FOOD and innovation walked hand in hand over a delicious two days in East Cornwall last weekend. Duchy College at Stoke Climsland, in collaboration with Taste of the West, hosted a new food and drink festival over the weekend, at which more than 4,000 people enjoyed a wide range of food related activities and had the chance to experience at first hand the college?s new food innovation centre. This was the first public event to be held at the centre, which cost £4.7 million to build. Angie Coombs of Taste of the West said: ?The opening of the new centre at Duchy College is of paramount importance for the food industry in the South West. ?It will create fantastic opportunities both technically and academically for the area to become a real leader in the sector.? During the weekend, a Kent-based organisation called ?The Machinery Company? demonstrated the new machinery in the centre by holding sausage making, leek and potato soup and garlic cheese bread making demonstrations. There was a wide range of regional products on show at the festival, including local meats and cheeses, soups and seeds, cakes, fruit, preserves, honey and ice cream. One of the highlights was a children?s pumpkin design competition arranged with Stoke Climsland Primary School and judged by guest celebrity chef Peter Gorton from the Horn of Plenty. Organiser Jon Stephens, from Duchy College, said: ?The festival was a great showcase for the regional food industry and a great chance to demonstrate the new facilities at the food innovation centre to local businesses and the public. We hope this festival will go from strength to strength.? Principal of Duchy College, Andrew Counsell, said: ?This festival is a superb example of co-operation between the college and industry. ?I was delighted to see such a level of public interest and must thank all those involved in putting together such a successful weekend of food festivities.? This is the first academic year for the new food innovation centre, which boasts a high student intake on courses ranging from NVQs to foundation degrees. The centre offers a range of facilities including training for new entrants and those already involved in the agri-food sector, higher education qualifications, top quality research facilities, meeting rooms and facilities for small businesses looking to develop products and marketing. Half of the centre is devoted to the academic side of learning with lecture theatres, class rooms and offices while the other half offers something a little different. Developed as a food manufacturing factory, the other half of the centre is a mixture of students and local industry who are creating, manufacturing and testing different products. These include dairy products, meat manufacturing and sausage making. The centre allows local industry to diversify and make more out of local produce. Duchy College is aiming to be at the hub of the region?s current food renaissance, as a centre of excellence providing training both in adding value to local produce and in running successful food related businesses.