insideKENT Magazine Issue 66 - September 2017 | Page 84

GETAWAYS
Q&A WITH
JEAN-CHRISTOPHE
NOVELLI
Leeds Castle Food Festival
8th to 10th September
Celebrity chef Jean-Christophe Novelli will
lead the line-up at this year’s Leeds Castle
Food Festival, taking place from Friday 8th to
Sunday 10th September. The 900 year old
castle in Maidstone, Kent, is set within 500
acres of parkland and formal gardens
including a maze and grotto. The Festival will
feature over 70 food and drink stalls including
local Kent producers. This month, we talked
to Jean-Christophe about his involvement
with the Festival...
What will you be demonstrating at Leeds
Castle Food Festival?
What has been your biggest achievement?
My biggest achievement as a chef is to retain
the passion and excitement I have for cooking.
When did you realise you wanted to
become a chef?
My demonstrations will include mushroom
gateau and ratatouille. By the early age of 8, watching my mum cook
every day! And this was confirmed at the age
of 14 when I started to work as a baker.
What do you think of the Festival; have you
presented there before? Tell us about your new book Simply Novelli.
Any plans to write any more books?
The Leeds Castle grounds are certainly a very
special location. I don’t think I have presented
there before so I’m absolutely delighted to
have been invited this year! I do hope you will
come along and have a great day with
everyone. Simply Novelli is full of exciting, simple and
nutritious recipes that are just perfect for
families. With regards to more books, I am
working on something but I’ve been tied up
for a while so I’m just getting back on the boil
with this.
Why is it a great day out for the family? Tell us about the Academy? You have a
new one-day course Pleasures from Land
and Sea?
In addition to the wonderful historic venue,
there’s such a wide variety of stalls showcasing
local produce – and there are so many other
attractions on offer for families.
What is your favourite dish and what are
you working on?
My favourite dish is still my mum’s stuffed
baked tomatoes. At the moment I am working
84
on creating some dishes for my new
restaurant, Jean-Christophe Novelli at City
Quays, that will be opening in the Marriott AC
in Belfast in spring 2018, and also for Don
Giovanni’s – one of Manchester’s most
romantic Italian restaurants.
Voted amongst the top 25 cookery schools in
the world, the Academy offers a range of one-
day courses that are very interactive and full
of information. A day at the Academy is the
perfect fun day for everyone and one of the
best gifts you can offer to anyone you love!
Like many of my courses, Pleasures from Land
and Sea includes good, traditional recipes with
an amazing healthy twist.
What are your plans for the future?
Well, in between festivals and courses at my
cookery school, I will be hosting some events
at Don Giovanni’s in Manchester and also
working very closely with Marriott Hotels,
Interstate and the Belfast Harbour
Commissioners on the planning of my new
restaurant in Belfast. In addition, I also want
to expand the space at my cookery school so
I can host larger corporate groups at my home.
Visit www.insidekentmagazine.co.uk for
Jean Christophe’s recipe for ratatouille.
FOR TICKETS AND MORE INFORMATION ABOUT
LEEDS CASTLE FOOD FESTIVAL, VISIT
WWW.LEEDS-CASTLE.COM/VISIT
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