Chef Patron of the multi award winning Northcote and Ribble Valley Inns group, and all round Lancashire food champion, Nigel Haworth tell us about his Lancashire.
Q. What do you love about living in Lancashire?
A. I am very fortunate that I live in a beautiful village called Ribchester in the Ribble Valley and have access to the Trough of Bowland and the beautiful Bowland Fells. Despite living in a small village surrounded by farmland and hills we’re not that far from Blackburn and Preston – its great being able to get around the county so quickly.
Q. What do you do to relax when you’re not in the kitchen?
A. Watching Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park is a big passion of mine, although it’s not very relaxing. I also enjoy running and walking through the fi elds and lanes around Ribchester. My wife and I take our Golden Retriever, Rocky up to Longridge Fell and Jeffrey Hill, all the space is so reinvigorating and the views across Lancashire and out to the coast are amazing.
Q. What do you tell guests or visiting chefs they must see when in Lancashire?
A. During Obsession most of the chefs come from overseas and are usually fascinated by Lancashire’s historic buildings and landmarks. I usually tell them to visit Stonyhurst College and Hoghton Tower to get a sense of the county’s history with its royal and literary links. I also think you can’t visit Lancashire without going to Blackpool – there’s no-where like it on earth. And of course they must go to Ewood Park to watch Rovers play.
Q. Over the 17 years of your Obsession event you’ve brought a lot of international chefs to Lancashire – what has surprised them most about our county?
A. Without doubt it’s how green the countryside is in this area and the great history that we have in Lancashire’s many old buildings and landscape.
Q. Describe your perfect Lancashire meal
A. Potted Morecambe Bay Shrimps with toasted muffins, followed by Lancashire Lonk Lamb hotpot, with pickled red cabbage, and finished off with Bramley apple crumble with Lancashire Cheese ice cream. Delicious!
Recognised as one of Europe's premier gastronomic events, Obsession is celebrating its 17th year with 23 outstanding guest chefs with 16 Michelin stars between them. Travelling from across the world to luxury, Lancashire-based hotel, Northcote, these chefs will cook their unique Obsession Menus during the 17 night event taking place Friday 20 January to Sunday 5 Feb 2017. For more information
This article was taken from the 2017 Lancashire Visitor Magazine. Read the online version below or order your copy
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