A good Supper on the eve of a Food Festival is becoming a
must, providing a launch pad and building the buzz about the event.
Last year the Newport Food Festival Supper was held in the
Market Hall already bedecked for the main event and was well received (see
earlier blog post).
This year it moved to the Riverfront where many of the
Demonstrations and Masterclasses would take place and presented the organisers
with a challenge. How do you convert a relatively bland area like a theatre
foyer into an intimate dining area? Answer with hard work and good will.
Starting at 8:30am teams built backdrops, put in tables and dressed them and
organised cooking facilities. The other challenge that was faced was returning
it to a foyer by the morning to allow the Festival to take place.
There had been a lot of interest as the first ever Supper
was a huge success and tickets sold out very quickly leaving some people
disappointed but determined to act quickly next year!
The experience started outside the Riverfront as two comedy
French Chefs welcomed diners before they moved in for drinks and a mingle with
other diners. It was good to see old friendships being renewed and a lot of
enthusiasm being built up.
The menu, as last year, was designed and cooked by three
local restaurants the Waterloo Hotel, the White Hart Llangibby and Ristorante
Vittorio. Vittorio’s provided the desserts whilst the White Hart and Waterloo
each had a starter and main course dish on the menu. Menu choices had been made
previously so service could start promptly and each diner would receive their
choice.
Last year service was provided by a group of unemployed
people who had been trained for the event and several used their new skills to
gain employment in the hospitality industry as a result. It is this involvement
of the community and development of skills that I really like about the Newport
Food Festival and which sets it apart from other festivals. This year the
waiting staff were all from the Crosskeys campus of Coleg Gwent, youngsters
getting valuable experience that could serve them well for the future.
But to the food.
We had both chosen a Wild Mushroom dish served with Melba Toast, Hollandaise
and a slow poached egg. It was brilliant, earthy mushrooms offset by crisp
toast, rich Hollandaise and a poached egg that oozed a golden yolk when
pierced. Near perfection.
At this point the French Chefs reappeared as Italian waiters
who toured the room entertaining diners and allowing time for the dishes to be
cleared and mains to be served.
The mains were not easy to choose; I could have gone for all
three dishes but settled upon Duck with Quinoa. Perfectly pink breast. with a
cigar of chopped leg meat in a thin pastry and, a rich cinnamon/peppery thick
sauce and a rich jus. Another triumph for the chefs.
Mrs K had opted for the Sewin with a mussel veloute and
declared it Yum! I tried a little and would have to agree, herb crusted and
with several plump mussels resting in a rich veloute the Sewin was great and
the dish hit the mark on all levels.
A return of the chefs, this time as Health and Safety
Officers provided a comedic interlude as they demonstrated Kitchen Hazards
involving knives and flames whilst again the tables were cleared down.
Wine had been placed on the tables but I snuck away to the
bar and bought a bottle of Tiny Rebel beer. I have written before about this
Newport micro-brewery and their range of ales but was pleased to find a new
brew there. Chocoholic is infused with Belgian Chocolate, but before you think
it horribly sweet or alchopoppy, it is not. A great bitter bite is balanced by
a chocolate perfume and as a fellow drinker said “We have dessert wines why not
a Dessert Beer?” Not one for a long session but a nice crisp beer.
Desserts arrived and we had covered the options. Mrs K
choosing the Seasonal Fruits with Mascarpone, served with ice cream and fresh
raspberries this was a clean tasting delight. I had opted for Tiramisu which
had a good alcohol kick and a smooth creamy texture and finished my meal in
style.
As coffee was served the stage was set for the finale of the
evening and Bhangra band RSVP tuned up.
This was a highly interactive band and soon diners,
including the Mayor, were lining up to learn the moves and dance. Even if you
couldn’t get onto the dance floor you could join in at your table and the room
was soon a sea of “light bulb changing” and “Frisbee throwing”. Perhaps the
most enthusiastic dancer was food blogger Heather Grant (@cookupaparty) who
threw herself into the dance with, it must be said, more enthusiasm than actual
talent!
RSVP have played
major festivals such as Glastonbury and Reading so getting them for the Supper was
great. They would also take Bhangra to the streets of Newport during the
festival playing in several locations around the festival.
If you want to see what you missed go here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2PcRJhGnDPY
As with last year the Supper was a huge success and set the
tone for the Festival brilliantly. Thanks to the chefs and their staff, the
Coleg Gwent students and the Festival staff who made it all possible.
Visit UK Food Bloggers Association
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