The inaugural Great Cornish Seafood Weekend will take place on October 26 and 27 at the Great Cornish Food Store in Truro.
The two-day event will be a celebration of Cornwall’s seafood, fishing industry and all those who work in it. The programme will include live demonstrations, talks, tasting stations, a seafood bar, sea shanties and a host of children's activities.
Among the first to be confirmed in the chef line-up is Pete Murt, who was just 16 when he became a kitchen porter at Rick Stein’s St Petroc’s Bistro in 2000. Today, he is only the fourth head chef in the 40-year history of Stein’s flagship Seafood Restaurant in Padstow.
Stein’s former head chef and group chef Stephane Delourme will demonstrate the art of shucking and cooking oysters, while acclaimed fishmonger Annie Seabourne of My Fish Kitchen will show how to cook, pick and eat crab.
Also making an appearance will be Jeffrey Robinson, one of the first chefs in the world to receive a Green Michelin Star, who is opening his own cookery school in his hometown of St Ives.
The Great Cornish Seafood Weekend is a collaboration between the store and the Cornish Fish Producers’ Association (CFPO), which represents more than 160 member vessels.
CFPO chief executive Chris Ranford is among the weekend’s speakers and will focus on the fishing industry’s vital economic role, with around 8,000 people employed west of the River Tamar.
“This is a great opportunity to celebrate how crucial the seafood sector is to our economy,” said Chris, “and how we are home to one of the most diverse, sustainable fleets in Europe, landing more than 50 different species of fish every year.”
Great Cornish Food Store director Ruth Huxley added: “We want to shine a light on our brilliant fishing industry, the lifeblood of so many of our coastal communities.
“When we asked people what food they most associated with Cornwall, more stated seafood than any other type of food.
“We are really looking forward to showcasing the huge variety available from our waters, and encouraging people to explore lesser-known species and different ways of using them.”
The event will also feature Cornwall Wildlife Trust promoting its Good Seafood Guide, and music from Falmouth singer-songwriter Toby Webb as well as fiddle and double bass duo Months’ Advance.
The store’s outside space will be transformed into a play area for children, with fishy face painting and mobile rock-pooling led by social enterprise The Rock Pool Project.
The weekend is part of the Agrifood Sector Development Project and has been made possible through the Good Growth programme, managed by Cornwall Council and funded by the Government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
Book your chef demo tickets at www.greatcornishfood.co.uk