Trio of top chefs coming to town

 

 

 * Graham Tinsley and Dion Jones.

 

A trio of Wales's best chefs will have a starring role at a top food festival - as they prepare to take on the world.

 

They will be hitting the culinary high notes at Hamper Llangollen that's being held in the town on Saturday and Sunday, October 18 and 19.

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At Hamper Llangollen, Graham Tinsley, executive chef at Carden Park in Cheshire and Conwy’s Castle Hotel, will be cooking up a Welsh feast with Mike Evans, hospitality lecturer at Coleg Llandrillo, Rhos on Sea, and Dion Jones, one of Europe's finest young chefs.

 

The event, hailed as one of the Top 10 food festivals in the UK, is supported by the rural development agency, Cadwyn Clwyd.

 

Cadwyn Clwyd’s contribution comes via the Rural Development Plan for Wales 2007-2013, which is funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) and the Welsh Government.

 

* Mike Evans.

The trio of chefs will be demonstrating the recipes that will be cooked by the team at the World Cup in Luxemburg when they will go head to head with the best culinary talents from around the globe.

 

Graham is just putting the finishing touches to the menus for the hot and cold dishes the culinary team - currently ranked seventh in the world - will be preparing at the World Cup.

 

But he is determined Welsh produce will feature strongly at Hamper Llangollen.

 

He said: “We always aim to showcase Welsh produce as part of what we are preparing. If we can’t buy it there, we take it with us.

 

“For Llangollen, we will also be going the stands of those exhibiting at the festival for inspiration. So when you see us cook the dishes, we will explain where you can buy the produce, whether it’s yoghurt, liquors or fresh vegetables. So you can buy the ingredients on the day and head home to make the dish for yourself,” said Graham, who was awarded an MBE in the Queen’s 80th birthday celebrations for his services to the food industry.

 

He has cooked for the Queen and members of the Royal family on numerous occasions, as well as the Emperor of Japan and European Heads of State at Cardiff Castle. Prince Charles, as patron of the Welsh National Culinary Team, has requested that they cook for him and his guests at every formal occasion in Wales and Graham was invited to attend his wedding celebration at Windsor Castle.

 

“We are hopeful of doing very well at the World Cup. When it was the Culinary Olympiad in 2012, we took silver and bronze, while at the last World Cup we picked up gold for the hot table and silver for the cold buffet.

 

“I’m just finalising what we will be cooking for the hot dishes this time, while I’ve got a little longer to think about the cold buffet. But it will definitely be a reflection of the great good and drink from Wales that’s available.”

 

 

One of Mike Evans's latest graduates is off to join kitchen wizard Heston Blumental. His previous students include Bryn Williams from Denbigh, who runs London restaurant and celebrity favourite Odette’s and who is about to open his first Welsh venture, at Porth Eirias, Colwyn Bay.

 

Another ex-student is former Bodysgallen Hall chef David Kelman, who was among the four top chefs who beat 20 others to win a place cooking up a treat for D-Day veterans at the Royal Albert Hall in BBC1’s Great British Menu.

 

Mike is just back from cooking for his rugby heroes, Sam Warburton and Rupert Moon. He’s previously served up meals for the Queen, Prince Philip and Prince Charles, plus David Cameron and the First Minister of Wales, along with the elite of Moscow’s multi-millionaire business community.

 

Mike Evans, who now lives in Old Colwyn, is in charge of coaching the Welsh Culinary Team’s junior squad.

 

He added: “Catering is now seen as a very positive option to take – in September there will be around 80 students starting at Coleg Llandrillo, while a few years ago there would only have half that number.

 

“It is a tough life but it does have great rewards, and standards are certainly on the up. The TV shows certainly help, not only to demonstrate to young people how high they can aim, but to also show the quality of food that’s being produced in restaurants these days.

 

“The Culinary Team has taken me some great places, such as cooking for the Welsh Rugby Union - though most of the big names were in South Africa playing: we were catering for the injured ones left behind. But I’m a big rugby fan, and it was a real honour to be cooking for them.

