The Big Cookery Stage
A myriad of demonstrations will be taking place throughout the weekend with some top chefs and bakers. Located within the Festival Village.
Saturday Schedule for 2024 Festival
Compere: Suzy Pelta
- 11.00 - 11.30 | Dave Mooney
- 12.00 - 12.30 | Clare Andrews - Air Fryers made easy and delicious
- 12.45 - 13.30 | READY STEADY BAKE with Steven Carter Bailey… and special guest
- 14:00 - 14:30 | Matty Edgell GBBO Winner 2023
- 15.00 - 15.30 | Dan Hunter GBBO Finalist 2023
- 16.00 - 16.30 | Nicky (GBBO 2023) and Matthew Samuels (Masterchef 2024) in association with Louisa’s Honey
Sunday Schedule for 2024 Festival
Compere: Suzy Pelta
- 11:00 - 11.30 | James Grant - No 2 Pound Street - Cheese!
- 12.00 - 12.30 | Eva Humphries - Wholefood Warrior
- 13.00 - 13.45 | READY STEADY BAKE with Tristan Welch and Lotte Duncan
- 14.15 - 14.45 | Nicky (GBBO 2023) in association with Louisa's Honey
- 15.15 - 15.45 | DJ Supper Club - Daniel Adams and Joel Mignott
The schedule may be subject to change.
Suzy Pelta
STAGE COMPERE
Suzy Pelta has been a part of Thame Food Festival for many years and in 2024 she will be hosting the Big Cookery Stage once again!.
Suzy won Lorraine’s Cake Club Competition on ITV1’s ‘Lorraine’ Show with her original cake recipe of a Chocolate and Banana Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting.
Since winning, she has written her first book: Miracle Mug Cakes and Other Cheat’s Bakes (published by Ryland Peters & Small), has been a Food Blogger for The Metro, and works with and has created recipes with many brands including Maltesers, Nature Valley and Taylor & Colledge.
She is a member of The Guild of Food Writers, and regularly demonstrates and presents at Food Festivals throughout the UK including BBC Good Food Show, Thame Food Festival and many more. Suzy has appeared on Waitrose TV and QVC and she contributes to BBC Three Counties Radio as a Food Expert.
Suzy is a Coordinator Food Judge for The Great Taste Awards, is a Flavour & Food Trend Consultant and posts daily snack reviews on her instagram, with her dog Buster as her sidekick!
Suzy lives in London with her 3 teenage children, husband & Buster. Keep up to date with all of her latest news over on Instagram: @SuzyPelta
John Whaite
John Whaite is a British Cook, Cookery Author, content creator and TV presenter. John appeared as the first all-male couple on BBC1’s Strictly Come Dancing in 2021 and danced his way into the final alongside his professional partner Johannes Radebe. John also won the third series of The Great British Bake Off, and is a co-presenter on Channel 4’s hit primetime food investigation programme Food Unwrapped.
Since June 2020, John can be seen twice weekly as a presenter and cooking inspirational and achievable recipes on Channel 4’s Steph’s Packed Lunch. In 2016 & 17 John co-presented 40 episodes of ITV’s food programme, Chopping Block with Rosemary Shrager.
His fifth book, A Flash in The Pan was published in August 2019, others books include Comfort: Food to Soothe the Soul which was chosen as a Book of the Year by BBC Radio 4’s Food Programme and Perfect Plates in 5 Ingredients – his first non-baking cookery book. John is also known for his beautiful food photography and design which is displayed throughout all his work in publishing and on his very popular Instagram feed.
John’s love of and dedication to food, is closely matched by his hugely creative nature that is expressed through his food writing, photography and content creation. John has created hugely popular social media platforms with his Instagram, often showcasing beautiful photography and recipes. John has also written regularly for The Daily Telegraph and Delicious Magazine, and has been a recipe creator and presenter for the Waitrose online platforms.
John studied a 9-month diploma in patisserie at the revered Le Cordon Bleu in London. Prior to that, he gained a first-class Law degree from the University of Manchester after declining a place to study at Oxford University. John decided to hang up the gown and don the apron, a decision spurred on after he won The Great British Bake Off.
John is a popular brand ambassador and has worked with a number of leading blue chip food businesses. John also enjoys demonstrating his latest recipes, regularly appearing at some of the nation’s best food festivals and shows including BBC Good Food, The Cake & Bake Show and various regional food festivals across the country.
Charity is a huge part of John’s working life. He has raised over £40,000 for various charities including AKT and Mind by creating downloadable recipe books. In 2022 he completed a solo trek of the 100-mile West Highland Way in Scotland, raising funds for Red Cross Humanitarian Appeal for those displaced by the conflict in Ukraine. He is vocal ambassador for the subjects of inclusion, mental health and eating disorders
Giuseppe Dell’Anno
Born and bred in Italy, Giuseppe grew up in a family of passionate bakers, where food was the prime topic of conversation. He has inherited from his dad, a professional chef, the love for everythingcooked or baked. Winning the “Great British Bake Off” in 2021 sparked off his ambition to share hisfamily gastronomic knowledge far and wide.
