watchful eyes of some of the South West’s most celebrated chefs before joining Michael Caines at Gidleigh Park.

Tom says: “Working alongside Michael Caines was a huge influence on my style of cooking and gave me a great appreciation for the fresh local produce that we are so lucky to have access to in the South West.

When Michael gave me the opportunity to run my own kitchen at ABode Chester I felt truly honoured. Now I’ve been offered a new challenge along with the opportunity to return to the South West where the local produce is second to none.

I am excited to be leading the talented and passionate team at The Coach House Restaurant in North Devon, and look forward to introducing delicious new dishes to the restaurant’s much loved seasonal menus”.

Introducing: Thomas Carr @ The Olive Room, Ilfracombe

Thomas Carr’s journey started when he was employed as head chef in 2002 at the Beachcomber Café in Woolacombe, Devon – his home town. From here Thomas moved to the Watersmeet Hotel, again in Woolacombe where he was Chef De Partie for 5 years between 2004 and 2009.

In March 2009 Thomas went to work under renowned chef Nathan Outlaw at his Seafood and Grill Restaurant @ The St Enodoc Hotel in Cornwall. Originally taken on by Nathan Outlaw as a Sous chef, Thomas’ potential was quickly noticed and in February 2010 he was appointed as Head Chef at the brand new ‘Restaurant Nathan Outlaw’. Under Thomas the restaurant received two Michelin stars within a year of opening, along with numerous other accolades and awards within the hospitality industry. As well as the day to day running of the restaurant, Thomas also participated in outside events linked to the restaurant and Nathan Outlaw; including a ‘pop up’ restaurant in London and several food festivals/events.

In 2013 Thomas returned to North Devon to take up a role as Executive chef at The Coach House, Kentisbury Grange – allowing him another opportunity to work with a renowned chef in Michael Caines MBE. Thomas built a full team from scratch and achieved 2 AA Rosettes within 6 months of opening as well as a full entry into the 2014 Trenchermen’s Guide.

In the spring of 2014 Thomas was presented with an opportunity to fulfil a lifetime dream of owning his own restaurant in the Harbour town of Ilfracombe, North Devon.

For further details about The Olive Room, please click here

The Exmoor Food Fest starts today!

Today is the first day when the Exmoor Food Fest deal is available at a number of restaurants across the Exmoor region:

The Cafe Porlock Weir
Porlock Weir Exmoor
Somerset TA24 8PB
Tel. 01643 863 300
www.thecafeporlockweir.co.uk
Facebook: The Cafe at Porlock Weir
Twitter: @cafeporlockweir
The Old Ship Aground
Minehead Harbour,
Quay Street,
Minehead TA24 5HL
Tel . 01643 703516
Facebook: /pages/The-Old-Ship-Aground
Email: info@oldshipaground.com
Website: www.oldshipaground.com/

Both be serving 2 courses for £10 and 3 courses for £15 today.

Give them a call and book your table, quoting the Exmoor Food Fest!

Successful launch of the Exmoor Food Fest

The Exmoor Food Fest was launched with great success on Wednesday, 28 January, at The Combe, the training restaurant at the Skills & Enterprise Centre (West Somerset College, Minehead) when Michelin star chefs Mark Dodson, Thomas Carr , Andrew Dixon and Richard Boggie cooked an amazing five course dinner with the Combe’s hospitality students for invited guests.

Richard Boggie was in charge of the Amuse Bouche , Mackerel ceviche, wasabi and Exmoor Caviar, which set the tone for an amazing feast. The former Combe student who left the College two years ago, is now Chef de Partie at the renowned Bath Priory.

Mark Dodson, whose restaurant Masons Arms in Knowstone holds one Michelin star, followed with a starter of tuna on Chinese cabbage. Thomas Carr,former headchef at Nathan Outlaw’s restaurant and now owner of The Olive Room in Ilfracombe, followed with Exmoor rump of beef, tongue and Jacobs ladder pie,   herb dumpling, ginger carrot and, for the vegetarian guests, truffle and potato terrine, crispy free range hens egg and   pickled mushroom dressing .

Guests were then treated to a pre-dessert by Richard Boggie, set Tonka bean cream, apple caramel and cider, followed by Andrew Dixon’s (The Cafe at Porlock Weir) apple tart tatin .

“Great students, great food, great evening”, commented Mark Dodson on Twitter.

