Hospitality the
Cumbrian Way

As a Cumbrian food service business you might be looking for something that sets you apart from the crowd. The key is to promote the reason why your shop / hotel / cafe / restaurant is special. Using local and regional produce on your menu offers just such a marketing opportunity. Download the Hospitality Handbook.

Rural Skills Cumbria -
Taste Cumbria's Academic Partner

Rural Skills Cumbria Project is a training scheme covering the whole of Cumbria. The courses, workshops and events are aimed at people currently, or intending to, work in the farming, food and forestry sectors. Anyone over the age of 16, living and working in Cumbria is eligible. Training ranges from practical vocational courses to business management and leadership coaching. Topics vary from animal health to dry stone walling. Course range from 100% - 50% funded so there is a great opportunity to gain the training you need or want at a reduced cost.

NW Tastes ACE

NW Tastes ACE is a fast track scheme designed to guide the North West's very best food and drink businesses through the application process for prestigious, national awards.

Don't miss out - put your business forward for this unique opportunity. Search their Awards page for full listings, use the Awards Search database at the top right of this page to obtain a tailored calendar of awards, register your own event on our site for free or contact then now. Good luck!

Full press release

http://twitter.com/#!/NW_
TASTES_ACE

http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/NW-Tastes
-ACE/155575814489396

Organisers declare 2011 Taste Cumbria Food Festival a triumph for the region Over 20,000 food lovers headed to Cockermouth this weekend for the second annual Taste Cumbria Food Festival.

The streets of the picturesque Western Lake District town swelled with visitors from both in and out of the county as they came together to enjoy two days of food-related family events and activities.

To find out more read our full press release.

Food Tourism

Food tourism is one of the new buzz terms of the 21st century, but what's the point in it if we don't even know what it means and aren't aware of its impact? Everyone visiting Cumbria on holiday - or even just on a day visit - has to eat. But how important is eating and drinking in the context of the rest of their stay, and what are we doing in Cumbria to make sure it's central to the visitor experience?

Food tourism is about helping visitors to uncover our local, culinary gems - not just leaving it to chance that they will find them by themselves. It is about regional distinctiveness - championing our fantastic local produce and telling the story of its journey to our plates, so that first time visitors go away feeling a real connection with the area and are eager to come back for seconds.

Increasing the prevalence of local and regional foods in our shops and on our menus offers immediate and direct benefits to our local economy. Farmers, producers, suppliers, restaurateurs and hoteliers should be engaging with each other and the tourism industry to improve food information available to visitors and enable informed choice. The clever marketing of signature dishes, local events, hero products, food ambassadors and award-winning venues results in increased visitor spend, sustainable, economic development and - most importantly - satisfied customers.

All visitors to Cumbria have every reason to expect a world class food offering when they get here. We have all the tools in order to deliver this, from unique and delicious local produce, to passionate suppliers and service providers, a rich variety of venues, attractions and events. Combined with the backdrop of some of the most stunning landscapes and rural scenery in the UK, we've got it all on a plate...now, service, please!

A Mad Frog and an Englishman

In April 2011 Whitehaven Festival founder Gerard Richardson MBE contacted Scruffy Dog Media with an unusual idea for a film project. Gerard and regular Festival celebrity chef Jean Christophe Novelli were planning a book of recipes based on Cumbrian produce which would be sold to raise money to support the Festival.

The book, titled ‘A Mad Frog and an Englishman' would follow the two friends on a photo-journey visiting food producers from all around Cumbria and feature recipes based on the food they discover along the way. During their research Jean Christophe and Gerard hit on the idea of filming their Cumbrian journey for a documentary DVD which could be sold alongside the book.

For more information go to Scruffy Dog Media website