After contributing to the show’s cookbook “A Bake For All Seasons” in 2021, he published his own, “Giuseppe’s Italian Bakes” in 2022. This went on to become the fastest selling new release on Amazon in December 2022, featured in Waterstones’ The Best Books of 2022: Food & Drink, and waslisted in Diana Henry’s Autumn 2022 Best Cookbooks in The Telegraph. His second book “Giuseppe’s Easy Bakes” has just been published!
Since becoming a full-time baker, Giuseppe has been dipping his toes in a variety of exciting activities, from writing weekly columns for Radio Times to hosting on-line baking classes on global platforms, from baking live on “Steph’s Packed Lunch” (Channel 4) to guest appearances on British and Italian TV.
Giuseppe has over 300k affectionate followers on social media, predominantly UK and US; his food-related posts never fail to capture thousands of views and his live events regularly sell out.
Syabira Yusoff
The Great British Bake Off Winner 2022
Syabira surprised and delighted the judges with her unusual flavour combinations and imaginative bakes. During the competition, she was awarded three consecutive Star Baker accolades and also a ‘Hollywood handshake’ during Halloween week.
Paul described her six-layered red velvet cake as ‘perfect’ and ‘better than his’.
Prue Leith said of her win: ‘She is creative… she practices like anything and she is imaginative; she just has the lot. She is a very skilful baker.’
Syabira was born and raised in Malacca in southern Malaysia. After studying for a BSc in Agriculture at Putra University, she worked as an Agronomist in a commercial breeding company. In 2013 she moved to the UK to pursue a PhD in Genetics and Genome Biology at the University of Leicester.
Although Syabira has been cooking since she was 12, she only started baking in 2017, making a red velvet cake to remind her of friends she missed in Malaysia (this was the last cake they had enjoyed together before she moved to the UK). She soon discovered she had a talent for baking and began giving a Malaysian twist to British classics, devising recipes such as Chicken rendang Cornish pasties.
Syabira’s experience as a researcher and her scientific knowledge helps her to understand the physics and chemistry of baking. She loves to experiment in the kitchen, working out the most exciting flavour combinations and compiling her discovery on essential tips and tricks in baking.
Janusz Domagala
Janusz Domagala or simply “Janusz” as he’s most commonly known, became the instant stand-outstar on 2022’s “Great British Bake Off” when he rightfully declared himself the ‘Star Caker in the Bake week” in episode one.
Having moved to the UK from Poland 11 years ago, the 34 year old baker not only achieved his dream of appearing on the show but also went through to the semi-finals and his popularity with the British (and international) public has only grown along with this journey.
Janusz has a fun, open, colourful view of the world and takes pride in all that he does in his professional and personal life.
A keen LGBT+ activist, Janusz currently lives in Brighton with his partner and their sausage dog, Nigel.
Since Bake Off, Janusz has featured on CBBC’s ‘Saturday Mashup’, was a guest on the Christmas special episode of ‘The Last Leg’ and has appeared in multiple publications including being named one of Heat magazines 2022 ‘Stars of the Year’.
Janusz is a natural in front of the camera and is keen to pursue more media work in television.
His first book, “Baking With Pride” hits our shelves in May 2024!
David Atherton
David is a baker, food writer and podcaster from Yorkshire, and came to fame winning the 10th series of the Great British Bake Off in 2019.
As a nurse and public health specialist David likes to consider healthy eating when writing recipes. He has written 5 cookbooks aimed at getting people to love being in the kitchen. His“My First” children’s cookbook series features cooking and baking, but especially having fun. The books are fully illustrated so that the child can take ownership of the recipe – My First Cook Book, My First Green Cook Book, My First Baking Book, My First Christmas Cook Book. In 2019 David also published Good to Eat, a healthy eating cookbook for adults.
David is a regular judge for the Great British Food Awards and the World Marmalade Awards.
He currently lives in London with husband and rescue dog & cat, but takes every excuse to travel round the UK to sample the amazing local produce.
Matty Edgell
Matty is best known as the winner of the Great British Bake Off 2023. As a dedicated teacher and sports enthusiast, Matty has degrees in Sports Coaching and Physical Education, alongside a PGCE in Secondary Education. He imparts knowledge with enthusiasm, fostering a love for learning. His expertise extends from the classroom to the kitchen.
