The Farmhouse Kitchen
The Farmhouse Kitchen will be a space to get to know the people behind our food and drink. You will hear from celebrity experts such as Briony May Williams, Andy Clarke, Nigel Barden and George Egg. There will also be the chance to learn about pairing food and drink found in the festival itself. You’ll gain top tips about how to eat on a budget as well as learn about sustainability within the drinks industry. With such a wide variety of celebrity appearances, panels, and seminars, there’s sure to be something for everyone!
Briony May Williams
After years of baking at home and cultivating her creativity and skill, Briony first came to the public’s attention as she launched onto our screens during nine stressful weeks in the tent on the 2018 series of The Great British Bake Off on Channel 4. Progressing through the competition to the semi-final, Briony’s humour and warmth, coupled with her resilience and ingenuity saw her become a firm favourite with the audience.
In 2021 and 2022, Briony was named on The Shaw Trust’s Disability Power 100 List of the UK’s most influential disabled people.
Briony is an ambassador for Reach, Bristol Mind and Paul’s Place. She also supported Sport Relief in 2020 by completing a 5km running challenge for them and has also supported Comic Relief by providing recipes for their fundraising packs.
Nigel Barden
Nigel Barden is a food and drink broadcaster, who works on the Simon Mayo Drivetime Show on Greatest Hits Radio and previously on Scala Radio. He was also on air with Simon and Chris Evans, on their Sony Gold award winning BBC Radio 2 shows for 12 years and he’s worked with Robert Elms on BBC Radio London for 27 years. He specialises in promoting British ingredients and artisan producers, particularly in his role as chairman of judges for The Great Taste Awards, Farm Shop & Deli Awards, World Cheese Awards, British Cookery School Awards, Deliciously Yorkshire, and host of The North West Family Business Awards, National Fish & Chip and Ice Cream Alliance Awards. Nigel hosts the Chef Demo Stages at Tom Kerridge’s ‘Pub in the Park’ festivals throughout England.
During lock-down Nigel presented live tastings for the British Cheese Weekender, highlighting the plight of the artisan cheese making community and hosted the Virtual Cheese Awards over the past two years, a 6 hour live event.
Lisa Cadd
Lisa Cadd, also known as the Fuss Free Foodie is self confessed foodie and a mum of 2 boys.
Lisa spends her time shopping around and experimenting with new recipes. Creating delicious food which doesn’t take all day or require a long list of ingredients. Her mission is to create a community of foodies to eat well without the fuss too!
Lisa will be on the Farmhouse Kitchen stage – showing you how to create easy yet delicious meals!
Cheese & Cider Pairings with Thatchers and Wyke
We are delighted that Thatchers and Wyke will be providing us with a Cheese & Cider pairing, the tasting panel will be Richard Clothier from Wyke Farms and Paul Ross from Thatchers Cider, with Andy Clarke being their host. If you want to know which cheeses go well with which cider, be sure to come along to the Farmhouse Kitchen stage on Saturday 23rd March at Midday. There may even be some sample tasters available for you..!
Emma Young
Emma Young is a Cheese Consultant & Author also known as “The Cheese Explorer”. Her first book “The Cheese Wheel” was released just last year. She has worked in the cheese industry since 2009 in retail, wholesale, cheesemaking, and now as a teacher and consultant to the cheese industry. She has been an International cheese judge for the past 12 years and she teaches cheese courses for MonS Formation, the Guild of Fine Food and the Academy of Cheese in the UK.
