Come and see us cook up a storm!

Wednesday 27 and Thursday 28 May at the Healthy Ambitions Suffolk “Eat Suffolk” food theatre at the Suffolk Show. Top chefs demonstrate healthy and exciting recipes while BBC Radio Suffolk presenters Lesley Dolphin and Mark Murphy take on the Ready Steady Cook challenge.

Seasonal, local and healthy produce is to come under the spotlight at this year’s Suffolk Show, when top chefs go all out to prove that eating well doesn’t need to be boring.

During a fun-packed two days, professional chefs will inspire hundreds of visitors by showcasing their own recipes at the Healthy Ambitions Suffolk “Eat Suffolk” food theatre.

Eight top chefs, including Masterchef 2009 finalist Chris Gates and Adam Palmer, who helped create Marks and Spencer’s Count on Us range, will be taking part, showing how best to use seasonal, local produce to create healthy, good quality, affordable meals which appeal to the whole family.

Recipes including fresh fish crumble, grilled mackerel fillets and spicy pork burgers will all be showcased, while anyone who visits the theatre can also pick up a booklet of recipes to try at home.

Between the demonstrations, comedy act Dr Ken Farquhar and Dave will show where the “f” comes in “food” by talking about fruit, fish, fats and fibre in their fast-moving cookery show, while Radio Suffolk presenters Lesley Dolphin and Mark Murphy will be taking on the Ready Steady Cook challenge.

“One of the key aims of the Healthy Ambitions Suffolk initiative is to show people that eating a healthy, well balanced diet and making simple changes, like grilling instead of frying, can have a hugely positive effect on their long-term health and wellbeing,” said Sally Hogg, head of health improvement partnerships at NHS Suffolk.

“The Eat Suffolk food theatre gives us the perfect opportunity to do just that while proving that healthy eating can be exciting and doesn’t have to cost the earth.

“We want to show people just how easy it is to use local, seasonal produce to create healthy, good quality meals which appeal to the whole family. We’ve tried to create a balance of simple, quick and affordable meals with some recipes that are just a bit more exotic, so there really will be something for everyone.

“We hope that as many people as possible will visit the theatre and take inspiration from the exciting recipes the chefs will be demonstrating and carry some of their great ideas when they get home.”

The food theatre is capable of seating 125, and special TV screens will be installed to make sure the whole audience can see the action. The event will be hosted by professional cook and food writer Mary Kemp, who runs a cookery school in south Norfolk.

She said: “If you love good food, don’t miss some of Suffolk’s great chefs whipping up their favourite summer dishes using the freshest local ingredients over the two days. It will be the perfect combination of inspiration, new ideas, as well as practical advice for mastering some of those trickier kitchen challenges, and helping you make the most of our wonderful seasonal ingredients during the credit crunch.”

During the show, staff from the Healthy Ambitions Suffolk team will be available to offer help and advice about stopping smoking. If you are ready to quit now, ring 0800 085 6037 or visit www.suffolkstopsmokingservice.co.uk

HAS will also be running a stall in the Suffolk Sport tent, where people of all ages can get advice on a range of issues including healthy eating and alcohol awareness, while the Stop Smoking team will be spreading the “be smoke free, be happy” message.

The Healthy Ambitions Suffolk bus will also be on site, giving people the chance to use age progression software to find out what they’ll look like in the future and make their own health pledges.

The full programme for the Eat Suffolk food theatre is as follows:

Wednesday 27 May:
10am Chris Gates (Masterchef 2009 finalist)
10.30am Dr Ken and Dave (The Institute of Food Research)
11am Ready Steady Cook with Radio Suffolk presenters Lesley Dolphin and Mark Murphy, alongside chefs Mark David and Franck Pontais
11.45am Robert Mace (The Crown Hotel, Southwold)
12.30pm Dr Ken and Dave (The Institute of Food Research)
1pm Mark David (The Cooking Experience)
1.45pm Franck Pontais (Food Creation Ltd)
2.30pm Adam Palmer (Marks and Spencer)
3.15pm Andy Cole and Gerard King (Suffolk Food Hall)

Thursday 28 May:
10am Chris Gates (Masterchef 2009 finalist)
10.30am Dr Ken and Dave (The Institute of Food Research)
11am Franck Pontais (Food Creation Ltd)
11.45am Mark David (The Cooking Experience)
12.30pm Dr Ken and Dave (The Institute of Food Research)
1pm Rory Whelan (The Swan Hotel, Southwold)
1.45pm Dr Ken and Dave (The Institute of Food Research)
2.15pm Adam Palmer (Marks and Spencer)
3pm Andy Cole and Gerard King (Suffolk Food Hall)

The Healthy Ambitions Suffolk strategy aims to make Suffolk the healthiest county in England by 2028 by cutting the number of preventable deaths and helping people to live a healthier lifestyle. Currently it has three main strands – children and young people, businesses and older people. More strands will be added in the future.

A wide range of partner organisations are working together on the initiative, which is driven by Suffolk Strategic Partnership. More information is available at www.healthyambitionssuffolk.nhs.uk