Beyond the academic realm, Matty transforms into a charismatic content creator, sharing the magic of baking and cooking. In a short period of time Matty has amassed a large and engaged following on social including over 164 K Instagram followers and 40 K TikTok followers. His culinary prowess and educational flair converge, creating a unique blend of inspiration for food fanatics of all ages.
Matty is on a journey to inspire and create in the world of culinary delights.
Dave Mooney
Food….where did the affair start?
Yeah, I’d love to tell you it was the truffle we foraged for as kids, the leafy vines that straddled our garden, the stunning markets bursting with local produce….in truth we didn’t have such things in downtown Ramsbottom in the 60’s! (how things have changed there NOW btw!)
So, I hear you say, did you learn at your Grandmothers knee, I bet your Mother was a wonderful cook ? Nope….all too busy working! Although I didn’t realise it at the time it was the glorious produce of the North that stirred my soul – we ate black pudding boiled in cauldron like pans on Bury market, fresh Lancashire cheese so crumbly we picked up bits for hours. And Tripe …the stench from hell but with a taste of heaven. Eccles cakes still warm from the bakery ….weird all this shizzle is the done thing now!!
Convinced that all our local food was surely rubbish I first set off for France. A static caravan in Frejus since you ask! Being English we naturally took loads of food with us; I mean what could the French Riviera give us that Ramsbottom couldn’t?! Truth was I was mesmerised, not by the masses of stunning fruit, vegetables, fish, meat and herbs, but you could buy an Emmental frappe…….!! A love had begun, La Belle France!
So, off to boarding school in Yorkshire – I loved it! The trips out to eat with my parents when they came to visit My Father, a printer in Colne, knew all the decent places….things were brewing!
Three hours after my last GCE ‘O’Level, I was heading back to France, working in restaurants, market gardens and markets, I inhaled the near obsession with provenance, the quality of the cooking and something just clicked……we had ALL of this in the Northwest of England – albeit not quite so sunny – but the fire inside me started!
Back to the Motherland, spells with Raymond Blanc and Marco Pierre White stoked the fire to another level and I then went to the restaurant my parents had acquired and off we went on the classic ‘posh’ French route. It worked for a while …..
La Belle Epoque, Knutsford, was fabulous – big, bold, busy, frequented by celebrities, yet recessions are no respecters of history – the sh*t ran deep – a solution was needed and my love of the Northwest had come full circle …..now on trend (it was the early 90’s remember!) was bury black pudding, salty Cheshire cheese, sandy local asparagus – sitting alongside classic dover sole, lobster and guinea fowl. The Belle Epoque ‘Brasserie’ was born and will always be a very special offspring!
Media offers started to come in from Regional and National TV, cooking with the Hairy Bikers, Simon Rimmer, and Matt Tebbutt are just a few of the amazing chefs I’ve been privileged to cook alongside, but my affair with the kitchen stove will always be my first love.
As the culinary and hospitality scene moves on and is ever changing, gastro pub chains come and go I am very happy to be involved in a variety of exciting new projects, offering my (coughs) XX years of experience as a consultant and enjoying demonstrating at some of the best food festivals in the country.
Clare Andrews
Clare Andrews, was gifted an air fryer early in the lockdowns of 2020. Unsure of what to make (other than chips!) keen home cook Clare started exploring the possibilities of her air fryer. She began sharing her quick and delicious recipes on Instagram, soon amassing a dedicated following looking to share her expertise. She now has more than 100k followers on Instagram, and her first air fryer cookbook is a number 1 Sunday Times bestseller.
She has now embraced the endless opportunities offered by any kitchen gadget, developing practical and delicious recipes that fit her busy schedule and are simple to follow and easy to make. From the air fryer to the slow cooker, she will show you how to make mouth-watering, budget-friendly meals by letting your kitchen equipment do the work for you.
Clare returns to air frying in her third cookbook which will be released in November 2024, The Ultimate Air Fryer Cookbook: One-basket Meals.
Clare won the New to Self-Employment Award at the 2023 IPSE Freelancer Awards, and regularly contributes to BBC Radio, national newspapers, magazines and websites. She has appeared in five Channel 5 TV shows:
AIR FRYERS: DO YOU
KNOW WHAT YOU’RE MISSING
AIR FRYERS: THE
EASY WAY TO LOSE WEIGHT
AIR FRYERS: DO YOU
HAVE THE RIGHT ONE
AIR FRYERS: SUNDAY
LUNCH MADE EASY
AIR FRYERS:
ENTERTAINING MADE EASY
Follow Clare on social media @AirFryerUK or check out her website www.airfryeruk.com
Alex Hollywood
Alex Hollywood lives in Kent and is a passionate home cook and family food writer with two popular cookery books, My Busy Kitchen and Cooking Tonight, under her belt as well as a devoted following on social media.
