NINETEEN YEARS

OF CULINARY EXCELLENCE

A global culinary festival that sees world-famous Michelin-starred chefs coming to the Ribble Valley to show off their skills, has once again been a resounding success. Photography: Allen Markey

The world-famous Obsession festival has this year seen a fantastic line up of chefs flying in from across the world to cook at Michelin-starred Northcote.

Obsession 19, which launched mid-January, saw some stunning dishes from some of the most exciting British chefs including Ollie Dabbous, Andrew Wong, James Lowe and Niall Keating cooking alongside many respected international chefs.

The annual gastronomic food celebration this year took place over 17 nights and kicking off the 19th year of the festival was Northcote’s Executive Chef Lisa Goodwin-Allen.

Lisa assumed full command of the Northcote kitchen in October 2017 when Nigel Haworth transferred to the role of chef ambassador.

Lisa’s second evening cooking at Obsession saw her working alongside Romy Gill MBE, of Romy’s Kitchen, Bristol, and Marianne Lumb who appeared on TV’s Great British Menu in 2018 and formerly of Marianne Restaurant, London.

Fittingly, Nigel is set to close Obsession 19 with a guest appearance on the final night.

Chefs cooking at Obsession this year have included Norbert Niederkofler from the three-Michelin-starred restaurant St Hubertus in San Cassiano in Badia, Italy, Marc Fosh from his eponymous Michelin-starred restaurant in Palma, Majorca, former Noma chef de cuisine, Matt Orlando, who has recently opened Amass in Copenhagen and Patrick Kriss who worked at restaurant Daniel in New York and Regis Marcon and Maison Troisgros in France before setting up Alo in Toronto in Ontario, Canada, in 2015.

Guest chefs from the UK include 2018 Michelin Young European Chef Niall Keating of Whatley Manor in Malmesbury and leading London lights James Lowe of Lyle’s in Shoreditch, Andrew Wong from A Wong in Pimlico and Ollie Dabbous of Hide, which was recently awarded a Michelin star.

The Obsession festival was launched in 2001 by Nigel Haworth and Craig Bancroft as a celebration of great food and wine and to introduce Northcote guests to acclaimed chefs from overseas as well as the UK’s shining stars.

Since its early years, it has grown in size and stature but the ethos has remained the same with the team at Northcote looking to offer guests an extraordinary culinary experience delivered by the world’s most innovative chefs.

Guests attending this year’s Obsession enjoyed a Louis Roederer Brut Premier Champagne reception and had the option of a wine flight paired with the many and varied dishes prepared by the chefs.

Managing director Craig Bancroft, ranked 10th in Harpers Wine & Spirit Hot 50 2018, and his team meticulously choose wines from Northcote’s extensive cellar featuring revered wine-growing regions to pair with the unique flavours and ingredients of each course to enhance the dining experience.

Northcote’s award-winning restaurant has held a Michelin star for 22 consecutive years. Established by Nigel and Craig in 1984, it has become an oasis of gastronomic excellence that, alongside its award-winning restaurant, also boasts an interactive cookery school and chef’s table, a kitchen garden and a carefully curated wine cellar renowned for its unique wines.

www.northcote.com

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