The festival, which will take place across the weekend of Saturday 29th and Sunday 30th July at the Showground, has been dubbed a ‘foodie heaven’. Hosting a programme of celebrity chefs, interactive workshops, masterclasses and family entertainment, as well as plenty of opportunities to taste, sample and shop, the event will bring together some of the region’s most-loved food producers and renowned chefs to celebrate the best local cuisine on offer.
One of the main highlights for visitors to the festival will be the jam-packed schedule of expert demonstrations from a host of celebrity chefs in the festival’s Cookery Theatre, an element of the event which is included in the admission price for all ticket-holders.
Rosemary Shrager, legendary chef, cookery writer, author and star of The Big Family Cooking Showdown, The Real Marigold Hotel and Ladette to Lady, will take to the stage on Saturday 29th July to share her expertise in classic British cooking. Shrager will take part in a live cookery demonstration, which when combined with her immense broadcast experience and infectious personality, is an event not to be missed.
Joining Rosemary on Saturday 29th will be Great British Bake Off winner, John Whaite. Since winning the show in 2012, Whaite has been a regular contributor to many UK food magazines and TV shows, as well as appearing weekly on Channel 4’s Steph’s Packed Lunch. John has authored five cookery books as well as dancing his way to the final of Strictly Come Dancing in 2021. John will be sharing his love of baking and cooking with the festival audience, alongside his passion for using seasonal, locally-sourced ingredients.
Welsh health and fitness fanatic and Dirty Vegan extraordinaire, Matt Pritchard, also joins the festival’s Saturday offering. In recent years, Pritchard has become known for his work as a vegan chef after adapting to a plant-based lifestyle in 2015. Since then he has been amongst the first group to row the 3,200 miles of the Atlantic, from Fuerteventura to Antigua, along with undertaking many long distance and endurance challenges on a sustainable vegan diet. He will share his passion for healthy plant-based eating, combined with his love of street food and fast-food flavours with audiences at the festival.
Food expert and television presenter, Chris Bavin, will oversee the weekend’s live demonstrations as he plays host in the festival’s Cookery Theatre. Bavin is best known as the host of UK television series Eat Well For Less? which helps families to save money on their grocery bills while eating healthily. Along with this, he has written several books, and will impart his passion for promoting healthy and sustainable eating, while sharing tips on reducing food waste with audiences at the Three Counties Food and Drink Festival.
There will also be a fresh batch of special guests for the show’s second day on Sunday 30th July, to be announced in the coming weeks.
“I am really excited to be heading to Malvern to join the Saturday and Sunday line-up at the Three Counties Food and Drink Festival, and to host a weekend of fabulous celebrity talent in the Cookery Theatre. I look forward to seeing which dishes the guests whip up for our audiences, and to share my own tips on reducing food waste” said food expert, Chris Bavin.
In addition to the fantastic line-up of celebrity chefs, visitors to the Three Counties Food and Drink Festival will also be able to take part in a range of immersive activities. One of the event’s most popular features is expected to be the Children’s Cookery School, in which youngsters can get their hands messy as they learn to make kitchen staples such as butter, cheese, and ice cream with Lee-Anna Rennie-Johnson, also known as the Dairy Maid, and pasta and gnocchi with Viki of Twiddle Food. These sessions are sure to be popular, and are bookable on the day of the event for just £4 per session on a first-come first-served basis.
Along with the cookery workshops children will also be able to take part in FREE painting and crafts activities with ARTventurers, whilst families can purchase tokens for a selection of on-site fairground rides, and the ever-popular bungee trampolines.
Those visiting the festival without little ones in tow will also be glad to hear that there will be a range of captivating activities for them to indulge in too, including daily Wine Tasting Sessions at noon with Matthew of Woodthorpe Wines. Matthew is an expert in undiscovered wine regions and obscure grape varieties; something which he aims to demonstrate in these exclusive 45 minute tasting adventures. Visitors can book their tickets to these limited sessions online, in advance, to secure their place.
The festival will also feature a selection of over 150 local traders, offering shopping, food and drink opportunities alongside a showcase of the UK’s best street food, bars and vendors, meaning that there will be endless opportunities for festival-goers to see, try and buy the best regional cuisine on offer. With a diverse range of food and drink options, the Three Counties Food and Drink Festival is sure to have something for everyone.
For more information on Three Counties Food and Drink Festival and to purchase tickets please visit www.threecountiesfoodfestival.com
