Kiwi chef Chris Coubrough founded North Norfolk Food and Drink Festival 14 years ago after arriving at Wells' Crown Hotel and runs The Crown at East Rudham
It took a Kiwi chef to set up the hugely popular North Norfolk Food and Drink Festival 14 years ago.
Chris Coubrough, all fast talking enthusiasm, arrived in Wells at the helm of the Crown Hotel on The Buttlands in the early 2000s and quickly immersed himself in local life.
He tells of chatting with local farmer and brewer Teddy Maufe about the lack of opportunities to self promote in North Norfolk.
“There was the Royal Norfolk Show in Norwich but nothing around here. Nowhere for small, kitchen sink type businesses to get themselves out there, show how great they were, get some attention and start to grow their business,” Chris says.
“I was using all this great produce in our restaurant and just wanted to let others know. I couldn’t afford a great marketing campaign so we thought of getting together for a food festival – doing something ourselves.
“We were really lucky that Lord and Lady Leicester came on board and we could use Holkham. We started up by the hall in sort of old potting sheds or something – it is now the Lady Elizabeth Wing!
“Then, when they wanted to redevelop that area, we moved to the Walled Garden. I remember us going to look and wondering if it might work – and now, of course, it is a perfect spot.”
He continues: “It allowed us to expand, too, as we simply had more space, so instead of 2,000 or so people, we get 11,000 – and there is always room for more.”
Chris, now in his early 50s, is married to Jo and they have two children, Lily and Maximus.
He grew up on a rural farm on the North Island of New Zealand, which gave him a good idea of where food came from – and a highly pragmatic attitude to life.
You can often spot him wandering around with a screwdriver or hammer, about to fix something or perhaps just looking for something to tackle!
He decided on a career in catering, completing a three-year cookery course in New Zealand before moving to work at a leading hotel in Switzerland.
He arrived in Britain in the 1990s, working in London before a two-week post came up for a temporary chef in Southwold, working for the brewery giant, Adnams.
The rest is pretty much history – he loved the seaside, met his wife and the two weeks turned into a permanent stay.
The couple took the plunge to set up their own business in 2004 when they saw the Crown Hotel in Wells was up for sale.
Chris admits to being charmed by its setting, saying: “It’s fantastic. You pull into the Buttlands and you see the pub at the end of this field, with oak trees that have been there 200 years. As a New Zealander, I love that sort of thing.”
Over the years, he added several other establishments to his empire including The White Hart at Hingham, The Crown at East Rudham and The Ship at Brancaster, and now just concentrates on The Crown which boasts 22 bedrooms.
It is perhaps this personal history that has made Chris want to champion those setting out themselves.
He explains: “I wanted people to have a platform and, as the Festival is a not for profit organisation, we can provide this – especially since we had Kettle Foods come in as a main sponsor. They allow us to ensure we cover all our costs for things like toilets, bins and insurance.”
Chris explains that while the Festival has developed over the years, the format and basic principles remain the same. He says that this September will see more than 60 artisan producers taking part, a busy programme at the Arthur Howell Cookery Theatre, and plenty of pop up food concessions.
“The Cookery Theatre remains an important part of the Festival and this year features a mixture of chefs and artisan producers, creating seasonal dishes using local ingredients,” says Chris, adding that they include David Holliday of Moongazer Ales in Hindringham, near Fakenham, who is preparing a cake with beer, Patrick and Sarah Saunders of Black Shuck Gin in Fakenham who are talking about their spirit range, Na Hansell, a well known cookery teacher, Michael Chamberlain of The Victoria at Holkham who prepares Estate venison, and Sara Matthews who is offering a plant-based breakfast.
He says that each has half an hour to create their dish, weaving in information about their restaurant or local product, with Cookery Theatre host, Andy Newman, providing insightful commentary.
Finally, Chris says that the Festival also has a wide selection of pop up food concessions including pizza, Thai dishes, freshly squeezed lemonade, sweet treats and more.
There is also a well stocked bar, run by Barsham Brewery, with several cocktails using some of the locally produced spirits on sale at the Festival.
Children’s activities and live music are also on offer and the event is dog friendly.
The festival takes place in the Walled Garden at Holkham on September 3 and 4. It opens from 10-4pm each day. Admission is free but there is a car parking fee, per car.
More details – www.northnorfolkfoodfestival.co.uk
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Sarah Hardy
