Renowned food editor and chef Orlando Murrin will be launching a Food Festival celebrating Somerset food producers at Monkton Elm garden centre this month
A SUCCESSFUL and nationally renowned food editor and chef will be launching a Food Festival celebrating Somerset food producers taking place at a garden centre in the county this month (February, 2013). Orlando Murrin will declare the Food Festival at Monkton Elm Garden & Pet Centre at Monkton Heathfield near Taunton open at 11am on February 23. He said: “I am delighted to be launching the Food Festival at Monkton Elm Garden & Pet Centre and I’ll be looking forward to browsing through some of the great food that Somerset has to offer. “There’s something about the garden centre that is totally hypnotic. At least once a month my car seems to drive me there of its own accord. For the gardener, the place is a delight on so many levels, with new plants, new combinations and new accessories. “I hardly dare admit it, but for me a trip to Monkton Elm Garden & Pet Centre is almost as much fun as being in my own garden.” Orlando, who has worked on magazines such as Radio Times and Cosmopolitan, was the editor for BBC Good Food after being a semi-finalist on Masterchef in 1992. During his time on the magazine he talent-spotted such names as Gordon Ramsay and Jamie Oliver. In 2003 he and his partner Peter Steggall set up the bistro Manoir de Raynaudes in South West France, which proved to be very successful. After five years they decided to take on a new challenge and opened Langford Fivehead in Lower Swell in 2012. Norma Moore, General Manager of the family-run garden centre, said: “We are overjoyed to have Orlando opening our food festival. He is one of the most famous names in the food industry and we think the producers at the event will get a real kick out of meeting him. “Langford Fivehead has rapidly become known as one of the most beautiful hotel-restaurants in the South West and his monthly food column in Somerset Life magazine is highly regarded. “We are holding a food festival so our customers can see exactly what sort of wonderful food we have on offer in the area. “It also fits with our policy to try and support local suppliers wherever possible.” MF Page 2, Food Festival/Monkton Elm The Food Festival will be held in the Jubilee building at the award-winning, independent family-run garden centre, which was awarded the Albert Goodman Family Business Award at the Somerset Business Awards in 2012. It will take place on Saturday, February 23 and Sunday, February 24 from 11am until 4pm. Orlando will be doing the official opening at 11am on February 23. There are still spaces available at the Food Festival for food producers to have a stall. Anyone interested should contact the garden centre’s PR company, Porcupine PR at hello@porcupinepr.co.uk or call 01278 446801. To find out more about the festival, please call Monkton Elm Garden & Pet Centre, which is located just off the A38 at Monkton Heathfield, on 01823 412381 or visit www.monktonelmgardencentre.co.uk. Alternatively, follow the company on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Monktonelm or on Twitter by visiting www.twitter.com/Monktonelm.
A successful and nationally renowned food editor and chef will be launching a Food Festival celebrating Somerset food producers taking place at a garden centre in the county this month (February, 2013). Orlando Murrin will declare the Food Festival at Monkton Elm Garden & Pet Centre at Monkton Heathfield near Taunton open at 11am on February 23. He said: “I am delighted to be launching the Food Festival at Monkton Elm Garden & Pet Centre and I’ll be looking forward to browsing through some of the great food that Somerset has to offer. “There’s something about the garden centre that is totally hypnotic. At least once a month my car seems to drive me there of its own accord. For the gardener, the place is a delight on so many levels, with new plants, new combinations and new accessories. “I hardly dare admit it, but for me a trip to Monkton Elm Garden & Pet Centre is almost as much fun as being in my own garden.” Orlando, who has worked on magazines such as Radio Times and Cosmopolitan, was the editor for BBC Good Food after being a semi-finalist on Masterchef in 1992. During his time on the magazine he talent-spotted such names as Gordon Ramsay and Jamie Oliver. In 2003 he and his partner Peter Steggall set up the bistro Manoir de Raynaudes in South West France, which proved to be very successful. After five years they decided to take on a new challenge and opened Langford Fivehead in Lower Swell in 2012. Norma Moore, General Manager of the family-run garden centre, said: “We are overjoyed to have Orlando opening our food festival. He is one of the most famous names in the food industry and we think the producers at the event will get a real kick out of meeting him. “Langford Fivehead has rapidly become known as one of the most beautiful hotel-restaurants in the South West and his monthly food column in Somerset Life magazine is highly regarded. “We are holding a food festival so our customers can see exactly what sort of wonderful food we have on offer in the area. “It also fits with our policy to try and support local suppliers wherever possible.” The Food Festival will be held in the Jubilee building at the award-winning, independent family-run garden centre, which was awarded the Albert Goodman Family Business Award at the Somerset Business Awards in 2012. It will take place on Saturday, February 23 and Sunday, February 24 from 11am until 4pm. Orlando will be doing the official opening at 11am on February 23. There are still spaces available at the Food Festival for food producers to have a stall. Anyone interested should contact the garden centre’s PR company, Porcupine PR at hello@porcupinepr.co.uk or call 01278 446801. To find out more about the festival, please call Monkton Elm Garden & Pet Centre, which is located just off the A38 at Monkton Heathfield, on 01823 412381 or visit www.monktonelmgardencentre.co.uk.
