Everyone from the winner of MasterChef: The Professionals to the former personal chef of legendary composer Baron Andrew Lloyd-Webber is set to take part in The Skillery at next spring’s International Food & Drink Event (IFE) at London’s ExCeL from 22-25 March, 2015.
Guaranteed to be one of the highlights of the high profile industry show, The Skillery will also feature live demonstrations from The National Chef of the Year 2014, Russell Bateman, and chairman of the Craft Guild of Chefs, Christopher Basten, who will be preparing a selection of his own ‘golden dishes’ to mark the association’s 50th anniversary next year.
The Skillery, organised by the Craft Guild, ultimately aims to enlighten IFE visitors with ways to improve their culinary skills, hone menu creation expertise, increase profit margins and reduce waste.
A key attraction
Martin Bates, chief executive of the Guild:
“The skillery is always a key attraction at IFE and this year, we have so many big names to dazzle and inspire visitors, whether they are chefs themselves, run a foodservice operation that wants to set itself apart or are in charge of product procurement.
“Bringing together so many great chefs at IFE will also be particularly poignant as the Guild will be celebrating its 50th anniversary, a milestone which gives us a huge amount of pride.”
While themes for the demonstrations are still being ironed out, chefs on the billing include:
- Adam Handling – British Chef of the Year 2014 and currently head chef at Adam Handling at Caxton in St James’s Park
- Damian Wawrzyniak – Award winning chef and owner of Fine Art of Dining
- Russell Bateman – The National Chef of the Year 2014 and head chef at Collette’s Restaurant at The Grove, Hertfordshire, achieving 3 AA Rosettes
- Jose Graziosi – Head chef atHotel Felix in Cambridge since October 2014. This boutique four star hotel has a critically-acclaimed AA two restaurant as well as a stylish Orangery
- Steven Edwards – Head chef at South Lodge Hotel, Horsham, and winner of MasterChef: The Professionals 2013
- Steve Walpole – Owner at Steve Walpole Ltd and former senior executive development chef at Gate Gourmet for the likes of British Airways First Class
- Greg Olejarka – Executive sous chef at Oriental Mandarin, London, and guest judge in graduations exams at the prestigious Le Cordon Bleu school of culinary arts
- Christopher Basten – National Chair of the Craft Guild of Chefs, he is also committed to the development of young chefs to ensure the future of the UK culinary industry
- Ben Bartlett – Celebrity TV chef ‘BBQ Ben’ runs his own food and drink company that advises food manufacturers and is the author of The BBQ Manual
- Adam Smith – Head chef at The Devonshire Arms, North Yorkshire, who trained under John Williams MBE at The Ritz in London. Also won the Roux Scholarship 2012
- Adam Simmonds – Chef ambassador for The Clink Restaurant, HMP High Down, who has achieved a Michelin star and 4 AA Rosettes
- Simon Jenkins– Executive pastry chef at Marcus Wareing Restaurants, Simon has received several awards at Hotelympia for sugar show pieces as well as being a semi-finalist in the Master of Culinary Arts in 2009.
- Aaron Mulliss and Nick Beardshaw – Head chef andsenior sous chef at Tom Kerridge’s Hand and Flowers, Marlow, winning 2 Michelin stars and 4 AA Rosettes
- Mark Greenaway – Chef patron of Restaurant Mark Greenway and Bistro Moderne, Edinburgh, with 3 AA Rosettes under his belt. Representing Scotland on BBC’s Great British Menu, he writes a weekly column for Edinburgh Evening News
- Rob Kennedy – Executive chef at Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst. Has cooked for UK monarchy, including HM The Queen, and represented Team England at the Culinary World Cup in Luxembourg in 2014
- Jeremy Medley – Acclaimed chef who now runs family firm Infusions4chefs.co.uk and ICE-Infusions Culinary Experience development kitchen and cook school
- Alyn Williams – National Chef of the Year 2012 and chef patron of AA Three Rosette Award and Michelin starred restaurant Alyn Williams at The Westbury
- Allister Bishop – Executive sous chef at Harrods with a career in luxury hospitality
- Alan Bird – Chef patron of Bird of Smithfield, who began career with Nico Ladenis, the first British chef to hold three Michelin stars, was executive chef at The Ivy for 20 years and was personal chef to composer Baron Andrew Lloyd-Webber
- Ben Tish – Chef director, Salt Yard Group. Fronted the 3 Rosette Al Duca and Crinan Hotel in West Highlands, awarded best gastro pub in Scotland by the Independent. Regularly appears on TV shows including Market Kitchen and MasterChef
- Hayden Groves – Executive chef at BaxterStorey and The National Chef of the Year 2013. He is also a four time gold medalist of the prestigious Parade Des Chefs
- Scott Fricker – Senior development chef at Ferndale Foods. Began career working for Andrew Turner and now helps chefs from around the world for various events including Francesco Mazzei and Margot Janse of le quartier francaise in South Africa
IFE brings together more buyers and suppliers of food and drink products than any other UK event, with 28,135 retailers, foodservice buyers, wholesalers, distributors, importers, exporters and manufacturers from 83 countries attending last year’s event. This year the event is collocated with two shows, Pro2Pac which focuses on food packaging and Waste-Works – a launch event – which aims to help all sections of the food industry reduce food waste dramatically.
For more information on IFE, visit www.ife.co.uk. For more on the Craft Guild of Chefs and to stay updated on specific demonstrations at The Skillery, visit craftguildofchefs.org or follow @Craft_Guild