A Festive Feast For The Eyes - Petworth House 3 December 2013
Strolled into the romantic, lantern- lit kitchens of Petworth House on a chilly dark December evening to discover ‘A Festive Feast For The Eyes.' An exciting exhibition in the old kitchens with captivating displays in different rooms, re-creating imaginative scenes from the past.
The long cold corridors with stone slabs led off into the main kitchen where my daughter Gina and I of Pukka PR sampled tasty canapés while admiring the special Christmas wares on display. Other rooms with equally lovely settings were the scullery, chef's sitting room, the larders, winter dairy and, the piece de resistance the all-white sparkling dining room with guests in Georgian costume enjoying a fabulous feast laid out on the table.
After viewing the kitchens visitors then congregated in the grand hall to listen to a talk delivered by the renowned inventive T.V Chef/Restaurateur Heston Blumenthal. He told us about his connection with Petworth, his passion for cooking and amused us with anecdotes. He talked about his interest in the history of English dishes and his love of historic menus and finding, re-creating old recipes. The talk was followed by a Q&A session and I posed a question about the humble fish & chips and its origin - he answered well and informed us about his forthcoming T.V series ‘Great British Food.'
The entire ‘Kitchens' experience and trip to Petworth was quite an adventure.
© Article by Amita Chatterji and photos by Gina Chrysanthou
Manager at Petworth House Ian Pearce
TV Chef/Restaurateur Heston Blumenthal
Amita Chatterji and Heston Blumenthal
