Chefs Aazam Ahmad and Peter Clough set for Feel Good Festival

Aazam Ahmad at the Feel Good Festival in 2103

Award winning chef Aazam Ahmad will return to the Rochdale Feel Good Festival this summer. The ever popular BBC Fusion Chef who has appeared at the event each year since 2008 will be appearing in the Carillion Celebrity Kitchen on Friday 29 and Saturday 30 August.

Over the past fifteen years, Indian food guru Aazam has appeared on television and radio and is a firm favourite at prestigious food shows across the world, including the BBC Good Food Show in Birmingham here in the UK.

His English and Asian cooking skills always prove popular in Rochdale, and Aazam said he loves coming back to the town: “There’s a special atmosphere at Rochdale Feel Good Festival, I love the community spirit and I am delighted to see how it continues to grow every year. It’s always a very fun, feel good weekend and I can’t wait to come back … all I need to do now is decide what I’m cooking this year.”

Before his appearance at the festival, Aazam will be taking his culinary expertise to local schools and hosting a public cooking demonstration in the borough.

For the second consecutive year the Celebrity Kitchen is sponsored by Carillion – the company responsible for rebuilding and refurbishing schools across the borough as part of the Building Schools for the Future programme.

Local chef Peter Clough will also be making his Feel Good Festival debut this year. Head Chef at the popular Norden Arms, Peter is a firm favourite with locals and is rapidly making a name for himself on the culinary scene. He has worked alongside some of the most talented chefs in the business at top restaurants before being head-hunted by the Norden Arms. He is promising to create something extra special to tantalise taste buds this year.

Aazam and Peter will be joined at the festival on the Saturday by Ainsley Harriott. More chefs will be announced soon, together with music acts on a line up which already includes Scouting for Girls.

Councillor Peter Williams, Deputy Leader of Rochdale Borough Council said: “The Feel Good Festival has become a must-visit event, and I’m pleased Aazam is returning to take part in the food side of the celebrations. Events like this really help to raise our profile not only locally, but regionally too and the festival is the ideal showcase for Aazam’s expertise and inimitable style. We also thank Carillion for their continued support of the festival.”

The summer festival is funded by Rochdale Borough Council together with sponsorship from local businesses including Rochdale Online, RRG Toyota, Rochdale Observer, Wheatsheaf Shopping Centre, Carillion, Balfour Beatty Living, The Rochdale Exchange, 96.2 The Revolution, The Flying Horse Hotel and Mango Bar.

More acts will be confirmed later this month.

The council and Rochdale Town Centre Management are encouraging businesses to consider staging their own mini event, demo or promotion and in return will promote it in the festival programme. There is also an opportunity for local traders to have a stall or stand on the big festival market, and food traders are especially encouraged to apply.

To find out how your business could get involved, email debbie@rochdaletcm.co.uk