CULINARY BRILLIANCE!
A celebration of gourmet food and some of the world’s most innovative chefs, Obsession is back with a bang with the biggest, most successful event to date. Photography: Allen Markey
A culinary triumph, Northcote’s Obsession gourmet food festival returned with flair, exceptional gastronomy and a whole host of critically acclaimed and exciting chefs.
Obsession launched in 2001 as a celebration of great food and wine and while it has evolved, the ethos is still very much the same offering a completely memorable culinary experience, created by some of the world’s most innovative chefs.
With 18 chefs and 15 Michelin stars between them, Obsession 22 was staged over 15 nights with each evening and menu completely unique.
There were some themes that ran throughout – in a show of support for the world’s oceans and seas, sustainably caught seafood from Cornwall, Orkney and the Isle of Skye proved popular.
Hand-dived scallops were a particularly prevalent ingredient this year with 10 out of the 18 chefs including this creamy, buttery ingredient on their menus. Seasonal and local ingredients were in abundance too, with Cornish crab, Cartmel roe deer, Belted Galloway from Lindal and Brancaster mussels making an appearance.
James Martin, celebrity chef and TV presenter, was among the chefs to be invited to cook at Obsession: “When Lisa asked me to do Obsession this year, my first thought was, crikey that’s no mean feat!
“But the camaraderie between the chefs and experience they gain from it, not to mention the guest experience, is outstanding.”
“My menu this year was seafood based, with the core ingredients sourced from within the British Isles, but we incorporated flavours from all over world to provide guests with well-rounded dishes.”
By far the biggest and most successful Obsession to date, the Northcote team was led by executive chef Lisa Goodwin-Allen: “Obsession 22 was something really special. The hospitality industry took such a hit during the pandemic, so we were all ready to put on a show of culinary brilliance, and that we did. The vibe, teamwork and overall energy from everyone involved was outstanding.”
During the festival more than 1,660 guests travelled to Northcote from all over the UK, the biggest numbers yet since the inception of Obsession.
“It was amazing to see people out again, enjoying themselves and the feedback we’ve had from everyone who attended has been phenomenal! I have my amazing team and the incredible line up of chefs to thank for that, as well as our incredible sponsors, without their support we wouldn’t have been able to create a festival of this magnitude.”
Along with James Martin, top chefs included Tom Kerridge, Matt Abe, Angela Hartnett, Simon Rogan, Hrishikesh Desai and Monica Galetti, who all worked their culinary magic, showcasing their diverse and technically excellent menus.
Notable dishes included:
• Raw Belted Galloway from Lindal in coal oil, Sturia caviar, pumpkin seed and fermented cucumber presented by Simon Rogan and Tom Barnes from two-Michelin starred L’Enclume in Cumbria.
• Galton Blackiston’s wild sea bass, Brancaster mussels, Sturia Oscietra caviar, Champagne sauce and sea herbs.
• Dark chocolate delice, banana bread, spiced pumpkin panna cotta and milk sorbet by Hrishikesh Desai from the Gilpin Hotel & Lakehouse.
• Tom Kerridge from the two Michelin-starred Hand & Flowers created a delicious chocolate ale cake, salted caramel and vanilla ice-cream.
• James Martin presented ceviche of monkfish, elderflower sour cream, cucumber, pumpkin and verjus.
The evening also raised more than £68,000 for Hospitality Action, a charity which supports people working in the hospitality industry: “It is a charity very close to my heart,” says Lisa.
The line-up for Obsession 23 will be announced in September 2022. To be kept up to date visit: northcoteobsession.com
