We had an amazing chef line up this year!
TV chefs Rosemary Shrager, Phil Vickery and Bishop Auckland’s Mike Bartley appeared at the cookery theatre on Saturday, accompanied by Chris Bavin who hosted.
These stars were followed by world-renowned chocolatier Paul Young, who gave a cookery demonstration to festivalgoers on the Sunday. Joined by Paul on Sunday was recent Great British Bake Off finalist Josh Smalley, closing off the weekend is former MTV Dirty Sanchez frontman Matt Pritchard. Matt has left his pranking days behind for his love of vegan food, health, and fitness.
OUR SPECTACULAR TV CHEF GUESTS
We had famous chefs and bakers from all over the UK
joining us, demonstrating their culinary delights!
Be the first to hear about our chef announcements
Rosemary Shrager,
TV Chef & Author
Appeared in 2024
Rosemary endeared herself to the nation when she took part in ‘I’m a Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here’ where she proved she could cook just about anything, anywhere.
Chris Bavin,
Chef, TV Presenter and Author
Appeared in 2024
Festival organisers are also excited to confirm that crowd favourite Chris Bavin will be welcomed back to host the cookery theatre and introduce chefs on both Saturday and Sunday.
Since a TV production company first stumbled across him in 2011 he has gone from strength to strength and is co-presenter of BBC1’s hugely successful series Eat Well for Less? with Gregg Wallace. The show has had incredible ratings and the accompanying book is a best seller.
Phil Vickery,
TV Chef & Author
Appeared in 2024
Having been part of This Morning for over 22 years, Phil is one of Britain’s most well-known chefs, presenting both live and pre-recorded cookery items. He often presents his cookery segments from locations far and wide, such as Grenada, Turks and Caicos, The Great Barrier Reef, and Goa.
Mike Bartley,
MasterChef contender and a favourite at the region’s food festivals
Appeared in 2024
Mike is currently working to open his own restaurant on Newgate Street in Bishop Auckland, which will offer an affordable tasting menu experience, with a focus on foraged and locally grown produce. He plans to host several former Masterchef contestants at bi-monthly events where a selection of their dishes will be added to the menu for one weekend.
Paul A Young,
Award-winning Chocolatier
Appeared in 2024
Paul has been named one of the world’s finest master chocolatiers since opening his first chocolatery in 2006. He is known for his innovation, creative flavour combinations and his approachable way of making chocolate part of anyone’s cooking repertoire.
Matt Pritchard,
TV Chef ‘The Dirty Vegan’ & Author
Appeared in 2024
Matt has left his pranking days behind for his love of vegan food, health, and fitness. His cooking series, Dirty Vegan, premiered on BBC1 Wales, coinciding with his vegan cookbook of the same name. Matt released a second book, Dirty Vegan: Another Bite, which was followed by a second instalment of the TV series, encouraging the public to try out Veganuary and lead healthier lifestyles.
Josh Smalley,
Bake Off Finalist 2023
Appeared in 2024
Recent Great British Bake Off finalist Josh Smalley, who captivated audiences with his impressive array of showstoppers and attention to detail will be joining us on Sunday.
With a doctorate in chemistry, Josh loves to combine his culinary creations with an insight into the science behind them, showing how everyone can be a scientist.
Enjoy a jam-packed weekend -
why not plan ahead?
The food festival brings together traders and producers from across the region to sell their delicious treats. Soak up the atmosphere with live music and attractions and buy lots of goodies to take home too.
