THE FORMER chef-director of an award-winning restaurant in Birmingham who also cooked for world leaders at a G8 summit has praised Worcestershire’s outstanding and innovative food producers.

David Colcombe was the special guest at a unique celebration dinner at St Andrew’s Town Hotel, Droitwich, where 100 people sampled locally brewed beers, meats, vegetables and cheeses assembled by the hotel’s new head chef, Nathan Eades.

It was part of the two-week long Droitwich Spa Summer Festival 2015 which is running until tomorrow (July 5).

David, former chef-director of Birmingham’s award-winning Opus restaurant and cook for the G8 summit in 1998, said: “In recent years the region’s culinary scene has taken off. But it’s not just about fantastic restaurants and chefs, it’s the ingredients they use as well.

“Worcestershire has outstanding and innovative producers, supplying the food that helps to make the West Midlands stand out nationally and internationally.”

Aidan Stevens, owner of St Andrews Town Hotel, added: “We have so many stand-out food producers around Worcestershire that we need a fortnight-long festival to even begin to scratch the surface of their talent. The problem is they’re so good at growing food, producing meat and brewing beer that they’re often just getting on with the job of being brilliant.

“It was therefore the perfect time to showcase some of the area’s unsung heroes, their talent and their produce. It was a fantastic event and we hope to host something even bigger next year.”

The festival concludes tomorrow when a “Big Picnic in the Park” in the Droitwich Lido Park next to the famous Lido outdoor swimming pool is being staged.

There will be food and drinks stalls, music and entertainment from 11am to 5pm and it promises to be great day out for the family and all proceeds raised on the day will go towards local charity “New Hope which helps local children with disabilities.

Now into its third year, the Droitwich Spa Summer Festival celebrates the best of food and drink, music and arts. For more information visit http://www.droitwichspafestival.co.uk/ where a full festival programme is available for download.