Alex’s food is quick simple and delicious. She incorporates flavours from her Scandinavian and French heritage and her ‘waste not want not’ attitude resonates with busy mums across the globe. Her no fuss approach to cooking has garnered her a loyal following on both Twitter and Instagram where she posts videos and recipes on a weekly basis. Her infectious humour and relatability were noticed by TV producers, resulting in her featuring on numerous programmes including ITV’s This Morning, Nadia’s Family Feasts and Ainsley’s Food We Love.
Alex has also captivated audiences whilst hosting live cooking demos at the BBC Good Food Show, Hampton Court Palace Festive Fayre, Thame Food Festival and Bradford Upon Avon Food Festival.
Steven Carter Bailey
Steven Carter-Bailey was a finalist on the 2017 series of The Great British Bakeoff and went on to win the 2019 New Years’ Day special. Friend and regular guest at the Thame Food Festival, Steven has taken his Bakeoff experience and forged his career in food. As a celebrity cake designer, Steven has made some incredible cakes for the likes of Sir Ian McKellan, Jade Thirlwall, and most recently was invited to the BAFTAs with a cake for Rebel Wilson.
Alongside his cakes and bakes, he is a regular contributor to TV and radio, and in 2021 he launched his chart topping podcast, Feed my Curiosity; where he interviews celebrity guests about their food loves and hates.
You can follow Steven and his antics over on Instagram – @spongecakesquaretin
Dan Hunter
Dan’s interest in cooking began when he went travelling in South America in 2007. His particular loves are pies and desserts: before he and his wife bought their first home, they lived with his in-laws, during which time his mother-in-law taught him how to make perfect shortcrust pastry. Subsequently, his passion for pies has evolved into a penchant for patisserie!
Perfectionist Dan loves a baking challenge and will often find the hardest bake in one of his many (more than 300!) cookbooks and start there, throwing everything he’s got at creating a masterpiece. When he’s not baking, he loves to play football with his two young sons, work out in the gym, or forage for edible treats in the countryside around his home.
Nicky
Nicky and Matthew will be demonstrating together on our Big Cookery Stage in association with Louisa’s Honey. Their recipe will incorporate this delicious nectar and they’ll also be joining the Louisa’s Honey stand in the Artisan Food Market over the weekend.
Nicky and Matthew have lots of recipe ideas to share about what you can make with Louisa’s Honey. They will be making some (simple) canapés with Louisa’s Honey for guests to enjoy.
Nicky, originally from Scotland and now living in the West Midlands, charmed audiences on The Great British Bake Off Series 14 with her joyful and creative approach to baking. Known for her viral Norman the Beaver cake in week one and her showstopping Angus the Highland Cow plaited bread, Nicky’s talent is as impressive as her fun loving spirit.
Her passion for baking was nurtured early on by her Gran, from whom she learned to make, roll and bake pastry along with many other bakes and has such cherished memories of being covered head to toe in flour and having so much fun whilst scraping the cake batter from the bowl.
Since her Bake Off journey, Nicky has been sharing her expertise through talks, engaging reels. As well as live demonstrations at the Burwarton Show and Ludlow Food Festival in September. She will also be at the BBC Good Food Show in November on Louisa’s Honey stand. With 23K Instagram followers, she continues to inspire and entertain with her delightful culinary creations.
A seasoned skier since the age of three, Nicky hits the slopes every winter without fail. When not baking or skiing Nicky and her therapy dog, Bracken also volunteer at a local hospice where they regularly visit the inpatient unit. Before her baking fame, Nicky worked as long-haul cabin crew, bringing a touch of the jet-set life to her kitchen adventures.
Follow her on social media instagram @nickybakesalot
Matthew Samuels
Nicky and Matthew will be demonstrating together on our Big Cookery Stage in association with Louisa’s Honey. Their recipe will incorporate this delicious nectar and they’ll also be joining the Louisa’s Honey stand in the Artisan Food Market over the weekend.
Nicky and Matthew have lots of recipe ideas to share about what you can make with Louisa’s Honey. They will be making some (simple) canapés with Louisa’s Honey for guests to enjoy.
MasterChef Quarter Finalist 2023, 2024
Matthew’s first memories were rolling dumplings with his Jamaican grandfather and making ackee and saltfish with his mother. Since he was little, food has always been a passion, a shared language spoken in his family.
Matthew competed on MasterChef in 2023, finishing as a Quarter Finalist. He showcased the diverse range of Caribbean flavours, taking the judges on a remarkable, culinary experience. His Ackee and Saltfish dish won both John Torode and Greg Wallace over, with them both citing it was the best they had ever tasted, EVER.
Matthew was one of ten lucky contestants to be reinvited back on to MasterChef 2024 to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the show. He held his title as Quarter Finalist, continuing to wow the judges with his fine dining approach on Caribbean cuisine.
