Porthleven Food Festival are delighted to announce that special guest chef Michael Caines MBE will cook on the main stage on Friday at 1pm, joined by his Executive Head Chef Stuart Shaw.
See the full Chefs’ Theatre line up
Michael is one of the UK’s most celebrated and acclaimed chefs, a successful and imaginative hotelier, a respected spokesperson for the hospitality industry, and a patron and fundraiser for a number of national and local charities and community organisations. He has built his reputation on a highly personal and distinctive modern cuisine that celebrates the finest local and seasonal produce and ingredients from Devon and the South West and draws on influences from his travels around the world. Michael recently opened The Harbourside Refuge Restaurant in Porthleven, which will be serving a special menu throughout Food Festival weekend.
Harbourside Refuge Restaurant manager Simon Wilson said: “Join us at the Harbourside Refuge on Thursday 21 April for a spectacular evening of food and wine with an excellent tasting menu designed by Michael Caines and Jack Wilkinson our Head Chef. We are looking forward to being involved in this excellent event that has been a part of Porthleven over the years and hope to see you at the restaurant soon.”
Michael will be preceded on stage by chef Dan Bowden, whose interest in food stems back from when he use to work with his dad in his butchers shop as a kid. It’s taken him via Sweden, Kingston and Michael Caines’ The Coach House. Currently head chef at Berwick Lodge in Bristol where he’s been for the past two and a half years getting and retaining 2 AA rosettes, Dan is about to bring his cooking to Cornwall and take up the Head Chef job at The Bay Hotel in Coverack from May.
Dan said: “Being from Cornwall I love championing Cornish produce. That’s one of the many reasons I took the new challenge of The Bay Hotel in Coverack. My goal is to make The Bay Hotel the place to go in Cornwall. I’m back in Cornwall and as a proud Cornish man this is where I belong.”
The additional chefs demos will be supported by a programme of events and happenings on Friday in The Chefs’ Theatre, presented by Jude Kereama and sponsored by St Austell Brewery, including performances by flash mob The Lemonaires and Cornish Shanty Singers Rum and Shrub.
Alec Short, Chairman of Porthleven Food Festival, said: “Because of the Friday being part of the Easter holidays this year, we expect it to be busier and so we’ve provided more content across the site. We’ve got an amazing line-up of Cornish chefs across the weekend, organised by Jude Kereama who has been on the Festival committee since the beginning. I’m really delighted that Michael is going to be joining them – his food is amazing and I would encourage everyone to come and see him in action.”
The new Diner’s Club venue will be another great place to enjoy fabulous food, with all traders in this new venue offering small taster pots to purchase as well as larger portions, giving festival goers the chance to sample different cuisines. There will also be sponsors food and drink masterclasses in the Diner’s Club and chilled vibes DJs providing the soundtrack from 4pm onwards. Friday evening sees Mongolian Disco Show take to the Diner’s Club turntables, then on Saturday it’s the turn of Jelly Jazz and on Sunday Nigel Pengelly and Tim Dwelly will be at the decks.
