| Real Food Theatre Programme |
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MEET THE CHEFS Raymond Blanc When he came over from France in 1972 Raymond Blanc started modestly as a waiter in a pub in Oxford. He is now recognised as one of the world’s finest chefs and holds two Michelin stars at the highly acclaimed Le Manoir aux Quat’ Saisons. He believes in "good food being central to good living", has been a long standing supporter of the organic movement and ambassador to the Real Food Festival since its beginning.
Giorgio Locatelli Valentina Harris
Valentina Harris is one of the country’s leading authorities of Italian Cuisine and gastronomy. As a most prolific writer, Valentina has won awards from far and wide on the subject of cibo e cucina. Lawrence Dallaglio The eccentric Willie Wonka of Channel 4’s ‘Willie’s Wonky Chocolate Factory’. From his cocoa farm in Venezuela, Willie continues to pursue his 15 year dream to introduce high quality ‘real’ chocolate to the British public, rather than the common overly sweetened milk-chocolate ‘confectionary’, as well as promoting the use of cocoa as a versatile cooking ingredient. Clodagh trained as a chef at the renowned Ballymaloe cookery school before working at Ballymaloe House for three years. She has since gone on to be a writer, presenter, designer, lecturer, consultant spokesperson, and driving force behind the development of Farmers’ Markets in Ireland. She has also found the time to design her own range of beautiful 1950’s inspired aprons which you will be able to find at the Real Food Festival. Thomasina Miers At Konstam, his restaurant in King’s Cross, Ollie Rowe has set himself the great challenge of attempting to source as many ingredients from within the M25 as possible. The fantastic quality and standard of the food is in no way limited and what he is able to achieve with this apparently restrictive and rather extreme local sourcing policy, is remarkable. A truly urban chef.
Ashley Palmer-Watts Born in Sydney, Nick was drawn to Japan and Japanese food by his strong passion for quality seafood. He is now head-chef at London’s ROKA which in 2005, less than a year after it opened, was awarded Best Oriental Restaurant creating some of the finest modern Japanese food in the capitol. Andrew Parkinson Andrew Parkinson is executive head chef of Fifteen London where his breadth of experience is now used in the development of Fifteen restaurants worldwide. He has also written a book Cutting it Fine, a book detailing his rise through the ranks and the running of a professional kitchen. Carlo Cracco One of the most highly regarded Italian chefs of today, known for his innovative style of blending various influences with classic Italian cuisine. In the past he has worked with Alain Ducasse and Gualtiero Marchesi, before opening his own restaurant Ristorante Cracco which holds 2 Michelin Stars and was voted Restaurant Magazine’s “World’s 50 Best Restaurants” View Carlo's recipes
Jun Tanaka Henry Harris Mark Jordan
 Mark Jordan is Head chef at the Michelin-starred Ocean restaurant at The Atlantic Hotel, Jersey. Mark’s previous experience includes the position of Head Chef at the award winning Gilpin Lodge in the Lake District and prior to that Mark was Head Chef at the highly acclaimed Pink Geranium Restaurant in Cambridge. Mark Jordan’s earliest influence was working for celebrity chef Keith Floyd at his well known pub restaurant in Devon. He then worked as Sous Chef at Jean-Christophe Novelli’s Michelin-starred restaurant in Hampshire before gaining more experience at a number of highly rated country house hotels including Congham Hall and the Michelin-starred Mallory Court.Barny Haughton
 Among other on-going commitments, Barny is chair the Soil Association’s Organic Food Awards, a member of the Academy of Culinary Arts, an Associate member of Slow Food International, Chef Ambassador for Slow Food UK, a teacher at the University of Gastronomy in Italy and gives regular talks and demonstrations at schools, community centers on food education. Barny also hosts the Demonstration Kitchen at the UK’s Organic Food Festival, Cookery School at London’s Real Food Festival, and the Chefs Theatre at the Bristol Wine and Food Fair and is a regular speaker at conferences of food and food education issues. Andrew Baird
 Although he has been head chef at Longueville Manor, Jersey for over 17 years, Andrew Baird feels like he has only been at the hotel for two minutes. There is never a dull moment, he says, and he is constantly striving for improvement. Andrew is responsible for a 17-strong brigade in the hotel’s kitchens and his duties extend to several community projects the hotel is involved with and overseeing the food at Longueville Manor’s sister business, Suma’s restaurant in Gorey.