Since his last TV appearance, Matthew has put on a sold-out dinner, with two other MasterChef contestants in Dublin. In addition, he has made several appearances at the Good Food Show, making mouth-watering canapés on the ‘Fabulous Food Finds’ stage.
Matthew has recently launched his new website, inviting people to book onto an immersive dining experience. His continued aim is to take customers on a Caribbean journey, whilst sharing fun and interesting facts about its history.
You can follow Matthew’s journey on:
@matthew_samuels1
www.chefmatthewsamuels.co.uk
James Grant - No 2 Pound Street - Cheese!
James Grant is a restauranteur, cheesemonger, columnist and most recently has founded The Real Cheese Project.
Inspired by brilliant chefs and restauranteurs including John Torode, Sir Terrance Conran he went on work and run some of the U.K.s most prestigious hotels and restaurants.
James opened No2 Pound Street a cheese and wine shop in 2010 which was quickly recognised as Bucks best cheesemongers. This year James started Bucks Cheese Guy – a mobile market stall selling 1 or 2 exceptional cheeses with the perfect pairing.
His motivation is to spread the word on sustainable and ethical farming practises. As a cheesemonger he has a deep knowledge of how cheese is made and where it comes from. The Cheese that he champions is from farms that often follow regenerative and organic farming practises. James quotes from Sustainable Food Trust founder Patrick Holden – “We are what we eat what they ate”. The Real Cheese Project intends to promote and direct people to real cheese that is at one with land and animal. James says, for too long humanity has worked against nature, the time is now to work with nature, we are all nature.
Eva Humphries
Eva Humphries, Wholefood Warrior.
I’m a Nottingham-based, leading BANT registered nutritionist with a realistic
take on nutrition.
Somewhere along the way, we blew this nutrition thing out of proportion so I have a really relaxed approach to it which is less about rigid rules and cutting everything out and more about easy ways to add in nutrients. Fundamentally we just need more nutrients. The rest is a bit fluffy around the edges, even with the best science applied to it. Plus, like most people, I like a treat every now and then and you know what, there is more to good nutrition and there is definitely room for a bit of flexibility.
Why Wholefood Warrior?
To begin with, I was narked with the diet and processed food industries. On one end of the spectrum, it was all calorie-free sweet drinks, skinny pills and magical detox powders, then on the other, it’s the promotion of processed foods that lack nutrients, none of which contribute to our wellbeing. Then one day, whilst shopping at a supermarket, it all just clicked.
It was one of those moments whereby I went shopping while hungry. Now, if you’ve done this before, you’ll know it’s not a great idea. It’s like every processed food item starts talking to you, coercing you into buying it. And let’s face it, there are a lot more of those items on our supermarket shelves than actual real food. I was battling my way through the shopping list, chuckling to myself that I’m like some kind of a modern-day warrior.
A Wholefood Warrior.
It stuck.
So now I do my best to help you choose whole foods, the kind of ingredients that promote health, instead of the processed foods that are promoted to us every day through every media outlet. It’s not about going to war, rather it’s about having that warrior mentality to choose health over convenience.
Tristan Welch
One of the most celebrated chefs in the UK with an impressive, inspiring CV, glittering with Michelin-starred restaurants and high-society watering holes, Tristan Welch is renowned by his peers and patrons for authentic recipes with sumptuous flavours prepared with a flourish.
After a childhood in Cambridgeshire happily spent growing his own vegetables and cooking at his parents’ side, while still a teenager Tristan heard Chef Gary Rhodes speak at a food festival and pestered him for an internship. He was offered a day’s trial at the Michelin-starred City Rhodes restaurant in London in 1997 (which soon after won a Michelin star), and so impressed the team that he landed a job as a commis chef there, prepping piles of spinach and sacks of potatoes every day.
In 1998 he left to join the double-Michelin starred Le Gavroche under Michel Roux Junior, where he worked for nearly three years and won the Award of Excellence from Britain’s Royal Academy of Culinary Arts, which recognises talented young chefs. To progress his career, Michel Roux then recommended him to Alain Passard’s triple-Michelin-starred L’Arpège in Paris.
Tristan then earned his first Head Chef role at Glenapp Castle – the award-winning five-star Relais & Châteaux hotel in Ayrshire, Scotland, which has a Michelin-starred restaurant. During his two years there, the restaurant went on to win three AA Rosettes, Hotel Chef of the Year and, in 2003, the prestigious Gordon Ramsay Scholarship Award.
In 2004 Tristan moved back to London to be Head Chef for Chefs Marcus Wareing & Gordon Ramsay’s prestigious Pétrus at The Berkeley Hotel in Mayfair. Pétrus was awarded two Michelin stars in 2007 and the Harden Guide’s Best Restaurant Award in 2008, among many more accolades that followed.