 

“My time with the team has taken me to Cardiff to cook for Royalty for the opening of the Senedd building, when I got to meet the Queen, Prince Charles and Camilla. And I’ve been to Moscow where we were showcasing British products, such as Range Rover and Jaguar, with a very upmarket buffet for Russian business people.

 

“Students who are considering a career in catering can see that we are cooking at a very high standard,” added Mike, who is hopeful that another of his students will soon be seeing stars. Just weeks after graduating from Coleg Llandrillo Nick Rudge has just joined Heston Blumenthal’s team at the Michelin- starred Fat Duck in Bray.

 

Rising star Dion, 26, from Valley, Anglesey, and now living in Wrexham, became the first Briton to win the world’s oldest culinary competition, the International Escoffier Challenge in the South of France.

 

A finalist in the 2014 National Chef of the Year contest, he’s also gearing up for his second bid to win the prestigious Roux Scholarship, after being pipped at the post last time, when he was runner-up.

 

Cadwyn Clwyd's Agri Food Officer, Robert Price, believes this year's festival is going to be one of the best ever.

 

He said: “Thanks to a whole host of indigenous companies like Orchard Pigs, North East Wales is rapidly establishing a reputation as a centre of excellence for high quality cuisine.

“The food festival is a perfect shop window for the companies who form the backbone of our rural economy.

 

"The location of the Pavilion is absolutely spectacular - I can't imagine that any other food festival in the UK has a more beautiful setting."

 

For more information about Hamper Llangollen 2014 visit www.llangollenfoodfestival.com

 

Fringe goes for big finale at Valle Crucis

The Fringe Finale Concert at Valle Crucis Abbey takes place at 7.30pm tomorrow (Sunday) evening with a performance by Muom, an overtone singing choir from Barcelona.

Their singing in the remains of the floodlit abbey will be one of the most atmospheric moments of the week.

They use a special technique in their singing where each member sings two notes at the same time, and the music that they produce is perfect for a summer evening in such an important location.

The supporting programme will also include a reading of Dylan Thomas by Peter Read.

Don't forget to bring a chair. A hogroast and bar also available. Tickets are £7.50.

Toy & Train Sale planned for Pavilion

* Potential buyers browse at a previous Toy & Train Sale at the pavilion.

Llangollen Pavilion is to host the latest annual Toy & Train Sale on Saturday, August 16, between 10.30am and 3pm.

This is the only event of its type at the venue  in 2014, although organiser Chris Dyer say arrangements are already in hand next year's show.

In the meantime, a sister event,  the Oswestry Toy & Train Sale, will take place at the Showground, Oswestry,  on Saturday, October 18, with a further three shows planned there in 2015.

Mr Dyer said: "Llangollen  attracts a great range of traders from  all over Wales and England and a wonderful array of stock is always available, including all the big names such as Dinky, Corgi, Matchbox, EFE, Tri-ang, Hornby, Lima, Wrenn and Bachmann.

"In the current economic climate, prices have never been keener and it is an ideal time to build up collections at budget prices.

"Traders are also very keen to buy and to exchange, so do bring along your surplus items."

* For more information, contact Mr Dyer on 01643 702757, or 07966 694579, or see his website: www.chrisdyerfairs.co.uk

Twenty Club auditions planned

The Twenty Club has sent details of auditions it is holding for its forthcoming production of Seaon's Greetings by Alan Ayckbourn.

These will be held at Llangollen Town Hall next Tuesday, July 29, starting at 7.30pm.

The play is the second production that Natalie Evans will have directed for the club, following her successful debut with The Glass Menagerie in last year, pictured below.

Bin it to win it

Kingdom Security, working in conjunction with Denbighshire County Council, is offering people the chance for people to be entered into a regular prize draw to win a £50 high street voucher for anyone who is seen disposing of their litter responsibly or picking up after their dog.

If an environmental enforcement officer sees someone disposing of litter in a bin or picking up after their dog, they will be commended personally for their action and also given a postcard and asked to complete their details and send it in to the Council to be included in the monthly prize draw.

