Universal Cookery and Food Festival (UCFF) was created by three talented and passionate chefs to give not only chefs, but food service professionals, exhibitors and influencers alike the ultimate food experience. This year’s iconic event will take place on Tuesday 15th September at Mudwalls Farm, Warwickshire.
The event, brainchild of Craft Guild of Chefs’ committee members and chef directors, Ian Nottage, Lee Maycock and John Feeney (L-R in image), is fast establishing itself as the must attend food festival in the foodservice calendar. Every year the event takes place in a different location across Britain so that everyone can benefit from attending and learning about an areas’ local produce and food heroes.
Lee Maycock, UCFF Chef Director, said: “UCFF provides a unique opportunity for chefs to get out of the kitchen and rub shoulders with local farmers, foragers, growers and suppliers. The event is also designed to inspire chefs with new ideas, ingredients and trends. We want our visitors to take back their learnings to their establishments, so that they can in turn provide their customers with the ultimate food experience.
“This year we will continue to attract chefs and foodservice professionals who want to build relationships and make connections that will help them to develop their careers. Despite the ticket price staying the same, we will be delivering an even bigger and better event than ever before, with new attractions and an extensive speaker programme.”
A ticket to this year’s event includes access to a number of new attractions that will mean visitors will need to pack their wellies. Mudwalls Farm owner and event host, George Beach, will take visitors on an Orchard Walk to talk them through his collection of fruit trees to demonstrate what it takes to nurture, breed and grow the finest seasonal British fruit. The Brassica Ramble, will follow the journey from propagation to harvest of the humble sprout or fashionable purple sprouting broccoli.
There is also the opportunity for visitors to get their hands dirty by taking part in a foraging journey to find edible wild species growing on and around Mudwalls Farm. Founder of Ground Up Cookery School, Colin Wheeler-James will look at sustainable foraging, seasonality, key ID points and preparation techniques.
The event’s speaker programme boasts Michelin-starred chefs as well as rising stars within the foodservice sector, who will look at everything from creating the perfect ‘Instagrammable’ dish to the truth about pesticides. With global food trends on the rise, this year sees UCFF hosting a Global Food Stage with inspirational demos from around the world.
Festival goers can also enjoy live debates, food demonstrations, a Farmers Market and free food throughout the day. To close the festival, the day will culminate in a BBQ and a band. Guests can enjoy free beer during the BBQ.
Ticket price: £120 +VAT.
If you are a course leader or lecturer and would like to make a group booking including your students, please call the UCFF team on 01293 854 403 and they will take your booking over the phone. Student bookings are not available online.
For more information about the event visit www.cookeryandfoodfestival.co.uk