Best-selling cookery writer Sophie Grigson will be one of the celebrity chefs helping to create a mouth-watering day out at this year’s Romsey Show, which takes place at Broadlands on September 8th.

Daughter of the legendary food writer Jane Grigson, the TV cook and award-winning author of 15 books will be headlining the new Food Show @ Romsey Show – a “show within the show” that puts the spotlight on regional produce.

Sophie is the perfect ingredient for such an event as she is a keen supporter of organic and local food suppliers as well as being an advocate of good food for children through her work as patron of the Children’s Food Festival.

Building on the demand for local food seen at previous years’ shows, the new Food Show @ Romsey Show is a stand alone event within the main agricultural show that replaces the traditional Hampshire Harvest marquee.

It will see seasonal produce from more than 80 outlets in Hampshire and the surrounding region competing for attention with all the usual attractions that have made Romsey Show one of the best one-day agricultural shows in the country.

Sophie will be working with this abundance of fresh food alongside top Hampshire chefs, including Andy McKenzie and Mark Tilling from Lainston House Hotel, near Winchester, and Jamie Jones from The Four Seasons Hotel at Dogmersfield. Two kitchens will run side by side, providing a non-stop programme of cookery demonstrations and talks.

A special children’s activity area will include tastings, cookery demonstrations and hands-on activities, including sessions with the Hampshire school meal service, H3CS, in conjunction with the launch of The Year of Food & Farming in Education.

And with an extraordinary Romsey Show farmers’ market on site, there will be plenty of opportunity to taste and buy local and regional food and drink, and to talk to the producers.

Show visitors will also be able to view entries to a new scarecrow competition while resting weary feet and enjoying local refreshments, such as hot, buttery corn on the cob, hog roasts and ice-cream, all washed down with local beer, wine, cider or apple juice.

The new Food Show @ Romsey Show (included in the admission to Romsey Show) is being organised by Ian Nelson of Sunnyfields, one of the longest established organic farms in Britain. Based on the edge of Southampton, it supplies fruit and vegetables to restaurants and trade across the South and in London, including River Café for 17 years and Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen.

Working in conjunction with Romsey Show organisers and the county food group Hampshire Fare, Ian aims to build on the growing demand for local produce.

“Hampshire and regional produce will play a big part at the Romsey Show this year,” he explained. “Romsey Show is already one of the best traditional agricultural shows in the UK and we plan to celebrate the abundance of the summer and early autumn harvest by staging a mouth-watering day out at The Food Show @ The Romsey Show.”