21st Hampshire Food Festival Launch
Hampshire Fare launched the 21st Hampshire Food Festival at a special evening event held in the stunning setting of Quob Park Estate.
The event was opened by Councillor Rob Humby, Leader of Hampshire County Council. He commented: “Hampshire Food Festival provides a time to reflect on all the care, time and hard work that goes into bringing quality food and drink to our tables, as the Festival offers plenty of opportunities for residents and visitors to learn more about where their food comes from and how it is made – shining a spotlight on the people who are the driving force behind one of the most valuable and valued sectors of Hampshire’s economy.”
Tracy Nash, Commercial Manager, Hampshire Fare, explained: “I get asked all the time what Hampshire Food Festival is; the answer is that it’s very complicated! The Hampshire Food Festival has never been simply a one-day event, and this year it is bigger than ever with more than 230 dated events throughout July and August, highlighting food and drink producers across the region. Some are major events, such as the local produce market at the New Forest Show. Others are smaller and more intimate, such as visits to a private vineyard, a spelt four farm, or a tour of a strawberry farm. Some are run by Hampshire Fare members and others aren’t. Some are free, others are ticketed.
“So why does Hampshire Fare organise this? The Festival is about providing an opportunity for us to get people together and focus on local. People love local and if we help businesses use local just for July or August, they may realise its value – this is what the customer wants! This collaborative approach can provide unique experiences. One such example I’m thrilled about is ‘A Feast of Food and Art’ with a special tasting menu created by Matt Whitfield of Kimbridge Barn served in Nick and Caroline de Rothschild’s art gallery on the Exbury estate.”
Guests were welcomed by the venue host, Rob Terry of Quob Park Estate. Quob Park only joined Hampshire Fare last year. Since then, they have opened further food and drink businesses in the local area, creating around 100 jobs, including Quob Park Free Range and Organic. This is an online shop promoting sustainably sourced food and working with local producers to offer a new route to market. Quob Park Free Range and Organic also provided the meats cooked by SoCal BBQ Shop during the evening.
Charles Ramseyer, Director, SoCal BBQ Shop, as Hampshire Food Festival’s headline sponsor, talked about his love of using Hampshire produce in outdoor cooking and how food and drink and cooking provides a sense of community.
Finally, there was an update from TV actors Sarah Parish and James Murray, founders of The Murray Parish Trust, the Festival’s Charity Partners, about the work undertaken by the Trust, raising £7 million over the last 15 years, to improve child healthcare across the region. Rob Terry of Quob Park also committed further generous support of The Trust on the night.
For everyone Hampshire Food Festival is a delicious opportunity to discover the area’s cities, countryside, market towns and villages through a varied programme that encompasses tours, tastings, demos, pop-ups, markets, workshops and more. Some events are returning, such as Southsea Food Festival, others are brand new, including the New Forest Food Festival. Hampshire Fare is also responsible for arranging two major new events. The first is Celebrating Hampshire. When Festival Place in Basingstoke, a Corporate Partner of Hampshire Fare, said they were not running their ‘Eat, Drink’ event this year, Hampshire Fare suggested holding an event championing local produce instead. Held over 1st-2nd July and marking the beginning of the Hampshire Food Festival, Celebrating Hampshire features two days of cookery demos by top chefs from across the region, including the New Forest, Romsey and Southsea. The second major new event is the Winchester Food Festival, to be held on 9th July, featuring a produce market, demos by local chefs, and advice on creating delicious, budget-friendly and healthy dishes.
The digital version of the Hampshire Food Festival is available HERE.
Images Credit: The Electric Eye Photography
