Star chef from The Box Tree to join the bill for Harrogate Food & Drink Festival on August Bank Holiday

The Box Tree’s Brayden Davies has been announced as part of the festival’s Live Cookery Theatre programme.

Running from August 23-25 in the stunning location of North Yorkshire landmark Ripley Castle, Davies joined the internationally-renowned Yorkshire favourite The Box Tree, Ilkley, after working in some of the north’s best Michelin star restaurants, including as right hand man to Shaun Rankin at Grantley Hall in Ripon and Michael Wignall at The Angel at Hetton.

Scheduled across the August Bank Holiday Weekend, Harrogate Food and Drink Festival will present 12 demonstrations from award-winning head chefs, BBC MasterChef competitors and local business owners.

“It’s a massive privilege to have such an exceptional line-up joining us,” said assistant festival manager Izaak Shuttleworth.

“We’re bringing together a variety of Yorkshire’s top chefs, each with their own area of expertise.”

In partnership with Yorkshire Food Guide, a directory to the region’s top restaurants and events, the demonstrations include:

Saturday, August 23

Matthew Casey (Three’s a Crowd, Harrogate): Head Chef of the Michelin Guide-endorsed gastropub in Harrogate, Matthew Casey brings to life fresh, seasonal produce through refined British classics.

Iain Wilkinson (Storehouse Kitchen, Ripon): Chef of The Year at Harrogate’s Hospitality and Tourism Awards, Head Chef Iain Wilkinson leads the immersive dining experience at the locally-inspired restaurant and grill.

Steve Collinson (Cedar Court Hotel, Harrogate): Executive head chef Steve Collinson elevates dining experiences at Amber’s Restaurant within the hotel, championing locally-sourced, British produce to craft intricate and vibrant menus.

Kevin Fernandez (Rafi’s Spicebox): As the manager of the family-run venue, Kevin Fernandez carries on his mother Rafi’s legacy by sharing his passion for cooking and teaching authentic Indian and Malaysian cuisine.

Sunday, August 24:

Owen Diaram (Cook With Owen /MasterChef): Private tutor and local entrepreneur Owen Diaram is an expert in blending global flavours, showcasing his unique skill set on the 2023 series of MasterChef.

Kurtus Auty (Bosuns, York/MasterChef): MasterChef: The Professionals star Kurtus Auty brings his experience from Michelin-starred restaurants to the beautiful riverside restaurant in York.

Jon Appleby (The Mill Group): Culinary director, chef Jon Appleby is a specialist in utilising the best of British produce to create locally-sourced, nuanced dishes.

Bobby Geetha (Fleur, Kerala Canteen, Nesso Coffee): Bobby Geetha is a nationally-recognised chef, author, and entrepreneur with mastery in fine dining and Indian Cuisine and appearances on MasterChef UK and The Great British Menu.

Bank Holiday Monday, August 25:

Ruth Hansom (Hansom Restaurant, Bedale): Multi-award-winning chef and AA Rosette-honouree Ruth Hansom is a widely celebrated culinary specialist who recently opened her own restaurant, a contemporary dining experience in the heart of Bedale.

Brayden Davies (The Box Tree, Ilkley): Executive Chef at the award-winning, Michelin guide-endorsed restaurant, Brayden Davies brings his wealth of experience from prestigious restaurants to create innovative dishes.

Adam Maddock (Saltmoore, Whitby): Adam Maddock is a seafood specialist and executive chef at the luxurious hotel on the North Yorkshire coast. Adam develops the wellness-sanctuary's menus alongside the Michelin-starred chef Tommy Banks.

Stefan Rose (Grantley Hall, Ripon): Executive pastry chef Stefan Rose is responsible for the exceptional desserts and delicacies at the luxury five-star hotel in North Yorkshire named in the Leading Hotels in The World collection.

All three days will feature live music stages with the likes of Bruce Springsteen tribute East Street Band and U2 tribute U2 2.

This year’s festival is in support of Harrogate Mind and aims to build on the £146,000 raised previously for the charity.

For more information and tickets, visit harrogatefoodfestival.com.