Week Long Festival Of Food And Wine

A week-long festival of food and wine will be held at Jesmond Dene House Hotel and Restaurant in Newcastle this spring. This unique event will champion the region’ s produce, celebrate local food heroes and showcase the skills of acclaimed British and European chefs.

Highlights include an Entente Cordiale gala dinner with a team of ten French and British chefs uniting their culinary skills to create a six-course masterpiece.

Guests can also indulge in an afternoon tea created by John Williams of the Ritz, with elegant live music on the side. The Great Hall will play host to a farmers market, where all the produce is available to taste, tapas-style. There will even be a chance to get first-hand instruction from renowned chefs at a series of expert cooking demonstrations.

The custom-built kitchens at Jesmond Dene House will come into their own when a constellation of star chefs take up residence. Already confirmed are:

- Paul Rankin of Cayenne, Belfast;
- Simon King of Hairy Biker fame;
- Marc Fosh of Read's Hotel, Mallorca;
- John Williams, executive chef at the Ritz Hotel, London
- Michel Bourdin, former head chef of The Connaught, London and founder of the Academy of Culinary Arts;
- Michelin-starred chef Nigel Haworth of Northcote Manor, near Blackburn;
- From the south of France, Michelin 2* chefs Stephane Raimbault and Christian Morisset;
- Paul Heathcote of the Longridge Restaurant, Preston;
- London restaurateurs the Galvin Brothers;
- Chocolate guru Sara Jayne Stanes;
- Jesmond Dene House’s own Andrew Richardson and Michael Waugh.

Newcastle was recently named one of the top ten cities to dine in outside London, with Jesmond Dene House voted the top restaurant in the region.

Jesmond Dene House co-owner and leading chef Terry Laybourne said: “There are so many elements to this festival: from guest chef lunches and themed dinners to wine tastings and the farmers’ market. What unites them all is our desire to celebrate the North East’s increasing - and deserved - importance on Britain's gastronomic map.

“I hope our festival will underline and reinforce all that. The Entente Cordiale gala dinner will be a particular highlight for me. It’s not just that we are bringing together such a talented batch of chefs - this is the first time an event of this kind has been held outside London and I’m delighted that it’s happening here at Jesmond Dene House.”

The events at Jesmond Dene House form part of a new mouth-watering festival of food, Eat! NewcastleGateshead, which will be held in various locations throughout the area from April 6-15.

Stella Hall, Creative Director, NewcastleGateshead Initiative, said, “Eat! NewcastleGateshead is designed to give visitors and locals alike a flavour of something else we have to offer as a destination.

“We are recognised around the UK and around the world for our iconic buildings, our love of culture and vibrant nightlife, but this new festival inspired by Terry Laybourne now also offers a taster of something else that people can experience and enjoy here”.

More information on the Festival of Food and Wine at Jesmond Dene House is available at Jesmonddenehouse.co.uk.

Sunday April 8 to Monday April 16 2007

For further details about Eat! NewcastleGateshead go to Newcastlegateshead.com.