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Considered by many to be one of the best Italian chefs in the UK Giorgio Locatelli’s Michelin stared Locanda Locatelli serves traditional Italian dishes, emphasising the quality and freshness of the produce, as well as adding his own personal creative spirit. 
Valentina Harris is the host of the Chefs Theatre.
The Former captain of the English national Rugby team is now drawing on his northern Italian roots and together with his father, Vincenzo, has been developing some old family recipes which they have produced with Salcà, the family business famous for their premium quality pasta sauces. 
Like Clodagh McKenna, Tommi also attended Ballymasloe Cookery School before going to Mexico and starting an ongoing love affair with the country. After winning Masterchef she then made a couple of programmes including A Cooks Tour of Spain, a wonderfully evocative food travelogue. She opened the successful Wahaca restaurant in Covent Garden soon after with a second now in Westfield, offering authentic Mexican street food. 
Ashley joined Heston Blumenthal at the Fat Duck in Bray, in 1999, which had been open for four years and had just received its first Michelin star. An integral part of the team saw Ashley achieve sous chef of the Fat Duck within 2 years and head chef in 2003. His inherent artistic eye for detail coupled with a formidable enthusiasm for research and creativity, has seen him accomplish, side by side with Heston Blumenthal, the historic British and multisensory dishes served at the Fat Duck today. 
Described by Harpers & Queens as a “Chef of Genius” Cyrus is also a passionate campaigner for sustainability and buying British -Café Spice Namaste list of green awards includes two ‘Environmental Best Practice’ awards, The Green Point Award and most recently was Highly Commended in The Sustainable Food category of the Sustainable City Awards 2009. Cyrus has also recently been awarded an OBE by the Queen. Renowned for its innovative and fresh Indian cuisine, Café Spice Namasté is one of the most highly awarded Indian restaurants in the UK today. 
Originally from Brittany in North West France, Richard trained as a baker both in Brittany and at the Grand Moulin de Paris. He has previously worked as head chef at the Rhinefield House Hotel in the New Forest and the Silver Plough at Pitton in Salisbury where in 1990 he was awarded Egon Ronay, Pub of the Year and American Express Magazine, UK Pub of the Year. 
Critically acclaimed Executive Chef, Jun Tanaka has headed up the kitchen at Pearl since its opening in June 2004, a time during which he has gained an excellent reputation for his modern French cuisine. Having started at Le Gavroche at the tender age of 19, Jun spent the next ten years working with some of London’s top culinary talent in seven Michelin starred restaurants, where he perfected the art of fine French cuisine. Jun has worked and trained at Chez Nico, The Capital and The Square as well as having worked under Marco Pierre White at both The Restaurant Marco Pierre White and The Oak Room. Jun uses the very best seasonal ingredients, with simple premise to enhance flavour rather than over complicate, bringing out natural flavours and fresh, distinct tastes. 
Santiago Guerrero is from Madrid and has trained both in Spain and England working in Michelin starred restaurants including El Celler de Can Roca, Hacienda Benazuza, the Castle Hotel and The Waterside Inn. A rising talent of authentic Spanish cuisine, before joining Iberica Food and Culture he worked as the Executive Sous-chef and acting Head Chef at London's Melia White House’s L’Albufera restaurant, voted best Spanish restaurant outside Spain by the Ministerio de Agricultura Caza y Pesca of Spain.
Head Chef/Patron Henry Harris’s passionate enthusiasm for seasonality and the very best quality of ingredients has ensured his restaurant Racine’s place as one of London’s top French restaurants. Since it opened in 2002 it has been awarded Time Out’s Best New Restaurant, Tatler’s Most Consistently Excellent Award and ITV’s Best French Restaurant of the Year. In a broad ranging career, he has been at the fore of the openings of Bibendum and Harvey Nichols Fifth Floor Restaurants, had various chef consultancies including Soho House and has published his book Harvey Nicholls Fifth Floor Cookbook.