A taste of what's to come

British Food Fortnight - 18th September – 3rd October 2010

“We love British Food Fortnight!”
Dave Myers & Si King, BBC’s ‘Hairy Bikers’celebrity chefs

WHAT IS BRITISH FOOD FORTNIGHT? Running from 18th September to 3rd October and now in its ninth year, British Food Fortnight is the biggest national celebration of the diverse and delicious range of food that Britain produces. Hundreds of shops, pubs and restaurants take part every year with special menus and promotions as do councils, markets, hospitals, tourism attractions, hotels, youth hostels and many more. Last year even a zoo took part proving that animals too can eat British! The event is also an established date on the school calendar with hundreds of schools using it as an opportunity to teach children about food. In 2012 the dates of British Food Fortnight will change, for one year only, to run at the same time as the London Olympics.

WHAT’S NEW THIS YEAR? This year British Food Fortnight is fronted, for the first time, by it’s own poster boy. James Potter, a poultry farmer from North Yorkshire , has been selected by PR guru, Max Clifford, as the ‘Face of British Food Fortnight 2010’. James will feature on the event’s Love British Food poster that was unveiled by HRH The Duchess of Cornwall and the BBC’s Hairy Bikers at a major launch in London . Commenting on his choice, Max Clifford said: “James is, in my opinion, the perfect person to be the Face of British Food Fortnight 2010 as his face has all the characteristics that I believe people would expect to be embodied in a farmer. He has a face full of charm, integrity and which exudes the outdoor life - a wonderful combination made even better by a huge smile. He’s got a face that both men and women will relate to in a positive way and, for me, is the ideal person to be the poster boy for British farming and food.” This year’s poster can be viewed by clicking here. Other highlights to look forward to include:

British food ‘on a budget’: this year British Food Fortnight has teamed up with the Department of Health to celebrate British food ‘on a budget’ with a special focus on universities and children’s centres. British Food Fortnight coincides with Freshers’ Fairs in most universities where students, many of whom are catering for themselves for the first time, are the forgotten generation in the food debate. This year university caterers are being invited to run British Food Fortnight promotions in student cafes and canteens; set up stalls at Freshers’ Fairs to promote the healthy benefits of British seasonal food; and offer cooking demonstrations of simple recipes for students. In a similar vein, British Food Fortnight’s initiative sending chefs into schools to teach children how to cook is expanding into Sure Start Children’s Centres! Fathers and mothers in each centre are going to be taught how to cook, where to buy healthy food and how to incorporate 5 A DAY into their family’s meals leading up to a British Food Fortnight Harvest Feast in each centre during the event. Centres in Manchester , London , Bristol , Nottingham, Newcastle , Southampton, Liverpool and Coventry are taking part.

On the menu this year: more British food will be consumed through the catering sector during the two weeks than ever before with eight of the largest food service organisations, led by ARAMARK, six major pub groups led by Young’s, all the chef associations, the National Trust, the Youth Hostel Association, Anchor Care Homes and many others all putting British food on the menu. The public sector is also expected to support the event en masse with major hospitals, school catering services and even the Cabinet Office planning special menus.

More British promotions in shops than ever before. Three of the biggest supermarkets are already making plans for British Food Fortnight promotions signifying the greatest support in the history of the event. Budgens, the official retail sponsor of the event, will be championing British food in all 200 of its stores with tastings, meet-the-producer events and special offers and hundreds of independent stores will be flying the Union Jack in the high street.

Most exciting School Challenges yet!: this year’s British Food Fortnight School Challenge is the biggest yet. Schools are again being invited to use British Food Fortnight as an opportunity to teach children about the diverse and delicious range of food available, the pleasures and health benefits of eating quality, fresh, seasonal and regionally-distinct produce and where it comes from. For pre and primary age children, British Food Fortnight has teamed up with Tractor Ted, the character behind the real life action farming films and books, to challenge young children to design the ultimate school smoothie. And inspired by the Hairy Bikers’ recent ‘Mums Know Best’ television programme, secondary school pupils are being challenged to design and cook a meal based on recipes that would have been used in their school’s part of the country by previous generations.

Eat your way around Britain during the Fortnight with more opportunities than ever before for people to enjoy British food led by the National Trust that is hosting masses of ‘Food Glorious Food’ events in its properties during the event. Look out for foraging walks, food trails and fungi forays; Harvest Swap Shops; Plot to Plate cooking demonstrations; Meet the Farmer events; and food festivals that are being planned in more than half of the English counties. See the What’s Happening pages on www.lovebritishfood.co.uk for details of what is happening near you!

BBC’s Hairy Bikers, Dave Myers and Si King, lead the event’s network of 9,000 chefs that is at the ready to help schools teach children about the delights of our national produce and how to cook. The network is made up of chefs from some of the biggest catering organisations, chef associations and pub groups all of whom have volunteered to send people into schools to teach children how to cook during British Food Fortnight.

WHY IS THE EVENT SO PARTICULARLY EXCITING THIS YEAR? Commenting on the Olympic plans, organiser Alexia Robinson says: “This year’s British Food Fortnight is a rallying cry for shops, pubs, restaurants and councils to start planning their Olympic promotions now so that their customers can feast on British food as they cheer our medal hopes to the winning line! The eyes of the world will be on Britain in 2012 and patriotism will be at fever-pitch. Food and sport go hand in hand and we want British food to be at the heart of everyone’s Olympic celebrations.”

She continues: “And, for the first time, British Food Fortnight is fronted by it’s own poster boy. Most advertising campaigns have a ‘face’ to front them whether it is Cheryl Cole promoting L’Oreal or David Beckham promoting Gillette. British food hasn’t had a ‘face’ and we want to change that. We have searched far and wide for someone whose smile will encourage people to make a bigger effort to buy British and, with Max Clifford’s help, in James Potter we have found just the man!”

WHAT RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE TO HELP PEOPLE TAKE PART? The event’s website www.lovebritishfood.co.uk is a one-stop-shop for consumers, retailers, caterers and schools wanting to enjoy British food. The site includes a ‘Supermarket Watch’ monitoring what British food is being sold in the big stores, search facilities to find pubs and restaurants serving British food, a Teacher Zone plus new sections providing advice on eating British on a budget and advice on planning promotions for the Olympics. Plus all the resources people need to take part in British Food Fortnight.

WHO IS BEHIND IT? British Food Fortnight is sponsored by Budgens, ARAMARK and the Department of Health’s 5 A DAY Just Eat More (fruit & veg) programme. It is supported by over 60 organisations led by Brakes, Country Markets, National Farmers’ Union , National Trust, Tenant Farmers Association, Young’s pubs and Youth Hostel Association.

WHERE CAN WE FIND OUT MORE? To find out how you can take part, order resources and sign up for monthly updates on the latest British food news, see www.lovebritishfood.co.uk or Email: info@lovebritishfood.co.uk.