THE countdown is on to this year?s first ever Tavistock Food Festival ? and organisers of the big event this week announced a big boost from local business and an exciting innovation to get children involved.
Masterchef Peter Gorton, of the Horn of Plenty Restaurant at Gulworthy, said he was delighted with the news that Treyone, a local kitchen designer, has agreed to build a demonstration kitchen specially for the festival.
Peter said: ?It?s absolutely brilliant. They make very good, high quality kitchens and they are going to build the set for me to use at the festival and for my cookery courses. It?s going to be excellent.?
The demonstration kitchen will be set up in Tavistock Pannier Market during the two-day festival on July 31 and August 1.
A series of top chefs will demonstrate their skills throughout the two days, including Peter, Chris and James Tanner, of Ready, Steady, Cook! fame, John McGeever, of Browns in Tavistock, and Tina Bricknell-Webb, of Percy?s at Virginstow.
And there will be no worries about being able to see what the chefs are doing during the demonstrations.
?We?re going to have a special video set up, where they?ll project what the chefs are doing onto the wall, so everyone can see what?s going on,? said Peter.
John Weatherhead, of Treyone, said the company was very pleased to be associated with Peter Gorton and the festival, which would be a positive boost for the area. The kitchen itself would be on a rustic, homely theme, using an oak finish.
Jeffrey Stackhouse, chairman of the food festival, which is being organised by Tavistock Business Association, said: ?All the stands have now sold out for the event, which is very good news.
?The farm walk is also definitely on, which will take place at Hardicott Farm at Milton Abbot.?
Mr Stackhouse said there would be two walks, a short one of around 20 minutes and a longer, one-hour walk, both with ?absolutely delightful? views.
He said he was ?thrilled? at the way the preparations for the event were going. ?It?s going to be a great weekend.?
And there is a great chance for primary schools to play their part in the festival by devising a seasonal recipe!
See page 40 for full details on how to enter.
l The lucky winner of the Peter Gorton chef?s knives competition featured in the Times recently was Mrs May Bampton, of Parkwood Road, Tavistock. It attracted more than 100 entrants.