Hollie Borland, reporter for the Somerset County Gazette tweeted “What an amazing evening put on @The_Combe_Mhead by #WestSomCol students too for the #ExmoorFoodFest launch #poshnosh”.

Martin Hesp, editor-at-large for the Western Morning News, tweeted “Been to amazing launch of #ExmoorFoodFest tonight – thanks students of #WestSomersetCollege and chef tutors.” This was seconded by Somerset Life editor Charlotte Skidmore who also tweeted “What amazing food at the launch of #ExmoorFoodFest”.

It was a brilliant experience for the hospitality students who all enjoyed working with these top chefs. One student tweeted to the chefs “Thank you for tonight in the kitchen. Amazing experience in there to watch what you all do!”

The Masons Arms, The Olive Room , The Cafe at Porlock Weir and The Combe all take part in the Exmoor Food Fest during February, offering the deal of 2 courses for £10.00/ 3 courses for £15.00. Please check on their pages on what days this offer is available.

Here are some impressions from the night:
First of all – the chefs!

Mark Dodson

Thomas Carr at The Combe, 2015

Andrew Dixon

Thomas Carr

Richard Boggie

The food:

### NEWSFLASH ###

We have FINALLY received the leaflets, vouchers and passports from our printers…. We are trying our best to get them out to all restaurants as quickly as possible.

LEAFLET OUTER

The Exmoor Food Fest is about to start!

Celebrating local food and venues across the region

The first Exmoor Food Fest will come to Exmoor in February 2015, celebrating everything Exmoor has to offer.

For a whole month, outstanding restaurants across the region will be offering 2 courses for £10.00 and 3 courses for £15.00 to give locals and visitors alike the opportunity to sample dishes prepared with excellent local produce.

Customers will be able to pick up vouchers for the Exmoor Food Fest “Tenner Deal” at participating restaurants or download them online. As an extra incentive to visit as many of the restaurants as possible, customers will receive a passport which will be stamped every time they order an “Exmoor Food Fest Deal”. Once the passport is full it will be entered into a draw for a Taste of Exmoor hamper.

The Exmoor Food Fest will be launched on 28 January 2015 at The Combe, a training restaurant based at the Skills and Enterprise Centre in the grounds of West Somerset College Minehead. Local chefs Mark Dodson (Masons Arms Knowstone), Thomas Carr (The Olive Room, Ilfracombe), Andrew Dixon (The Cafe Porlock Weir) and former student Richard Boggie (now Chef de Partie at Bath Priory) will be cooking a five-course-menu with the hospitality students for invited guests.

The grand finale of the Exmoor Food Fest is taking place at Minehead Harbour on 28 February in conjunction with the first Family Angling Day. Street Food Traders will give the harbour a village feel, inviting people to stroll around the harbour, watch the anglers and taste delicious food. A local produce and craft fair will take place at The Beach Hotel in Minehead where chefs like Mark Dodson will do cooking demonstrations throughout the day. Other venues along the seafront will also join in the celebration. Street artists and entertainment complete the recipe for a great family day out.

Andrew Dixon, owner and Chef at The Café at Porlock Weir, came up with the idea of the Exmoor Food Fest to promote the many outstanding food venues across the region.

“Exmoor has so much to offer, but February tends to be a very quiet time for us. The ‘Tenner Deal’ is an excellent opportunity for us to showcase what we can do while making it affordable for our customers,” explained Andrew.

Kentisbury Grange is one of the Devon-based venues taking part in the Exmoor Food Fest, where renowned Chef Michael Caines MBE has recently become involved.

“We are delighted to join this promotion of local food and Exmoor as a region,” commented Peter Farquhar, General Manager. “Michael’s involvement is very exciting as it will enable us to move to a whole new level in all aspects of our hospitality offering.’

The Exmoor Food Fest is organised and run by Exmoor4all, an internet platform based on sharing photos and stories of Exmoor with people all over the world as well as providing a network for local businesses. Andrew Dixon, who now is also a tutor at The Combe, and Werner Hartholt, the Combe’s Chef Lecturer, are co-organisers and technical consultants for the Exmoor Food Fest.

A total of 15 restaurants will take part in the first Exmoor Food Fest. A list is available on www.exmoorfoodfest.com, complete with contact details and days when the special Exmoor Food Fest deal is available.

For further information for traders and media enquiries, please contact Elke Winzer on 0788 1504863 or by email elke@cultureline.co.uk.

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