Robbie Main won the Guild of Food Writer’s Chef of Tomorrow competition, and part of his prize was a long weekend in Suffolk with his Mum and Dad, Douglas and Gillian. Robbie had a fantastic weekend, staying on a lovely farm, learning about ice cream production, visiting Pinney’s smokehouse in Orford, spending a whole day on a wild food foray, eating fish and chips in Aldeburgh and we were overjoyed that the Suffolk Herring Festival was on Robbie’s schedule.
Local chefs looked after him royally and he ended his prize weekend with a great day at Hintlesham Hall. Robbie was astonished at how much Suffolk had to offer a food-lover, and looks forward to developing new recipes with the lovely ingredients he will take home – enough to fill a huge plastic basket.
” I didn’t realise Suffolk was such a lovely place,” Robbie said. “Everyone we have met has been very nice to us, and some (actually all!) of the food and produce we have tasted has been great. We will be back!”
More than 400 people turned out for the first day of the Suffolk Herring Festival and enjoyed every minute. There were cooking demos, a wide range of herring dishes, and a considerable weight of freshly caught herring cooked on the barbecue. There was singing and poetry, herring art works and a multitude of knitted fish, displays on sustainable fishing and the health benefits of eating herring. On Sunday there will be more fun, a kipper brunch, and sunnier weather!
Does it look like it’s raining?