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A new food event celebrating the landscape, farmers and producers of Nidderdale is set to launch this March, bringing together some of Yorkshire’s most respected chefs for a unique collaborative dinner.
The first Nidderdale Feast will take place at Masham Town Hall and marks the beginning of a three-year initiative designed to strengthen links between sustainable farming, local food production and rural enterprise.
Curated by renowned Yorkshire chef Frances Atkins, the evening will see chefs working alongside local farmers and producers to create a four-course meal using ingredients sourced from across the Nidderdale National Landscape.
Atkins, who held a Michelin star for 16 years and now runs Paradise Café in Killinghall, will oversee the menu and guide chefs working in pairs on each course. “Good food depends on the quality of the ingredients,” she said. “Working closely with local producers allows the landscape to be reflected in what is served.”
For one evening, the historic Masham Town Hall will be transformed into a pop-up restaurant, welcoming chefs, farmers, conservationists and guests from across the food and farming sector.
Each course will highlight produce grown or raised locally and tell the story of the people behind it - from shepherds and fish farmers to bakers and market gardeners.
Ingredients set to feature include:
Guests will also be welcomed with a cider-based aperitif from Masham Cider Press.
Alongside Frances Atkins, the kitchen team for the evening includes some of the most talented chefs from across Yorkshire’s restaurant scene:
The evening will be hosted by chef and food ambassador Stephanie Moon, who will also lead short discussions exploring the connections between food, farming and landscape.
The Feast is part of a wider programme led by Nidderdale National Landscape through the Farming in Protected Landscapes (FiPL) initiative.
Feast coordinator Matt Trevelyan says the aim is to bring together people across the food system to support more sustainable and resilient rural economies. “Climate, biodiversity and food production are closely connected,” he explained. “Through this programme we want to support farmers and producers who are managing land responsibly while building resilient businesses.”
Over the next three years the Nidderdale Feast programme will support:
The evening will also feature short talks from experts working at the intersection of farming, food and environmental sustainability, including Jan Thornton MBE of Grow Yorkshire, Dr Hannah Fraser, a medical doctor and organic farmer, and Rob Bunn from Pasture for Life.
Topics will range from soil health and regenerative agriculture to food security, nutrition and the role of local food in strengthening rural communities.
Artists from Chapel FM Arts Centre in Leeds will attend as artists-in-residence, documenting the evening through creative responses including writing, radio and visual art.
Donations made during the evening will go towards local curlew conservation work, helping protect one of the region’s most iconic and threatened bird species.
