Head to County Durham this February for a week of culinary delights at one of Britain’s best hotels. Taking place to celebrate the best of British cuisine, Rockliffe Hall’s first ever Festival of Food (2-9 February 2019) will see some of the country’s best professional chefs host a variety special lunches, dinners and more.
Chefs Andrew Pern, Mark Greenaway, James Mackenzie and Mark Jordan will join Rockliffe’s three executive chefs, Richard Allen, Aaron Craig and Paul O’Hara, for a series of delectable events, including a Taste of the North East banquet and a ‘call my bluff’ wine evening.
To conclude the festival, Rockliffe Hall’s three executive chefs Richard Allen, Aaron Craig and Paul O’Hara will take to the Pass fora glittering black-tie gala dinner, where they will each conjure a dish of edible magic.
The full lineup is as follows:
1 World’s Best Sunday Dinner with Andrew Pern – Sunday 3rd February
Yorkshire based chef-patron Andrew Pern, recent winner of the World’s Best Sunday Dinner in the lonely planet guide, brings a Michelin-starred Sunday lunch-themed menu to the Clubhouse.
2 Guest Chef Mark Greenaway – Monday 4th February
TV regular and winner of the Gourmand Book Awards’ Best Chef Cookbook in the World, Mark Greenaway, brings a taste of his multi-award-winning Restaurant Mark Greenaway to Rockliffe Hall’s Brasserie.
3 Gardener’s lunch with Phil Mennell, Head Gardener – Tuesday 5th February
Phil will present a talk in the Looking Glass House before a tour of Rockliffe’s kitchen gardens and potting sheds, followed by a two course lunch in the 4 AA Rosette Orangery, created from the gardens by Executive Chef, Richard Allen.
4 Call My Bluff wine evening – Tuesday 5th February
Rockliffe Hall’s Head sommelier, Daniel Jonberger, guides you through how to pair food with wine. You’ll enjoy five different nibbles, each presented with two different glasses of wine, so Daniel can explain which matches well, and which doesn’t.
5 Guest Chef Mark Jordan in the Orangery – Wednesday 6th February
Richard Allen welcomes celebrated chef Mark Jordan (Mark Jordan At The Beach), and forager, Kazz (Wild Food Adventures), both from the island of Jersey, to the Orangery for a unique food and wine experience.
6 Taste of the North East – Thursday 7th February
A very special banquet to celebrate the finest North East produce with chefs Andy Simms from the Bay Horse Hurworth, Ronald Robson from Nova Seafood Grill, Steven Lawford from Chadwicks Inn Maltby and David Henry from the Crathorne Arms.
7 Guest Chef James Mackenzie – Friday 8th February
We welcome James Mackenzie, chef-patron of the Michelin-starred Pipe and Glass Inn, winner of Michelin’s Pub of the Year, for an exquisite dining experience in The Clubhouse.
8 Come Dine with Us black-tie gala dinner – Saturday 9th February
Rockliffe Hall’s three executive chefs Richard Allen, Aaron Craig and Paul O’Hara will each create a special dish for this glittering black-tie gala dinner to conclude the Festival of Food celebrations.
Make it happen
When: 2 – 9 February 2019
Cost: Tickets start from £35 for lunchtime events and £45 for evening events. A Festival Pass will also be available from £400 which gives access to all evening events, with accommodation options available.
Where: Hurworth-on-Tees, Darlington DL2 2DU