In March 2008, Tristan re-launched Launceston Place, a restaurant in London’s Kensington, where his modern British menu won Best Restaurant of the Year at the annual Taste Awards and the Time Out Awards, as well as Best Wine List from Tatler’s Wine Awards and the Spectator’s Wine Awards.
In 2014 he left with his wife and young family to Mustique, where he was Head Chef at the island’s celebrated Cotton House Beach Café. Here he was headhunted by the team at University Arms in Cambridge, who lured him back to England to become Chef Patron of Parker’s Tavern, the hotel’s restaurant, which opened in 2018.
Tristan regularly appears on television, most recently as a judge on Master Chef. In 2009 he was a finalist on the BBC2’s Great British Menu and appeared on the show again in 2010. He features regularly on BBC1’s Saturday Kitchen and The One Show; The Good Food Channel’s Market Kitchen; Channel 4’s Drop Down Menu; Food Network USA and Food Network UK, as well as BBC London Radio.
Tristan frequently writes for the British press, where his recipes feature in newspapers such as The Times; The Telegraph; The Independent; Metro; and magazines including Delicious; Olive; Sainsbury’s; Men’s Health; and GQ, which nominated him one of the UK’s Top 100 Most Influential Men.
Jürgen Krauss
Jürgen was born and grew up in a village near Freiburg in the Black Forest. During his childhood he enjoyed playing with the plentiful tools that were around – his grandpa was a miner, and his father is a master locksmith. At 12 years old he managed to make a noise on his father’s trombone, and he has been playing ever since, in the town band, in specialist ensembles for renaissance music, and more recently in a community big band.
His love of baking started as soon as he could stand, helping his mother when she made Linzer Torte or the many varieties of biscuits for Christmas.
His love of science also started early, he sporadically read a children’s encyclopaedia he had been given for Christmas, dipping in and out at random when he had the leisure. Later he also had a chemistry set, and Physics seemed to come to him naturally at school.
After Abitur and military service, he studied Physics in Freiburg.
He re-oriented and for a while split his time between early music gigs and kitchen fitting, before settling into IT and computer programming around 1999.
His musical development brought him in contact with The Feldenkrais Method (body work), which he studied, and he graduated as a practitioner in 2002.
The Feldenkrais Method brought him to a course in Lewes, where he met his wife, and he moved to Brighton soon after, where he lives with his wife and son.
Jürgen works as a database administrator and analyst programmer for a job agency.
Apart from baking and music Jürgen enjoys outdoor activities (hiking, running, swimming), engineering, architecture, and anything that tickles his interest.
Jürgen started making bread in earnest from about 2010, when he was longing for German style bread, and it is his strongest baking skill.
Making bread has taught him to work systematically and with precision, and he used this successfully in the Great British Bake Off. He also applied his sense for flavour combinations, architecture, and engineering to create his memorable bakes.
Val Stones
Val was born in Yorkshire and began baking with her Nana and Aunts who all loved baking and passed on the love to her. As Val grew she practiced her baking skills with her Mum and whilst holidaying with Aunts.
Whilst at Teacher Training College she continued to bake for her fellow students often foraging for ingredients and “ borrowing “ apples from the college orchard to make blackberry and apple jam. Val’s house on campus was the only one to be scented with scones, cakes and pies which often drew in a crowd.
Val met her husband whilst they were still at school aged sweet sixteen and so her family extended to include her to be Mum in law and her mother. From them she learned the skills of cooking on a coal Yorkshire range, how to milk a cow and make her own butter.
After over 50 years of baking with love for friends and family, Val Stones presents her first cookbook, The Cake Whisperer. Whether you are a seasoned cook looking for new ideas or a total beginner, this collection of tried and tested recipes is perfect for anyone who wants to put a smile on the face of their loved ones.
Named after Val’s technique of listening to her bakes, the recipes in The Cake Whisperer have been chosen by Val to provide the fundamental skills and basic recipes that any home cook should have – including how to listen to your cakes! Val doesn’t want you to follow her recipes to the letter, but hopes that people will get creative, make changes and end up with something they love.
At its heart The Cake Whisperer is a family cookbook. Val grew up in multi-generational home, baking with her Nana, her mum and her aunts. Her recipes have been taste tested by countless sticky-fingered children at the buffet tables that marked generations of birthdays, weddings and anniversaries. They are her husband’s favourites and the things that her siblings Suse, Steve and Denise request every time she visits. Each one has received a seal of approval from the only critics that Val cares about – her family.
Independently minded as ever, Val chose to self-publish, packing this book with her unique personality and charm. Each recipe is accompanied by anecdotes, notes and comments which tell you the inspiration that lies behind her bakes. As well as irresistible sausage rolls, cakes and biscuits The Cake Whisperer also contains Val’s secret recipe for friendship, which she demonstrates using hand-picked photos of her friends from across the globe.
