Pop up showroom and cookery school serves up a taste of Lancashire

Lancashire stove manufacturer ESSE is recruiting a team of top chefs to help launch the county’s first ever pop up cookery school in Preston’s Fishergate Shopping Centre.

The month-long event has been created to launch the Barnoldswick-based company’s latest industry leading product.

Celebrity chef Tim Maddams, formerly of TV’s River Cottage, is among the culinary experts who will be sharing their tips and favourite recipes with visitors to the school and showroom.

Leading chefs from some of Lancashire’s favourite dining venues and gastro-pubs will also be involved in the event.

James’ Places, owner of a host of acclaimed Lancashire restaurants and hotels, including Mitton Hall in Whalley, the Shireburn Arms in Hurst Green and The Emporium in Clitheroe, is supporting the event with cookery demonstrations from members of its team.

ESSE is holding the cookery school in its pop up showroom in the Fishergate Shopping Centre which will be open until July 19.

The company’s own in-house chef Steven Evans, who trained at Nigel Haworth’s Michelin-starred Northcote Manor, will also be giving cookery demos during the event.

Visitors will have the chance to see its new ESSE EL 13AMP – the most advanced 13amp heat storage cooker on the market – being used by the chefs to create their trademark dishes.

And local companies and organisations are invited to come along and enjoy their own personal cookery lesson during the month long pop up.

Mark Blewitt, Director of the family-owned stove manufacturer, said: “We wanted to do something completely different to officially launch our latest cooker and have some fun at the same time.

“The pop up cookery school and showroom is a fantastic way to show our innovative new cookers and our market-leading technology to new audiences.

“Professional chefs and home cooks love our range and this is a chance for people to see what our cookers are all about.

“We’re delighted the owners of so many fantastic restaurants and hotels, who have been satisfied clients of ours for many years, are taking this opportunity to help us introduce ESSE’s latest product.

“Visitors to the chefs’ cookery demonstrations are in for a real treat and the chance to see some talented professionals at close hand, including Tim Maddams who is simply superb in the kitchen.  What lover of good food could resist?”

He added: “The beauty of our new 13 amp heat storage cooker is its versatility and the ease of installation; you just plug in and cook.”

Keith Mitchell, manager of the Fishergate Shopping Centre, said: “We are always looking to provide new attractions for our loyal shoppers and this is a real first for the centre and everyone is really looking forward to its opening.

“ESSE is a renowned Lancashire manufacturer with a great heritage and we think visitors to the centre will love seeing the products it has to offer and the pop up cookery school is going to be a lot of fun.”

Tim Maddams will be giving his cookery demonstration at the pop up on Friday June 19.

He is a familiar face on television as one of the sidekicks of celebrity chef, campaigner, food writer and River Cottage founder Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall.

Tim, who lives in the south west of England, today runs Green Sauce, a creative food company. The chef is also a food writer and cookery teacher.

The ESSE pop up is offering the opportunity of cooking demonstrations for companies and organisations.

There is a maximum 30 guests per demonstration and advanced booking is required. Contact Pauline Sharples at ESSE on 01282 813 235 to reserve your organisation’s slot. Or email: [email protected]

ESSE cookers are hand crafted to order. The company, based at the Ouzledale Foundry, Long Ing, has been hand-building stoves and cast iron cookers for more than 160 years.

ESSE cookers and stoves were used in the Crimean War by Florence Nightingale, in the Antarctic by explorers Scott and Shackleton and by the world’s first ‘celebrity cook’ Mrs Beeton in her kitchen.

For more information on ESSE, its products and the Pop-up in Preston, please visit: www.esse.com

PICTURE CAPTIONS

Pictured at the launch are (l-r) ESSE chef Steven Evans, Dave Dugdale, head chef of The Emporium, Clitheroe, Carol Sleet of James’ Places, Sophia Gray, retail liaison manager of the FIshergate Shopping Centre and Alix Eltringham, ESSE marketing manager