Cook off competition takes centre stage at revamped food festival

Organisers of the Henley Food Festival have announced a radical shake up of the festival's format for the next few years. Having listened to feedback from festival visitors, exhibitors, and local businesses it has been decided that the festival should have a presence in the heart of the town.

To this end the much-loved amateur cook-off competition will assume a new prominence this year as the 2010 event will take place in Henley Town Hall on 4 September Accompanied by demonstrations from local celebrity chefs including, Mike Robinson and Giancarlo Caldesi plus food and drink sampling opportunities the final promises to be a gastronomic delight for all of the many foodies in the town.

Simon Cromack, Chairman of the Henley Food Festival said, "This is a wonderful opportunity for us to bring the theatricality of the chef demonstrations back into the town hall. While this year we won't be able to offer all of the attractions that we could at Phyllis Court Club, we will be providing a great day of demonstrations and tasty food and drink sampling that will educate and entertain right in the hub of the town."

As a result the major festival event due to take place at Phyllis Court Club in May has been moved to 2011, in effect this means that the Henley Food Festival is following the same pattern as the last few years with the event being staged every other year.

Recognising that this is a radical shake-up for the food festival Cromack went on to say, "We have become very aware that moving to the green-field site last year did not fulfil all of our objectives in bringing visitors into the town centre and into local businesses. By staging demo's in the town hall this year, we hope that we can bring something fun to the town that locals and visitors will enjoy. I would like to thank Phyllis Court for their wonderful support last year and promise that Henley Food Festival will be back bigger and better than ever on the weekend of 21 & 22 May 2011."

The move has been welcomed by the town, "The Henley Food Festival has not only put Henley on the 'Foodie' map, but also inspired the subsequent Literary, Fringe and Film festivals, all of which are important to the visitor economy of Henley." said Jonathan Hobbs, Chairman of the Henley Partnership.  "I think the organising committee of the food festival have made a positive decision for the town, to ensure that Henley's foodie credentials are kept centre stage."

Mike Robinson, TV chef and owner of the Pot Kiln at Yattendon is a Patron of Henley Food Festival and fully supports the new programme. "Staging the Food Festival as a bi-annual event is real positive move; it gives the organisers the opportunity to create something new in the town in alternate years while keeping the festival fresh and inspiring. I am looking forward to being involved this year and every year and hope that people will come and see all the demonstrations prior to the final of the cook-off."

Heats for the Food Festival Amateur Cook-Off will commence in March and individuals wishing to enter the competition should apply via the Henley Food Festival website www.henleyfoodfestival.co.uk