Top chefs take Lancashire to London
Lancashire’s award-winning chefs and food producers headed to London to celebrate .jpg)
Lancashire Day, which is celebrated annually on 27 November, to prepare a 5 course feast for top food writers, critics and industry insiders at the exclusive IceTank venue in Covent Garden on Thursday 17 November.
The 5 award-winning chefs cooking were Lisa Goodwin-Allen, Head Chef of Michelin-starred Northcote, Maurizo Bocchi from La Locanda, the highest rated Italian restaurant outside of London and Lancashire Tourism Awards Taste Lancashire award winner 2016, Chris Bury from The Cartford Inn, recently voted Best Inn in Britain at the Great British Pub Awards, Stosie Madi from Parkersarms (Top 100 Gastropubs) and Steven Smith from the Freemasons at Wiswell, the highest rated dining pub in the Waitrose Good Food Guide 2017.
The event, supported by Lancashire County Council and official travel partner Virgin Trains, is part of the county’s Lancashire Day celebrations that will culminate on Lancashire Day, 27 November. Marketing Lancashire is spear-heading a social media campaign inviting all proud Lancastrians to post images of their favourite Lancashire scenes, events and delicious local produce using #LancashireDay. Last year a similar campaign reached over 40 million people in 816 locations worldwide.
Ruth Connor, Chief Executive of Marketing Lancashire said, “The Lancashire Day Lunch was a triumph. Our aim is to position Lancashire at the forefront of culinary destinations nationwide and following this successful event our food and drink offer is now firmly on the map, with national journalists and influencers taking note. We couldn’t have been prouder of our chefs, working together to present course after course of the very best of Lancashire.”
Steven Smith, Chef Patron at The Freemasons at Wiswell, said; “There is an abundance of quality operators and producers in our region and it was fantastic to be able to package that offering up and deliver it to an esteemed audience in London. I’m very proud that The Freemasons was part of such a great event, which really showcased what we’re capable of and hopefully will drive incentivise media to include Lancashire in their food & drink and travel features in the future.”
Chris Bury, head chef at The Cartford Inn said “Lancashire has a great deal to offer and it’s fantastic to be a part of an initiative to raise our food and drink reputation to its rightful place. Only a few weeks ago we were voted the Best Inn in Britain at the Great British Pub Awards, alongside other top Lancashire establishments. The dish I served at the Lancashire Day Lunch was a Cartford classic, celebrating outstanding Fylde coast seafood, served on specially made Pilling Pottery plates.”
Lisa Goodwin- Allen, Executive Head Chef at Northcote said “It was fantastic to be part of the lunch; a proud showcase of Lancashire talent. At Northcote, local provenance is central to our philosophy and we were delighted to serve produce from right on our doorstop to some of the UK’s most well-respected food writers and critics.”
Maurizio Bocchi, chef-patron at La Locanda, in Gisburn, which is the highest rated Italian restaurant outside London, said “As an adopted Lancastrian who tries to celebrate the Lancashire larder in every dish I produce, it was fantastic to be able to showcase this in London. I was very proud to be a part of such a game changing initiative.”
Stosie Madi, chef-patron at multi award-winning Parkersarms said “It was a spectacular showcase and a chance for some of the UK’s most respected critics and writers to try our food. I served a Cockerham Saltmarsh Lamb and Lytham Cockle Pie, and received some wonderful feedback, a very proud moment.”
Jennifer Mein, County Councillor and Leader of Lancashire County Council said, “Lancashire’s food and drink sector is worth around £734 million to Lancashire’s visitor economy and the sector supports an estimated 12,937 food and drink related posts. Marketing Lancashire is taking ‘Lancashire to London’ ahead of Lancashire Day, to encourage more visitors to sample and appreciate the county’s rich larder. We have some of the best produce in the country and raising awareness of this around Lancashire Day, sends out a strong message to visitors as well as to proud Lancastrians.”
Food and drink is worth around £734 million to Lancashire’s visitor economy, which has grown by £129 million over the last 6 years. This makes the county’s food and drink sector a strategic priority for the Lancashire Enterprise Partnership (LEP) as highlighted in the newly launched Lancashire narrative and ‘We Are Lancashire’ campaign, along with the county’s advanced manufacturing, tourism and connectivity by air, sea and rail.
The menu featured a wealth of Lancastrian producers from traditional Morecambe Bay shrimps & Lytham cockles, Goosnargh duck, artisan goat’s cheese from Capra Products, Ormskirk potatoes, Salt Marsh lamb from Cockerham, Brockhall village apples, honey from Crossmoor Farm, raw milk butter from Gazegill Organics and Burnley’s latest artisan gin distiller, Batch Brew. Burnley-based CoolKit Ltd provided refrigerated transport to ensure all the ingredients arrive in top condition.
The unique meal will include a gourmet coffee course from Lancaster’s oldest and most admired coffee importers Atkinson’s. The feast ended in true Lancashire style with a Lancashire cheese board supplied by Dewlay and Mrs. Kirkham’s alongside handmade chutneys from Heritage Kitchen and biscuits from Farmhouse Biscuits.