A FORMER MasterChef finalist and other leading chefs from North Yorkshire will feature at this weekend’s Dales Festival of Food and Drink.

The three day event near Leyburn, one of the largest festivals of its kind in the region, opens today (Saturday, May 2) and is designed to celebrate food and farming.

This year the festival features a country crafts section, a science workshop for children and even Appalachian clog dancers.

In addition to dozens of stores from local food producers and a real ale and cider section, leading chefs from the region will be teaching the public how to put together mouth-watering dishes.

They include Tom Morrell, a former finalist in BBC’s MasterChef: The Professionals who now runs the kitchens at The Saddle Room in Coverdale and Craig Keenan, who formerly worked with Raymond Blanc and has spent more than 10 years at the award-winning Wensleydale Heifer.

Stephen Bulmer, from Swinton Park Cookery School, near Masham, will also be returning to the festival’s Theatre Marquee this year.

Mr Bulmer has more than 20 years’ experience at Michelin-level restaurants in Europe and was described by Raymond Blanc as one of his most experienced chefs. He will be providing a demonstration at 1pm on Monday, May 4.

He said: “I really enjoy demonstrating at the festival. It comes at a great time of year to showcase ingredients reared, home-grown and foraged on the Swinton Estate and the attendees at my demos seem to like seeing new recipes featuring local, seasonal ingredients.”

Margaret Knight, a co-founder of the festival, which will be held for the 14th time in May, said: “Since the festival began in 2002, local chefs have given their time to demonstrate their skills, producing wonderful food in minutes.

“Some of them pick up their ingredients from our food hall, and work out what to cook as they go along. All offer helpful hints on how to choose produce and get the best results, and will answer questions as they cook."

The festival is also designed to be a celebration of farming. There will be a livestock marquee and demonstrations on beekeeping, dry stone walling and other rural skills.

In the Speakers’ Corner this year will be popular authors Gervase Phinn, who has written extensively on his time as a North Yorkshire school inspector and Yorkshire-born author and former police officer Mike Pannett.

Admission to the festival is £9 for a day and £15 for three days and is free for accompanied under-16s.

For full details of the line up for the festival, which runs from 10am until 5pm today (Saturday, May 2), Sunday, (May 3) and Monday, (May 4) visit; www.dalesfestivaloffood.org