Celebrity Chefs Cook Up A Storm at 2023’s FoodFest At CarFest With A Weekend Of Mouth-Watering Delights!

6th April 2023 - Knives and forks at the ready, foodies and budding chefs alike are in for a tasty treat with this year’s FoodFest at CarFest, where talented chefs, cooks and bakers will share trade secrets to satisfy any rumbling tummy. Boasting seven magical festivals in one, cinch presents CarFest takes place from the 25th-27th of August at Laverstoke Park Farm, Hampshire. 

The ever popular Chef’s Stage, hosted by The Great British Bake Off’s Briony May Williams, will welcome a line-up of some of the UK’s most recognised and respected celebrity chefs. Gracing The Chef's Stage with a wealth of flavour will be, the holder of two Michelin stars Michael Caines, Saturday Kitchen’s Matt Tebbutt and more. The energetic Irish twins, Dave and Steve Flynn from The Happy Pear and the BOSH! boys, Henry Firth and Ian Theasby, will also take to the stage to serve up healthy, nutritious plant-based inspirations. 

British chef and television food presenter Matt Tebbutt says: “Safe to say I am very excited to be part of the CarFest magic this year over on The Chef's Stage and to share it with some incredible and familiar faces from the food world. I’ll be demonstrating some of my favourite recipes and divulging my top tips on how to achieve easy meals that are big on flavour. With activities, demonstrations, tastings and everything in between for the whole family to tuck into, FoodFest is part of the festival where they want to be!” 

Following last year’s stellar debut, The Big BBQ Cookout with Napoleon Grills is back, hosted once again by Sam Evans and Shauna Guinn of BBC’s Big Cook Out fame, who will be fanning the flames and lighting up people's appetites. Celebrity grill-masters from across the country, including critically acclaimed chef and author, Omar Allibhoy, and Neil Rankin, the chef behind award-winning Temper restaurants, will roll up their sleeves to demonstrate how to perfect flame-licked feasts, share exclusive recipes and personal BBQ tips and tricks. As well as seeing the Napoleon grills in action, visitors can also browse the masterly-designed range of premium and high-tech grills on offer, and even take one home for their own BBQ feasts! 

Commenting on their return to The Big BBQ Cookout with Napoleon Grills, Sam Evans and Shauna Guinn say: "To say we're excited to be back at this year's CarFest would be an understatement! We had so much fun last year hosting The Big BBQ Cookout and working with some of the best chefs in the UK. We're in the enviable position of playing with fire all day and cooking on some fantastic Napoleon grills and over fire pits with some super tasty produce that you get to taste. We'll be offering tips and tricks to take your BBQ game to the next level; from all-out carnivore feasts to beautiful fresh and seasonal vegetarian and vegan cooking, and sharing some amazing recipes that you can do at home to impress your friends and family at your next gathering."

A new addition to FoodFest 2023, The Kitchen Table offers festival-goers the unique opportunity to take a literal seat at the table with their food heroes in an intimate setting. With just 30 seats available, The Kitchen Table guests will sit side by side with celebrity chefs, artisan traders and leading individuals from the world of food and drink, sample some tasty bites and even get their own questions answered. 

Elsewhere across the foodie haven, visitors can whet their whistles at various Tipple Tents offering bookable wine, beer, cocktail and spirit tasting sessions across the festival weekend. This is a chance to not only enjoy some delicious tipples but expand knowledge and taste buds by learning about aromatics, how soil and weather impact flavour and gain insights on the best food pairings from expert sommeliers. Additional Culinary Masterclasses will be available for those wishing to refine and perfect their kitchen skills, alongside Kids Fun Foodie workshops hosted by Laverstoke Park Farm where children can hone their culinary creativity and try their hand at an array of baking and decorating skills. 

Britain’s Best Farmers Market, a colourful celebration of the best artisanal traders from across the country, will return with an impressive selection of food and drink products to take home and enjoy. The ever-popular BarFest Arms with Timothy Taylor is also back, located at the heart of FoodFest, providing a space to sit back and relax with a cold beverage and listen to some of the most talented up-and-coming acts on the WigWam stage. 

Host of The Chef’s Stage, Briony May Williams, says: “I am delighted to be coming back to CarFest this year. It is such a fantastic festival and the atmosphere is always one of joy and celebration. Come see us at The Chef’s Stage for some delicious demos!”

Following the momentous success of last year, cinch presents CarFest 2023 will again host a whopping seven magical festivals in one: AdventureFest, FoodFest, KidsFest, RetroFest, StarFest, SpaFest and of course, CarFest! Whether visitors are hungry to learn about the latest food and drink trends, want to sink their teeth into some delicious flavours or hear from some of their favourite celebrities and chefs, FoodFest is where they'll want to be. 

The brainchild of radio presenter Chris Evans, CarFest will be entering its 12th year this August, and it promises to be the best yet. With enough activities and attractions to keep the whole family entertained, it’s the perfect way to spend the Bank Holiday weekend.

Created in 2012, CarFest’s sole purpose has been to raise funds for UK children’s charities. Since its conception, the festival has raised millions for its partner charities. In 2023, CarFest will raise funds for BBC Children in Need, Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust, My Black Dog, Rainbow Trust, Starlight Children’s Foundation, Teenage Cancer Trust, Young Epilepsy and local Hampshire-based charity Naomi House & Jack’s Place.

Tickets are available to purchase here: www.carfest.org

Ends

Editors notes

CarFest

CarFest is the brainchild of presenter Chris Evans. Taking place at Laverstoke Park Farm, the festival features an incredible combination of cars, food, live music and family entertainment. Launched in 2012, the weekend-long festival was created to raise funds for UK children’s charities. Since its inception, the festival has raised over £25 million for its charity partners. CarFest is run by CarFest Management Ltd on behalf of Chris Evans.

cinch presents CarFest will this year be supported by cinch as headline partner, Kwik Fit-Michelin as sponsors of the track and Motorsport Paddock, Napoleon Grills as sponsor of The Great British Cook Out, Timothy Taylor as Official Beer Partner and Costa Coffee as the official festival coffee partner and hosts of The Big Early. 

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Fundraising details

In 2023, a guaranteed 15% of the price of each ticket, will be donated to UK children’s charities. 

BBC Children in Need will receive 50% of the total funds raised directly by CarFest. The following six charities will each receive 7% of the funds raised: Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust, Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity, Starlight Children’s Foundation, Teenage Cancer Trust, My Black Dog and Young Epilepsy. Local hospice Naomi House/Jack’s Place will receive 2%. The remaining 6% will be donated to a number of other charities that will be confirmed over the coming months.