Bournemouth Food & Drink Festival will be filling the town with mouth watering smells for 10 days from this Friday (June 16) and among the attractions will be the chance to see bankers, NHS staff and even an MP, feeling the heat in the People’s Kitchen.
Hosted by professional chefs Des Burke and Andy Chu, the People’s Kitchen invites people from all walks of life to try their hand in quick-fire cooking contests.
In a ‘battle of the bankers’, Matthew Redfern, manager of NatWest in Castlepoint, will go up against Kate Stacey, senior customer services officer at HSBC in Westbourne.
Matt said: “I’m really looking forward to it, although I’m definitely the underdog, as Kate is a great cook.
“Hopefully the crowd will take pity on me. If not, I may have to try and scupper her in some way.”
Kate said: “I have been cooking since I was a child and learned from my father, so there is family honour at stake here, as well as HSBC’s.
“I’d like to say I’m going to take it easy on Matt. But I’m in it to win it and he is going down!”
Chef Des, owner of Flavours School of Cookery in Bournemouth, said: “There are just days to go until we see if our competitors rise to the occasion or fall as flat as a pancake.
“So come early, come hungry and come ready for a lot of laughs.”
New for 2017 in the People’s Kitchen will also be audience challenges.
Chef Andy, a consultant of Wah Hing Chinese Supermarket and Executive Chef of Mr Lee’s Noodles Company, said: “We will be inviting members of the public to come up and learn a new technique, or how to prepare a simple dish.
“When I say simple of course, I mean simple for me.”
Bournemouth Echo editor Andy Martin will go up against BBC Radio Solent presenter Steve Harris in a People’s Kitchen cooking challenge.
While Bournemouth’s new Mayor and Mayoress, cllrs Lawrence and Elaine Williams, will be battling it out with Bournemouth west MP, Conor Burns.
The People’s Kitchen 2017 takes place in Bournemouth Square Demo Kitchen on Saturday (June 17), from 12.30-4.30pm and is just part of the 10-day Bournemouth Food & Drink Festival.
There will be a host of street food from around the world, alongside local farmers and producers and daily, free to attend live entertainment in the heart of Bournemouth.
Other highlights include the Chefs Demo Kitchen, a bartenders competition and The Kids Kitchen.
For full event details visit: http://bournemouthfoodanddrink.co.uk/
Picture caption – Battle of the Bankers: Matthew Redfern, manager of NatWest Castlepoint, will compete against Kate Stacey, senior customer services officer at HSBC in Westbourne.
Media information from Debbie Granville at Deep South Media on 07884 657782 email: Debbie.granville@deepsouthmedia.co.uk