A retired Headteacher, Val of course knows the value of a little group work and has enjoyed sharing the drafts of this book with her fellow Great British BakeOff contestants. Andrew Smyth, 2016 finalist and also the person setting up Val’s online shop said, “Val’s voice is on every page. Working through these recipes is like being back in the tent, Val in front of me chatting away and dancing as she bakes. I’ve even started listening to my own baking!”
Every detail of this book shows the way that thinking of others is at the centre of who Val is. The fonts and page colours have been chosen to make it easier for person with dyslexia to read, something which Val herself has struggled with. Val is also proud that every image is glossy, “…so you can wipe it when you spill”, something else she knows every baker has experiences. Most of all though, every story, picture and recipe has been carefully selected because Val thinks it will make someone happy.
The Cake Whisperer is available for purchase at valstones.com. RRP £12.95.
For all press enquiries please contact, vivienne@vivienneclore.com
DJ Supper Club
Daniel Adams, an ex-3 Michelin star-trained chef, honed his skills under Heston Blumenthal at The Fat Duck. Joel Mignott, known for his cooking, fashion, entertainment as a DJ and model, and as a star on Channel 4’s Made in Chelsea, joins him as a dynamic culinary duo.
Together, they launched DJ Supper Club, blending high-end cuisine with vibrant entertainment. This venture has garnered a dedicated community of food and culture enthusiasts, celebrated for its exceptional guest satisfaction and unique dining experiences.
At Thame Food Festival, Daniel and Joel will demonstrate their innovative approach to cooking in a 30-minute demo, showcasing a signature recipe that highlights their combined talents.
Lucie Ellis
“My long career in food began in my early teens living in a flat above my parent’s café in Thame and cooking with my Dad in the kitchen on weekends. There followed 20 years in the hospitality industry working in restaurants, cooking on yachts in the Caribbean, and a long stint in the world of event catering. I finally opened my own restaurant, The Milk Shed, near Oxford in 2013, which I sold after an amazing 10 years and since then have been working on new projects from home in Cornwall. In August 2023, along with my husband I took on a small space in Padstow where we are spending time turning it into a multipurpose kitchen to bring to life the next chapter – a work in progress but I’m very excited to get my apron back on!”
Paula McIntyre
Paula is currently on our tv screens in her warm and delightful BBC series – Paula McIntyre’s Hamley Kitchen. Where she looks to the past and her own Ulster-Scots heritage to serve up mouthwatering recipes crafted from the finest local ingredients.
Having trained in Culinary Arts at the prestigious Johnson and Wales University in Rhode Island, USA, Paula McIntyre returned to the UK in 1993 to open her own restaurant in Manchester. A busy and thriving eatery, The Undrie picked up several awards for fine dining including Manchester Evening News newcomer of the year and was featured in several guidebooks and magazines including City Life and Caterer and Hotelkeeper.
Returning to Northern Ireland in 1998, Paula worked as Head Chef in several establishments including Ghan House in Carlingford and Fontana in Holywood.
In 2000 Paula appeared as a guest chef on “Ready, Steady, Cook” beating Paul Rankin in her second appearance. She has been a guest chef on BBC Northern Ireland’s television coverage of the Balmoral Show and featured as a chef on the fly on the wall documentary on the catering industry in Northern Ireland, “A La Carte”. In Autumn 2001 Paula was given her own TV series on BBC 2 NI called “Taste for Adventure”. She appeared as a guest chef with Eamonn Holmes on BBC 1 NI’s “Summer Season” programme and was a reporter on food issues for BBC 1 NI’s “Inside Out” programme. She has also been a guest chef twice on RTE 1’s “Afternoon Show”.
A regular contributor to Radio Ulster, Paula was asked to develop her own series. The result “McIntyre Magic” was broadcast on Saturday Mornings and commissioned 3 times. Since 2004 has been hosting the cooking slot on Radio Ulster’s weekly “Saturday Magazine” show with John Toal. She has also presented the whole 2 hour show in John’s absence. She also contributes regularly to BBC NI news, “Talkback”, “ The Book Programme”, “On your Behalf”, and the “Nolan Show”. She also did live cooking into “Carton and Boomer’s” live breakfast show on New York radio from the Bushmills distillery. She appeared on BBC Radio 4’s “Kitchen Cabinet” Programme, hosted by Jay Rayner, as a local expert. She featured on a special Radio 4 Food Programme broadcast from Northern Ireland and also as part of a special “Terra Madre” programme. She has also guested on William Caulfield’s comedy show for Radio Ulster and has appeared in his panto!
Paula lectures in catering on the Professional Cookery programme in Northern Regional College.