The prize is funded by Kingdom and the Council is co-ordinating the draw and providing the administration and postcards.

Denbighshire contracted Kingdom to carry out environmental enforcement patrols across the county in October 2012 and since then, officers have issued 4,466 fixed penalty notices and their work has attracted widespread praise for cleaning up Denbighshire's streets, which is one of Denbighshire's Corporate Priorities.

Cabinet Lead Member for Environment, Councillor David Smith, said: "Issues of dog fouling and littering have repeatedly come out in our resident's survey as one of the main things that bothers people greatly and this is why we made 'clean and tidy streets' as one of our Corporate Priorities.  We contracted Kingdom Security to carry out environmental enforcement and have been running a widespread campaign since last February to educate people and change behaviour.

"We know the vast majority of people do dispose of litter properly and pick up after their dogs and we are seeing improvements across the county but we feel it is important that we also acknowledge those who do the right thing and ensure they are also recognised for their public spirit."

Steven Gillespie, of the Environmental Protection Division for Kingdom Security, said: "The Bin it to Win it scheme has been hugely successful in four other counties, so we thought we’d launch it here in Denbighshire. It allows Kingdom, in partnership with Denbighshire County Council, to demonstrate our commitment to acknowledging and rewarding members of the community who display environmental awareness."

Swing along to Llan Railway this weekend

Llangollen Railway is heading back to the swinging decade this Saturday and Sunday.

That’s when the heritage railway will be staging it fifth 1960's weekend.

And just to get you in the mood, event organiser Tez Pickthall has sent these two pictures showing some of the fun at the event in previous years and Llan Railway as it actually was in the 60s.

The locomotives 80072 and 3802 should be in steam over the weekend.

Class 26 D5310 will work three trips each day and two railcars - expected to be the Class 109 and Class 127 – will complete the line-up.

Some railcar services will run to Bonwm.

Free vintage bus rides will be on offer between Llangollen and Carrog, using two vehicles from the North West Museum of Transport, calling at Berwyn and Glyndyfrdwy en route.

The railway’s popular vintage vehicle rally will be staged in the field behind Glyndyfrdwy station.

Dr Beeching's real ale bar can be enjoyed on Llangollen station throughout the weekend.

The bar will have seven draught local real ales for you to try, along with bottled lagers, wines and soft drinks.

Real ale is available at £2.50 a pint. Not quite 1960s prices but still a bargain.

Retro-themed trade stands can be found at Llangollen station, including Craftevan, with a range of original Mini and VW camper-themed gifts along with some superb vintage clothes.

Saturday night will see live music on Llangollen station - resident stars Matt and Sophie will be joined by Elvis to entertain you from around 7.30pm.

Isherwood promotes regional rail links

 

* Mark Isherwood AM, left, with Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin MP.

 

North Wales Assembly Member Mark Isherwood AM has met with the UK Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin MP to support proposals for better North Wales rail connectivity.

 

At the meeting Mr Isherwood also discussed the business case for North Wales rail electrification and welcomed the Chancellor’s announcement of £10.4 million for the Halton Curve rail line to improve links between North Wales and Liverpool, Cheshire and Warrington.

 

Mr Isherwood said: “It was a very productive meeting. Improvements to routes between north east Wales, Liverpool and Manchester are critical in connecting businesses and individuals to markets and job opportunities and I welcomed the fact that the UK Government recognises this and is investing money accordingly.

 

“The former UK Government failed to electrify a single centimetre of track in Wales and only electrified nine miles of track across the UK in 13 years, whilst, by contrast, the UK Coalition Government has delivered the biggest investment in public transport in Wales since Victorian times.

 

“However it is disappointing that the Welsh Government Transport Minister, Edwina Hart AM, doesn’t give the same importance to improving the transport network in North Wales, with projects such as the redoubling of the line between Wrexham and Saltney having been reduced and funding redirected to the South. The Minister may be happy with the decision she made, ruling out extra capacity to run future trains for the north-west of England and ignoring the impact of the new prison in Wrexham, but North Wales is not.”