MARK HIX HOSTS THE 2010 DORSET SEAFOOD FESTIVAL FOR 3RD YEAR
The Dorset Seafood Festival can once again announce Mark Hix as the headline celebrity chef for the Dorset Seafood Festival, taking place 10th and 11th July 2010. One of the most popular events in the Dorset’s social calendar and attracting 40,000 visitors in 2009 the 2010 festival plans to be even bigger and better.
Joining Mark on the main show stage will be wine expert and previous BBC Saturday Kitchen presenter, Joe Wadsack, and Mat Follas, winner of Masterchef 2009 and owner of the ‘The Wild Garlic’ restaurant in Beaminster. Mark and Mat will be demonstrating their culinary skills on the main stage and judging the Dorset Young Seafood Masterchef 2010 competition. John Wright, funghi and wild food expert, from Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s River Cottage will also return to the event to impart his knowledge on foraging. Giles Thompson, former chef director of The Ritz will also be demonstrating on the main stage. Local chefs will also have the chance to demonstrate their culinary prowess on a second demo stage positioned on the Custom House Quay side of the harbour.
With circa 60 stalls this year creating a seafood village across the waterfront on both sides of Weymouth Old Harbour, foodies, gourmands, young and old will be able to enjoy a range of freshly cooked seafood dishes. Last year’s menus included; paella, scallops with asparagus puree and morel mushrooms, mussel chowder, barbequed mackerel, smoked salmon and crème fraiche pancakes.
But it’s not all about cooking and eating! The event is bursting with other sea related, family oriented events providing education and entertainment. The Across the Harbour Guinness and Oyster Challenge will launch the festival where participants will race across the harbour, eat an oyster and down a pint of Guinness all for charity.
‘Passionate about Fish’ will be returning to educate visitors on local indigenous species, giving children the chance to get up close and personal to some fabulous specimens. There will also be live music in Hope Square with The Exmouth Shantymen, the final cook-off for the 2010 Dorset Young Seafood Masterchef Competition, demonstrations from the Historical Diving Society and a performance of a children’s puppet show ‘Oshima and the Big Sea’ at the Hope Reform Church in Trinity Street.
The festival has also attracted a range of high profile businesses and brands including Pommery Champagne, which is this year’s title sponsor and with additional supporter from Wessex Water, The Co-operative Membership, Wine of Chile and Lloyds TSB.
‘The profile of supporters and sponsors demonstrates the importance and success of The Dorset Seafood Festival. Plans for the summer event are well underway and with only 11 weeks to go we are well underway in delivering an outstanding festival,’ said Dorset Seafood Festival chairman Roger Dalton.