Internationally Renown Celebrity Chef Barry Vera Announces New South African “Theatre of Food” in Camden with Blessing from HRH King Goodwill Zwelethini.

In anticipation of a Royal Blessing from King Goodwill Zwelithini, ruler of the Zulu nation, Shaka Zulu’s head chef Barry Vera will take his kitchen on to the streets to excite and educate Londoners about this truly unique approach to African food.

You are invited to experience a true culinary adventure with celebrity chef Barry Vera as he takes his kitchen on to the streets. This Wednesday (19th may) at 10am, Barry Vera, executive chef at the forthcoming Shaka Zulu, will be cooking favourites from his menu in a specially erected outdoor kitchen on the streets of Camden.

With dishes such as Seared Ostrich, Cudu, Marinated Springbok, ‘Zulu Cabbage’ and Zulu delicacy ‘Amazi’, as well as the Shaka Zulu Signature Dish ‘Karoo Lamb’ on offer, Barry hopes to excite and educate the public on the delights of African cuisine.

Barry Vera’s food and style is all about originality and flare, just like the venue. This outdoor show will provide passers-by with culinary delights they will never before have experienced – a true ‘Theatre of Food’.

This will be a unique morning of activity set to brighten the day of Londoners who pass by as they are treated to the same culinary and cultural delights of Africa that will be the central focus of Shaka Zulu when it opens.

Barry Vera will be chatting about the restaurant and his involvement. He’ll also be chatting about the special arrangement they have with King Goodwill Zwelithini and Queen Mantfombi, the rulers of the Zulu nation. The 750 seater restaurant has pledged £1 for every meal to ‘Education Africa’. This charity does fantastic work with the poorest of Africa’s children, helping to provide schooling, healthcare, and health education. Many of the Zulu Nation benefit from this charities activity.

To support this as well as Shaka Zulu’s efforts to showcase the beauty of the Zulu culture, King Goodwill Zwelithini will officially bless the restaurant, in-keeping with the Zulu culture. This needs to be done before Bary Vera can cook a single dish in the venue. Queen Mantfombi will also present her own special, and top secret, chicken recipe, to be included on the menu.

Come down and sample a culinary experience like no other and see what makes this fusion of African cuisine, Zulu culture and fine-dining such an intoxicating combination!

Two of Britain’s biggest star chefs are leaving their TV kitchens to whip up a storm at Halifax Food and Drink Festival next month.

Between them, Kevin Woodford and Lesley Waters have dished up more telly treats than most of us have had hot dinners.

Now they’re bringing their skills and style to the festival’s Piece Hall cookery theatre – and anything could happen!

“We’re going to have bags of fun in Halifax. Yorkshire folk love their food and they love a laugh too, so I reckon it’s going to be a riot,” said Kevin.

The award-winning presenter of Can’t Cook Won’t Cook and Ready Steady Cook will be recreating both shows on stage.

“If you think that the TV programmes are a bit manic, wait till you see the live version! Mix together a few novice cooks, some crazy professional chefs and a race against the clock, and you have all the ingredients for outrageous entertainment,” Kevin said.

Lesley Waters, another Ready Steady Cook regular as well as chef on ITV’s This Morning, is equally excited about the festival.

“There’s so much great food being created in Yorkshire, with wonderful ingredients from dedicated local producers. I can’t wait to get stuck in,” Lesley said.

It’s a real coup for the festival to have secured two such high-profile headliners. Kevin came to prominence on This Morning, where his relaxed charm, sense of fun and superb cookery marked him out as a star.

Soon he was hosting popular BBC series including The Reluctant Cook and Big Kevin Little Kevin. He was voted Best Daytime Television Presenter at The National Television Awards for Can’t Cook Won’t Cook.

Kevin’s versatility saw him move into other areas of entertainment, as a presenter on the Holiday programme and Songs of Praise and trying his hand at high-pressure jobs in Fasten Your Seatbelt.

Lesley has also won millions of fans for her lively and knowledgeable appearances on Ready Steady Cook, Great Food Live and This Morning.

A former head tutor of Leith’s School of Food and Wine and the author of a number of cookery books, she now runs the Lesley Waters Cookery School in picturesque West Dorset.

Kevin and Lesley are joined by some top local talent. Local lad Lee Marshall from The Design House Restaurant, Dean Clough in Halifax, will be cranking up the hob on the food theatre stage, along with Head Chef Ben Varley from The Rock at Holywell Green. Lee and his father, Lester, have recently sunk a sizeable chunk of money to transform the 17th century coaching inn into a destination dining experience. David Johnston, owner of the Temujin Restaurants in Halifax and Huddersfield, which specialise in Mongolian stir-fry dishes, is also promising some hot stuff!

Yorkshire Life Food and Wine consultant Annie Stirk will compere the cookery theatre, where Anita Cormac OBE and Matthew Benson-Smith from The Cooking School at Dean Clough, Halifax, will present a demonstration called Cooking – Your Recipe for Life.
Last year more than 17,000 people came to the Halifax Food and Drink Festival and organisers expect the 2010 event to be the biggest yet.

Showcasing the best food and drink the region has to offer, the festival has become a major event on the culinary calendar.

