SEAFOOD GALORE AT NYETIMBER DORSET SEAFOOD FESTIVAL AS TOP CHEFS ANNOUNCED

16 May 2019

− Nyetimber Dorset Seafood Festival showcases top chefs, with seafood on every menu –

The UK’s most prestigious Seafood Festival has announced a stellar line up of top chefs for the 2019 event, due to take place over the weekend of 13th and 14th July.  Throughout the Festival, chefs with a passion for seafood will take part in cooking demos across two stages. 

The Nyetimber Dorset Seafood Festival brings together top seafood producers, chefs and fishermen to celebrate all things seafood.  The Festival aims to encourage visitors to eat more fish in a sustainable and responsible way, and is excited to announce its list of the top chefs who will demonstrate their skills throughout the weekend. 

Chef demos include:

  • Celebrated chef, Mitch Tonks, who is opening his seafood restaurant, Rockfish in Weymouth this summer, will be joined on stage by his good friend Mark Hix, former Weymouth College student, eminent restaurateur and food writer; you don’t want to miss this double act!
  • Nigel Bloxham from The Crab House Café, which has recently been nominated ‘Restaurant of the Year’ at the prestigious British Restaurant Awards.
  • Title sponsor Nyetimber, and award-winning drinks columnist for The Sunday Telegraph and Stella magazine, Susy Atkins, will be talking about English sparkling wine and holding tastings.
  • John Wright of River Cottage is a keen forager and no stranger to the Festival.
  • Pete Murt, head chef at Rick Stein, Sandbanks, is thrilled to be back for another year.
  • Seafish’s Gus Caslake and Passionate About Fish – Duncan Lucas, the king of filleting.
  • Nick Evans, head chef lecturer from the Rick Stein Cookery School brings his wealth of knowledge to the Festival.
  • Russell Brown, former Michelin star chef  – and a popular regular on our demo stage.
  • Chris Staines from the rather wonderful Ollerod in Beaminster.
  • CJ Jackson from Billingsgate Seafood School teams up with Mike Warner, freelance food writer & fisheries journalist.
  • BBQ champions Ben Bartlett and Simon (The Womble) Dyer show us their different techniques and skills.
  • Kim Somauroo, Chef and leading home economist. Kim has a great understanding of good food and is looking forward to talking through our chef demonstrations on the Stoves stage this year.

Brian Cooper, Festival Director, commented: ‘We are thrilled to welcome such experienced and passionate chefs to our stages this year, from Festival regulars to some new faces who will be demonstrating delicious ways to enjoy seafood and entertain the crowds.  We’re excited that Mitch Tonks will be back, especially as he is about to open his Rockfish seafood restaurant on the seafront right here in Weymouth.”

The Nyetimber Dorset Seafood Festival attracts more than 50,000 people from across the country, and helps raise funds for the Fishermen's Mission – the vital port of call for fishermen and their families. Key highlights of the 2019 Festival include: 

Nyetimber — The Nyetimber team will be on hand to provide the finest English sparkling wines, ensuring the perfect pairings with local seafood. Enjoy a glass of England’s finest on-board The Nyetimber, a beautifully reimagined 1968 Routemaster bus that offers a luxurious, quintessentially British setting where guests can relax and admire both the harbour and the award-winning beach.

Available wines: Classic Cuvee Multi-Vintage – 75cl and Magnum, Blanc de Blancs 2013 – 75cl, Rosé Multi-Vintage – 75cl , Cuvee Chérie Multi Vintage – 75cl (a Demi-Sec cuvee), Tillington Single Vineyard 2013 – 75cl, Nyetimber 1086 Vintage 2009 – 75cl, Nyetimber 1086 Rosé Vintage 2010 – 75cl

The Seafish Zone — Seafish’s mission is to support a profitable, sustainable and socially responsible future for the seafood industry. Watch seafood demos from some of the best chefs in town, and learn about

Seafish’s campaign, ‘Fish 2 a week’, which aims to inspire more people across the country to eat two fish dishes per week. #2aweek http://www.fishisthedish.co.uk/health/2-a-week

I am Turtle — The Makeshift Ensemble will be performing their family show, ‘I am Turtle’, at Weymouth Pavilion as part of the Festival. The Dorset-based company, that takes its celebrated shows for all ages across the UK, promise’s Sea Turtle puppets, wonderful live music, a beautiful story, and an important message about plastic use and what we can all do to take care of the oceans. This event is free to attend; please keep an eye on the Festival website to see how you can get a ticket.

The Kids’ Zone — is a creative zone where children are encouraged to get stuck in and make fantastically fishy creations with Bella Ceramics. Plus face painting and crabbing too.

Music — This year’s enhanced programme features sea shanties, folk & acoustic popular music. Follow the Festival via its social media channels to keep up to date with the latest information.

Crab — Always keen to highlight the importance of sustainability, the Festival is focusing on brown crab, also known as ‘edible crab’. Fishing around the Dorset coast is concentrated during the period March–October, with many small vessels targeting brown crab and lobster during the summer months. Over 500 tonnes of brown crab are landed in Weymouth every year, at a value of around £1 million pounds.

Sponsors this year include: Nyetimber, Seafish, Badger Beers, Weird Fish, Dream Cottages, Waterside Holiday Group, Arthur J Gallagher and the Aster Group

For more information, visit www.dorsetseafood.co.uk or follow us on Twitter @dorsetseafood, Facebook @DorsetSeafoodFestival, or Instagram @dorsetseafoodfest

Click here for the full press release

SEAFEAST - The Dorset Seafood Festival raises funds for the Fishermen's Mission - the vital port of call for fishermen and their families.
Fishermen's Mission