Celebrated Irish chef launches new series showcasing North East England

Millions of people in Ireland have the chance to see the region’s culinary delights thanks to a new TV series as the highly anticipated Neven’s English Food Tour airs tonight on RTÉ.

Last September, award-winning Irish chef Neven Maguire embarked on a culinary adventure across North East England, exploring the region’s best food hotspots and heritage attractions. Now, international audiences can join Neven every Wednesday at 8:30 p.m. for seven weeks of mouth-watering discoveries, showcasing why the North East is a must-visit destination for food lovers.

Neven’s English Food Tour was his first-time filming in the UK and is the first time an Irish food and travel show has been dedicated to the UK. With a focus on food culture, dramatic landscapes and local stories from the region, the project was led by Destination North East England, working in partnership with Visit County Durham, Visit Northumberland and North East Screen.

Neven’s journey began in Newcastle, where he visited top food spots including Kiln, Small Canteen and Broad Chare. They also explored Newcastle Castle, Grey Street, the city’s iconic bridges and cooked with Andy Hook at Blackfriars Cookery School, before heading underground to the Victoria Tunnel. He met Andy Haddon at the social enterprise Big River Bakery and got a chance to make traditional Stottie bread and cooked alongside Head Chef at Six at the Baltic, Carlson Landles. He also made time to visit the Northumberland St branch of Greggs to taste the legendary sausage roll.

Whilst in Northumberland Neven experienced the time-honoured craft of traditional kipper smoking at Robson’s Smokehouse in Craster as well as meeting up with the Sidecar Guys at the Drift Café in Cresswell where he met the team behind their innovative new adventure travel café concept. Located near the dunes and beaches of the Northumberland coast, the venue combines motorbike culture with coastal cuisine and community spirit. He also visited Bertram’s Restaurant, The Potted Lobster, Bamburgh Castle and The Tempus, giving him an authentic taste of Northumberland’s coastline.

A stop on Holy Island saw Neven meet with Dave Harris of Wild Experiences Northumberland where he learned of Lindisfarne’s monastic past and unique produce — including mead, preserves and island-foraged ingredients – and a day out with Fells Kitchen allowed him to experience al-fresco fine dining in the Northumberland countryside. His visit to Ad Gefrin Anglo-Saxon Museum and Whisky Distillery introduced him to the unique heritage, ancient hospitality and contemporary produce of Northumberland through the re-awakened tradition for whisky distilling which hasn’t been produced in the region for over 200 years.

Durham played host to the final few days of filming when Neven joined Jake Siddle at Michelin starred FARU in Durham City. Neven learned about their seasonal approach to fine dining and even stepped into the kitchen for a behind-the-scenes look at how their intricate dishes are created.

The Irish celebrity was treated to a guided tour of the world-famous Durham Cathedral, which along with Durham Castle is designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, where he explored the deep connections between the region’s religious history and traditional food practices.

The team also enjoyed a full day of filming at The Auckland Project as well as a visit to Knitsley Farm Shop, Raby Castle and the Noth Pennines National Landscape.

Neven said,

“Filming in the North East of England was a memorable experience. We got such a warm welcome everywhere, and the food, the people, and the places we visited were exceptional. I was delighted to discover the artisan local food culture and try food I’ve never tasted before.

“I hope our viewers will be interested to see a beautiful part of England which deserves more recognition here, especially as it is only a short plane journey from Dublin. This is the first food and travel programme based entirely in the UK made for Irish television, but I am sure it won’t be the last”.

Andy Hook, owner of Blackfriars Restaurant, said,

“I was absolutely thrilled to be invited to take part in the recent filming of Neven Maguire’s latest television series, celebrating the region we all know and love — the great North East of England. As the owner of Blackfriars in Newcastle and someone deeply passionate about everything this region has to offer, it was a genuine pleasure to spend time with Neven, who was incredibly warm, engaging and generous with his time.

“Neven was fascinated by Blackfriars’ medieval heritage and by the historic and regional cooking that underpins what we do, alongside our boutique weddings, wine tastings and modern-traditional microbrewery, as well as our other restaurants.

“With so much happening here, and so many remarkable stories, ingredients and people to champion, it was both humbling and exciting to see such an esteemed chef take such a keen interest.”

John Marshall, chair of Destination North East England, said,

“We couldn’t miss this opportunity to showcase the region’s thriving food and drink scene to a new audience, working alongside one of Ireland’s most popular TV chefs and presenters. Neven met with so many of our foodie stars and got a real taste of the destination.

“Food and drink are a key driver for visitors when selecting a destination for their next trip, and we’ll use the show to target visitors from Ireland. It also comes at a great time with the region’s ambitions to become the first UK destination to be named European Region of Gastronomy.”

Destination North East England is led by NewcastleGateshead Initiative on behalf of the region, working with delivery partners Visit Northumberland and Visit County Durham and in partnership with all seven local authorities.