Following the success of last year’s inaugural chef festival, Food February at The Forest Side will be going ahead again in 2021. Spread across four evenings in February, The Forest Side invites some of the finest talent across England and Scotland to cook in its Michelin-starred kitchen alongside head chef Paul Leonard.
The debut festival (February 2020) was a roaring success, featuring sell-out dinners from the likes of Michael Wignall of The Angel at Hetton and Alex Bond of Alchemilla. 2021’s festival is set to be as popular with a line-up of chefs holding some of the finest culinary accolades.
The month’s festival is set to include chefs; Alex Nietosvuori of Northumberland’s acclaimed Scandinavian Restaurant Hjem, and Lorna McNee (pictured), Great British Menu winner and head chef at Glasgow’s Cail Bruich. This will be followed by The Forest Side’s Paul Leonard cooking alongside Tom Shepherd (ex-Michelin starred Adam’s and soon to be flagship restaurant in Birmingham), before Oli Martin of Lancashire’s Hipping Hall taking to the helm.
Following a period of lockdown, and a difficult year for the hospitality industry The Forest Side’s General Manager Alasdair Elwick says of Food February: “This is a chance to celebrate, last year was a great success and we all need something to look forward to after the crazy year we have had. We are all looking forward to welcoming all these amazing chefs to The Forest Side”.
Speaking on the upcoming series, The Forest Side’s Paul Leonard says: “I’m thrilled to be welcoming such a winning line-up and I’m sure this is going to be a great set of dining experiences. All the chefs joining us at The Forest Side are renowned across the UK, and are visiting from some stunning restaurants.”
The dinners will take the traditional tasting menu format of six-courses plus snacks, enabling guests to sample an array of culinary techniques and delights signature to each chef. Drinks to include Champagne Delamotte.