Local produce was celebrated in style when top chefs battled it out in a Ready, Steady, Cook-style challenge.
The Bewdley Salad Challenge took place in the town centre, when members of the public watched six chefs prepare a meal in 10 minutes using a selection of local ingredients.
The competitors in the competition were Ed Link, of The Hop Pole; Mark Flello, of Grannystap Victorian Tea Room; Nick Busson, of The Bailiff’s House; Paul Glover-Whitfield, of The Cock and Magpie; Mike Gaunt, of The Little Packhorse; and Lewis Stanley, of the Mug House and Angry Chef Restaurant.
The judges were Bewdley Mayor Jan Adams, last year’s winner, Emma Passey and Sarah Hirst of the Transition Food Group. They chose a salad made with wild boar charcuterie by Lewis Stanley.
Other ingredients on offer included foraged edible plants such as wild garlic, spring lime leaves and wild sorrel, herbs donated by the Bewdley Museum garden, wild mushrooms, and honey, duck and cheeses from local producers.
Neville Farmer, one of the organisers and former producer of BBC2’s Planet Food, said: “Bewdley is the best place to eat in Wyre Forest. The salad challenge is a great way of promoting our pubs and restaurants, our fantastic local produce and the benefits of healthy eating.”
Fellow organiser Chris Griffin said: “The salad challenge has rapidly become a highlight of the spring fair, as was clear from the crowd and the enthusiastic way the leftovers were devoured.
“This and our soup trail in the autumn are confirming Bewdley as the gastronomic centre of the region.”