Discover the Talented Chefs Cooking Live at Living North's Christmas Fair in Newcastle
Living North's Christmas Fair is back at Newcastle Racecourse from 26th-29th October, and we can't wait to welcome some of the region's best chefs to our Demonstration Kitchen
11am
Rhian Cradock, The Feathers Inn
Rhian has been cheffing for more than 30 years. Having started in Newcastle he moved to London and worked in several Michelin-starred kitchens before moving back to the North East to open his own place – he has been at The Feathers for more than 15 years. The Feathers has won more than 40 national awards and Rhian continues to lead the way in local and seasonal cooking in the region.
12pm
Alison Moffett,Blackfriars
Allison started her journey in the world of food at the age of 16 when she completed her apprenticeship at a country hotel near Morpeth. Her dedication and talent were further refined during a five-year tenure with Michelin-starred chef Tom Kitchin, contributing her expertise to his renowned Edinburgh restaurants, with a notable stint at the prestigious Michelin-starred The Kitchin in Leith. Alison's culinary journey reached new heights as she represented Tom Kitchin's acclaimed gastropub, The Scran and Scallie, at the inaugural Pub in the Park festival hosted by Tom Kerridge in Marlow. Returning to her hometown of Newcastle, Alison joined the team at Blackfriars in 2018 and over the years, her commitment and artistry to pastry and desserts have propelled her to the role of head pastry chef
1pm
Richard Sim, The Potted Lobster
Richard is a Living North favourite and has been a touch busy of late as his Bamburgh restaurant, The Potted Lobster, has won Michelin plaudits. He’s also been busy developing the delightful new hotel and bistro combination in Alnmouth, The Whittling House. Plus, during the winter months, he’s occupied on the Northumbrian moors as his appreciation of the finest local produce (whether it’s game, fish or a raft of other seasonal fare) is vital to the success of his highly-regarded restaurants.
2pm
Ellers Farm Distillery
What sets Ellers Farm Distillery apart from other distilleries is that they are one of just a few in the UK that craft their vodka from scratch – and of course the use of their delicious British apples. They don't just talk the talk when it comes to sustainability either. From day one, Ellers Farm have been completely carbon neutral, so you can sip on their award-winning spirits without worrying about your carbon footprint. Most recently, the team have built an orchard for their vodka production, so you know you're in for a treat. Come and sip on some delicious spirits made with care from locally-sourced ingredients during their demonstration.
11am
Chris Dodds, Beadnell Towers and Kitchen
Newly appointed head chef Chris blends local produce and food heritage with confident cooking and relaxed Northumbrian hospitality. Chris, who is from County Durham, embarked on his culinary journey at Ramside Hall and from there his professional path has led him to establishments such as Close House and the AA Rosette-awarded Lumley Castle, before arriving at Beadnell Towers and Kitchen. He has a passion for teaching and takes great joy in mentoring young apprentices, passing his skills on to the next generation of North East chefs.
12pm
Josh Bell, Beach House
The fully-refurbished hotel, restaurant and bar, Beach House, is ideally located in central Seahouses, offering beautiful sea views over the Northumberland coastline and Farne Islands. The newly-launched restaurant headed up by Josh Bell offers a range of unpretentious dishes using fresh ingredients sourced from the local area, including fabulous seafood favourites.
1pm
Greg Lambert, SIX
Greg Lambert runs all food operations for Fresh Element and Pneuma Hospitality across the North East. Throughout his 20-year career as a chef, Greg has worked in kitchens such Café 21, Rick Stein’s and two-Michelin star restaurant, Blue Hill at Stone Barns. He originally joined SIX as a sous chef in 2010, before working his way up to executive chef in 2016. This year, SIX is hunting down two AA-Rosettes and a place in the Good Food Guide in recognition of the contemporary-style brasserie food that is crafted daily in the kitchen.
2pm
Dorothy Foreman, Dotty in the Kitchen
Dorothy is a private chef and has her own event catering company based in Newcastle. Originally trained as a secondary school teacher, she gave up life in the classroom for a career with a little more flavour. When lockdown hit Dotty was unable to work in restaurants and found herself back where it all started, cooking in her kitchen at home. This gave her the push she needed to get Dotty in the Kitchen off the ground, and since then she has cooked for hundreds of people in their homes, holiday cottages, at their workplace and at weddings. Dotty loves working with as many seasonal and local ingredients as she can and aims to give a fresh and modern twist on classic event catering.
