Top New Forest chef looks forward to Lymington Seafood Festival

The picturesque New Forest market town of Lymington is holding its second seafood festival on August 11 and 12, and top chef and Roux Scholar Matt Tomkinson will be joining the region’s leading chefs as they show off their skills in the festival kitchens.

Matt, who is head chef at the award-winning Terrace restaurant, will be cooking and serving a delicious crispy fish taco, with a zingy Pico de Gallo salsa, fresh coriander and sour cream.

Matt, who this year celebrates a decade at the Terrace, is one of only 35 Roux Scholars in the world.

Created to recognise the best young chefs in the UK, the Roux Scholarship is a prestigious cooking competition for promising British chefs under 30, which offers the winner a coveted three-month placement at a three-star Michelin restaurant.

Matt’s distinctive style blends classic French technique with a love of home-cooked food. His innovative menu changes with the seasons, featuring elegant dishes influenced by produce gathered from the natural larder of the surrounding coast and countryside, and the hotel’s own kitchen garden.

The New Forest is home to some of the finest artisan food producers, chefs and restaurants in the country, and the Lymington Seafood Festival features some of the best at a range of stalls and two special demonstration kitchens.

This year’s festival will be raising money and awareness for Sail 4 Cancer, a specialist respite provider that funds day trips and short breaks on the water for families in the UK who have been affected by cancer.

We hope to see you there.