Presented by Marketing Halifax together with the Piece Hall, the Halifax Courier and Deliciouslyorkshire, which will host a Fine Food Marquee promoting some of the county’s finest produce, the Halifax Food and Drink Festival 2010 will be a feast for all.

I walked outside, picked an orange off my tree and grated the zest.Â* I don’t think I’ll ever get overÂ*the thrill of being able to do this. Its a basic pound cake recipe and you whip it up in minutes. I adapted a lemon version to an orange version, but you could just adapt back if lemon [...]

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A thriller in the chiller AND on the griller, beer's role at a BBQ is a brilliantly broad one. Not content with being a spectacularly flexible and flavoursome friend to flame-licked food, it's also an essential and ingenious ingredient that no serious tong-wielding, modern day meat-whisperer can do without.

With more than 50 classic styles and a cornucopia of tastes and aromas, beer mingles effortlessly with pretty much anything that's flipped off the grill. Hops give it the bitterness to slice through rich textures, malt the sweetness to parry charred and caramelised flavours while the bubbles cleanse the palate clean.

Entertaining with Beer made easy: Surprise your friends next time they come to dinner
For a really magic marinade, mix in some beer. Maltier, darker beers like stout, porter and amber ales tend to shine in stronger, spicier marinades while more subtle and simple marinades, with just a sprinkle of seasoning, work well with more delicate drops – be they wheat beers, light pilsners or hoppy summer ales. Be wary of beer's bitterness, it can overpower if overused. Less is more in a beer marinade.

Brace yourself at http://www.BeerGenie.co.uk for some boss BBQ and Beer Pairings.
Beer Expert Rupert Ponsonby comments: “http://www.beergenie.co.uk is a new website delivering a treasure trove of trivia (and facts) on the sociability of ‘beer’ - together with a wide selection of free-to-use photography.
“Beer Genie aims to provide a resource not just for journalists and the general media, but also for pubs, restaurants, marketing companies and the general public.

“Written in a lively, easy to understand style, beergenie.co.uk takes a stroll around beer’s role in British culture through many convivial occasions such as weddings, barbecues and picnics. It also highlights beer’s history, production and cornucopia of styles. The website examines beer’s Pandora’s Box of natural ingredients and what each contributes to a beer’s colour and flavour. It confronts the myth of the beer belly (beer has zero fat or cholesterol) and gives handy tips on matching beers with food in the home or in the growing number of top restaurants.”

Maybe it’s because I’ve been to at least the last 10 Good Food & Wine shows if not every one, or maybe it’s because I have had the privilege to go to Anuga and experience the best food show in the world, but this years Good Food & Wine show just feels same old same [...]

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I am loving mint these days. I used to be very resistant to using it in savoury food other than with lamb or peas, and not completely wild about in sweets, always think it rocks in drinks, but recently I’m finding it really freshens things up.Â*It’s been raining for a few days and I needed [...]

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The Wales the True Taste Food and Drink Awards will this year be held in Pembrokeshire at the Withybush Showground in Haverfordwest on Thursday 11 November, it was announced today (10 May).

The Welsh Assembly Government managed awards, held at Abergavenny’s historic Market Hall last year, will travel to Pembrokeshire following the region’s success in producing several award winning food and drink products over the years.

It was also announced that the 2011 Awards will be held in North Wales and that the 2012 Awards will take place in Mid Wales and that both venues are still under discussion.

The Minister for Rural Affairs, Elin Jones, says, “By changing the region of the ceremony on an annual basis, we are embracing key food and drink destinations throughout Wales whilst at the same time, promoting and building the awareness of Welsh food and drink products.”

“The Wales the True Taste Food and Drink Awards continue to go from strength to strength, with growing awareness of True Taste among producers in Wales and with consumers across Great Britain.”

The launch of this year’s Awards was held at Puffin Produce Ltd in Haverfordwest, who won a Gold and Silver Award at last year’s ceremony under the Fresh Produce – Large Producer category with their Maris Peer and Estima Potatoes.

The company has also recently launched its new brand, ‘Blas Y Tir’, which it hopes will highlight the provenance of its products and drive retail sales within Wales. Puffin is expanding its operation and is investing £2.6m in equipment and storage at its Withybush site.

Said Puffin’s General Manager, Huw Thomas, “We are delighted to be hosting the launch of the 2010/11 True Taste Awards. Being a True Taste winner is very special indeed, not only is it great to have your efforts recognised by the food and drink industry but from a commercial point of view – and with the consumer – it gives us a greater presence.”

Launched in 2002, the Awards reflect the increased demands from consumers for locally sourced produce along with those of the export market place and forms part of a commitment to develop the food and drink sector.

This year will see 15 award categories which aim to cater all areas of the food and drink production, retail and hospitality sectors. Those wishing to enter should visit the website on truetaste.tv

The closing date for entries is June 4th 2010.

This recipe will be good for 5 – 8 pears and is spicy and delicious, reminiscent of gluhwein and perfect for winter.Peel the pears and place in a large pot and then add the following:Â*A cinnamon stickA big pinch of clovesA grating of nutmegThe peel on an orange and a lemon (I use a spud [...]

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A very good friend of mine and I have mothers that are in heaven, so to remember them and still feel like were a part of the day, Â*we did a joint motherless mothers day lunch and gathered a few friends. Â*It was a perfect day with storms battering in on the Atlantic seaboard, with intermittent [...]

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