Additionally she specialises in fine dining and catering for a variety of events and was chef for singer Brian Kennedy’s TV series “Kennedy on Song”. Guests on the programme included Lulu, Barry McGuigan, Michael Ball and Maire Brennan. She guest chefs at special events in Montalto House, both hosting lifestyle days and cooking for special guests like the President of Ireland and Northern Ireland Tourist Board.
She has worked as chef demonstrator and live cookery theatre host for the past few years with FoodNI at events like Balmoral Show, Glenarm Castle Festival, Flavours of Foyle Seafood Festival and Clogher Valley Show. She attended the House of Commons this year to cook food for members of both houses to showcase food from Northern Ireland.
As part of the Slow Food Terra Madre Festival, Paula represented the United Kingdom Chef Alliance and cooked a dish representative of Northern Irish produce ( consisting eels, apples, traditional bread and salt ling) in the Terra Madre Kitchen at the event.
She works for different food companies ( including White’s Oats, Kerry Foods, Allied Bakeries, Spar, Kerry Foods, Cloughbane Farm and Dromona) developing recipes, food styling and hosting events. She recently cooked breakfast, using local produce, for the launch of the Balmoral Show.
She is judge in the BBC Radio Four Food and Farming Awards, judging the streetfood and takeaway category with Giorgio Locatelli.
She had a regular cooking column in Sunday Life newspaper for 2 years. Paula contributes to various papers in Northern Ireland including the Irish News, Newsletter and Belfast Telegraph. She currently writes a weekly column in Farming Life.
Gennaro Contaldo
Born in Minori on the Amalfi Coast, Gennaro is widely known as one of the UK’s most loved chefs and the Italian legend who taught Jamie Oliver all he knows about Italian cooking.
Gennaro’s credits include the fabulous series ‘Jamie Cooks Italy’ for C4, two series of ‘Two Greedy Italians’ for BBC2 plus he has a channel on Jamie Oliver’s Food Tube called ‘Gennaro’ as well as his own YouTube channel. Gennaro also regularly appears as the Italian food expert and as a top chef on ‘Saturday Kitchen’.
Gennaro has written over twelve cookery books, some of which have sold over 100,000 copies and been translated into a number of different languages. His most recent book ‘Gennaro’s Cucina: Hearty money-saving meals from an Italian Kitchen’ will be published in February 2023 and is a must have cookery book for all foodies.
Over the last few years, Gennaro has partnered with brands like Parmigiano Reggiano, Birra Moretti and Napolina and works with Italian holiday company Citalia, helping promote the best of Italian food and travel to his beloved Italy.
When he’s not working, he spends time relaxing and cooking with his family at their cottage in Norfolk and scouring Italy for new delights to share with his followers.
Photography credit: SimonBurtPhotography.com
Simon Brown
STAGE COMPERE
I’m a passionate foodie, TV cook, Cookery Theatre Compere and AGA demonstrator who just loves having fun in the kitchen.
I trained as a Home Economist in Manchester and began cooking professionally as a member of the Home Economics team at Miele, the German domestic appliance manufacturer, based just outside Oxford. I spent seven very happy years there, but got itchy feet and decided that I wanted to cook with and inspire a wider audience, so I began giving cookery demonstrations in the UK and Europe and met loads of fellow foodies along the way at exhibitions and food shows.
At the same time I was asked to cook on QVC for the first time and was immediately smitten by the shopping TV bug. So began a long and exciting career on a number of shopping channels, including Granada Shop!, eeZee TV and The Jewellery Channel.
In 2009 I returned to QVC as the regular guest presenter for their exclusive kitchenwares range, Cook’s Essentials. Since then I’ve spent many happy hours on air, explaining the great products I’m using and, hopefully, passing on my knowledge to inspire you to get cooking too. For a backstage insight into QVC and QVC recipes I’ve cooked on air plus a link to the QVC website, click on my QVC page.
As an Event Compere, I host cookery theatre stages at food festivals and events throughout the UK, from a marquee in a field to The Royal Geographical Institute in London. Corporate clients have included Tesco, Gaggenau, Kenwood, Kuhn Rikon and Magimix. For more information, go to my Cookery Stage Compere page.
I live in the West Country with my husband and my classic 1959 Armstrong Siddeley saloon.
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Suzy Pelta
Stage Compere
Suzy Pelta is the winner of ITV1’s Lorraine Cake Club Competition and is a recipe writer, food judge, demonstration chef and lover of leopard print and pink lipstick!
As well as food blogging for The Metro, judging for The Great Taste Awards and writing ‘Miracle Mug Cakes and Other Cheat’s Bakes’ for Ryland Peters and Small, Suzy is Marie Curie’s Blooming Great Tea Party Queen & each year creates the signature cake for the campaign.
For more information and the latest news from Suzy, visit her blog or on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.
