Seventh heaven at this year's Abergavenny Food Festival.

In the case of Wales there’s a lot of local pride… this Food Festival is fun! There’s a real buzz around it.”
(Anthony Bourdain)

“A jolly and jovial event. Very impressive.”
(Fergus Henderson)

“Why food festivals? They’re better than armament festivals. The idea of ‘festivalitis’ is rather nice.”
(A A Gill)

The seventh Abergavenny Food Festival, which took place on 17 and 18 September, was the busiest yet, with a record number of visitors attending on the Saturday.

“Once again there was a great atmosphere,” said festival director Martin Orbach. “Personal highlights for me were Anthony Bourdain’s visit – our first international chef -and the launching of the Food Academy, a first go at putting a younger audience at the centre of the Festival.”

Claire Evans, the current Miss Wales, and Abergavenny’s own maestro-chef Franco Taruschio, opened the Festival in style. Claire modelled a stunning ‘edible hat’, created by local society milliner Alison Tod, which Franco promptly sampled; the perfect launch to a weekend of fun and feasting for all. (photo)

Contestants from nine Women's Institutes in the area battled it out to win the title of first ever 'Abergavenny Maestro Chef'. They had the daunting task of preparing food in front of The Ivy’s Alan Bird, John Torode (Smiths of Smithfield) and Gregg Wallace, presenter of BBC Radio 4 Veg Talk. Iain Sampson, Head Chef at The Newbridge, presented winner Jilly Jones of Llanover WI with a fabulous prize of a weekend for two at The Newbridge, Tredunock (the AA's Welsh Restaurant of the Year).

Some three-hundred people filled the Borough Theatre to hear rock ‘n’ roll chef Anthony Bourdain in conversation with AA Gill – Britain’s funniest and most acerbic critic. Diverse topics included the strange things they’d been offered to eat on their travels, favourite restaurants, and why there’s so much bad language in kitchens. The sumptuous silk stage dressings were supplied by Abergavenny-based couture fashion designers, Charles and Patricia Lester. (photo)

Guest speakers enjoyed themselves too. Many attended the buffet supper on the Saturday night at The Hill Education & Conference Centre, where they had a chance to network and meet funders, sponsors and exhibitors.

This year the Festival had its first ever fish market at The Priory Centre, St Mary’s. This new venture was so successful that Sushi chefs had to work through the night on Saturday to replenish supplies. Waitrose children’s workshops were hugely popular and parents were able to watch their budding chefs from the gallery.

As usual, the Cheese and Wine show was a big hit with visitors. The winner of the Cheese of The Festival Competition was 'Little Black Bomber' - a mature Cheddar from the Snowdonia Cheese Company . Peter Paprill ‘Cheese Detective’ commented, “Visitors to the Festival felt liberated to discover food and drink and meals far beyond TV cook shows, supermarket aisles, and colourful cook books. This was more real. It had flavours that were local to Wales and the Marches. They met a growing artisan class of producers, farmers and cooks who create the enjoyment of food.”

Up at The Castle The Western Power Food Academy ran a non-stop programme of children’s workshops. The Abergavenny Primary Schools Cookery competition was once more sponsored by Western Power Distribution. Ten-year-old Lauren Rogers, a pupil at Abergavenny’s Deri View Primary School cooked up the final recipe for success and her lucky school was awarded a cheque for £400 by Gareth Thomas, WPD’s regional Manager. Lauren also received an individual prize of a digital camera from Karen Matthew of Smiths Kitchens and Bathrooms (Abergavenny).

Cathy Green, Festival Press Officer reported increased media interest, with several TV companies on-site. “As well as local and regional press, who are always very supportive, we had quite a few of the key nationals here and journalists from Australia and France too (courtesy of the Wales Tourist Board).

“Once again we’ve had great backing in the form of local business sponsorship," said Festival Chairman Chris Wardle. "We're also really grateful to our Platinum sponsors, Waitrose, who've now been on board five years running; to Brecon Carreg (gold sponsors), Western Power Distribution and Adventa who’ve supported our children’s events, information and research consultants Miller Research, Smiths Kitchens and Bathrooms (sponsors of the Smiths Kitchens Stage), The Hill Education and Conference Centre (hospitality partner), and South Hereford Garages who provided courtesy cars.

“Thanks are also due to the Town Council and the police, as well as hospitality and venue providers including the Angel Hotel, the Borough Theatre, J Straker Chadwick and Sons, the King's Head Hotel and the Hen and Chicks.”

“Ongoing support from our funders - the Welsh Development Agency, the Welsh Assembly Government, the Wales Tourist Board, and Monmouthshire County Council, has been vital in helping us to build a national event with a uniquely local flavour.”

The eighth Abergavenny Food Festival will take place over the weekend of 16 and 17 September 2006.