11am
Eddie Saint, Jesmond Dene House
An accomplished chef and mentor, Eddie Saint assumed the role of executive head chef at Jesmond Dene House in 2023. He has worked at leading North East hotels since his beginnings as a commis chef at Hotel du Vin in 2009. Eddie’s tenure at the renowned Riley's Fish Shack deepened his expertise in seafood. Joining Jesmond Dene House in 2021 as senior sous chef, he has played a pivotal role in Fern Dining Room & Bar's success.
12pm
Tomahawk Steakhouse
The award-winning Tomahawk Steakhouse group are well known across the region for serving mouth-watering Himalayan salt dry-aged steaks, sharing boards, and legendary Sunday roasts. The executive chef team will be joining us at Living North’s Christmas Fair to demonstrate their skills and share their expertise on everything steak. Explaining the tried and tested ways to cook the best tomahawk, wagyu sirloin or ribeye, they will let you in on all the hints and tips for cooking the perfect steak (as well as the secret to making the very best macaroni cheese, chimichurri and bacon and creamed peas at home).
1pm
Hotel du Vin
You’ll find the team at Hotel du Vin are passionate about wine and food, and their aim is to help you explore, discover, or simply enjoy your favourite wines, as their expert in-house wine ambassadors and bar teams draw from a cellar with an extensive mix of wines from around the world. From traditional quality Bordeaux and Burgundy through to trendy wines from the New World, Hotel du Vin promises something new for everyone.
2pm
Isabelle Smith, Twenty Nine Degrees Chocolatiers
Twenty Nine Degrees stems from family tradition, as growing up, Isabelle would make chocolates at Christmas with her mum to send to family and friends. The tradition continued once she moved away from home and during lockdown she decided to experiment more with her chocolates. It was then that she discovered bonbons, similar to the ones she make now, and after a lot of hard work and a lot of chocolate later, Isabelle is now a successful chocolatier and business owner.
3pm
Bob Arora, Sachins
Bob is head chef at Sachins, a popular Punjabi restaurant located on the historic Forth Banks in the heart of Newcastle. From sumptuous tandoori dishes and beautiful biryanis to mouth-watering curries and delectable desserts, the food here has been tantalising taste buds for nearly 40 years. Bob’s food is renowned for the delicate and precise use of herbs and spices, which are roasted and ground on the restaurant premises. With a commitment to achieving decadent and authentic Punjabi flavours, Bob only uses the finest meats and vegetables available and cooks them to perfection using traditional methods.
11am
Ryan Riley, Life Kitchen
Ryan is a highly accomplished chef and food expert known for his enthusiasm and expertise in creating flavourful dishes. He is the founder of the award-winning Life Kitchen and Life Kitchen Cookery School, which offers free cooking classes and events to people with cancer in the UK and Europe. Ryan was named one of the 1000 most influential people in London by the Evening Standard in 2019, and has authored five cookbooks. In addition to his work as a chef, Ryan is also a columnist and regular BBC radio presenter of Ryan's Foodie Fridays.
12pm
Jon Welsh, Jesmond Wine Company
After a friend opened his eyes to the world of wine and following a bad injury, former Rugby Union player Jon decided to leave the pitch to open Jesmond Wine Company. Passing his Wine and Spirit Education Trust courses, learning everything there is to know about wine, Jon now offers tasing events and private wine experiences at the Clayton Road shop, as well as expert advice on picking the perfect bottle.
1pm
Kevin Mulraney, Bewicks Kitchen & Coffee House
Kevin was classically French trained at the Naval and Military Club in London, serving royalty and government diplomats. After his apprenticeship he worked in prestigious restaurants around the West End, including Morton's Club (where he achieved three Rosettes) and Soho’s iconic Lindsay House, achieving three Rosettes and a Michelin star, before opening his own restaurant, The Yacht Club, at St Katherine Docks. After returning to the North East with his family just over a decade ago, he acted as consultant chef to top outlets across the North East and Yorkshire, before settling down and launching his own restaurant, Bewicks. Expect London-style food and classic dishes with an eclectic twist.
2pm
Al Roberto, Simmer Kitchen
Founder of Simmer Kitchen, Al Roberto (aka The Rock Star Chef) is one of the finest chefs in the North of England. A large Italian family who emigrated to Leeds in the early 1970s, the Roberto family has influenced the Italian food scene for some time, and now Al is continuing to build on the legacy inspired by his roots. Al specialises in traditional Italian cuisine and fine dining with a modern touch, and has worked across Yorkshire. Now, he has developed Simmer Kitchen to bring private dining and event catering straight to the table. He has recently worked with Gregg Wallace and The Yorkshire Food & Drink Festival to bring crowds in their thousands live food demos in real Italian style.
