Cooking up tasty & local food

Some of Devon’s top chefs are stepping onto the stage at the Devon County Show on May 20-22 at Westpoint, Exeter to cook up lots of tempting and good value dishes using local produce.

They are passionate about fresh, seasonal and local food that’s big on flavour and will be cooking up a storm in the popular food and drink marquee.  

County Show steward and home economist Celia Hyland said: “We’re putting on a varied and interesting programme to showcase local food and the many ways of using it not just to get best value but also quick, easy and above all tasty meals.

“Good, home cooking promotes healthy eating and encourages valuable family time and it’s also a much cheaper way to eat than ready meals, takeaways or eating out.”

Local chefs who are getting ready to work their culinary magic include Ed Chester of Otterton Mill, back by popular demand after cooking with wild foods including rabbit last year.

Dez Turland, Executive Chef for the Brend Hotels Group, will be in the kitchen on Friday when his team will include junior and senior chefs cooking a selection of dishes to tempt the taste buds.

“We have always been committed to working with the best local and regional suppliers who share our same visions, values, passion and ideas in developing local cuisine,” said Dez.

“By supporting the farmers, fishermen and producers of the South West the availability of the produce will become more abundant and more economical, in turn promoting a more ethical means of food supply.”

Joining the chefs on the stage will be students from South Devon College and Exeter College as well as some of the winners of recent competitions looking for chefs of the future.

On Saturday Young Farmers go into the kitchen to take part in butter and junket making competitions and a tutored cookery session with Dez Turland.   In the afternoon the ever-popular auction of cheeses, food hampers from the Brend Hotels Group and other items will take place. All proceeds go to the Devon County Show Official Charity - The Chestnut Appeal, Devon.

The Show is also packed with a line-up of non-stop and traditional entertainment in six rings. From the fast and furious Amanda Saville and her thrilling ponies in their Chariots of Fire, to a Tennessee horse whisper, a team of performing dogs, scurry driving, axe racing, sheep racing, vintage tractors and steam engines, there is a great deal of enjoyment to be had.

New this year is FunForKidz, a huge feature bursting with hands-on activity for lively youngsters; everything from planting seeds to baking bread, colouring wellies, milking Daisy - the cow with a difference, weaving willow wands, seeing chicks hatch, watching Tractor Ted DVDs and petting Crealy’s tame animals.

For the second year running children (aged 5-15) go free on Saturday, May 22, when accompanied by a paying adult. Adult tickets cost £15.00 in advance and the over 60s can get two tickets for just £12.50 when bought in advance. www.devoncountyshow.co.uk

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