Celebrity chef to cook up a treat for Shropshire businesses

The Business Bridge Networking group will mark its first anniversary at the meeting being hosted by the Ironbridge Gorge Museums Trust (IGMT) on September 11. The group was set up to bring businesses and individuals together to network and find out more about the work of the trust and its museums.

Previous events have proved very successful, being held across the sites of the gorge at Coalbrookdale, Blists Hill and Jackfield Tile Museum. The anniversary event will take place at the newly opened Furnace Restaurant next to the Museum of Iron in Coalbrookdale from 8.30am.

The meetings always feature a special focal point and on this occasion star chef Marcus will be chatting to businesses about the development of the Furnace Kitchen, as well as his experiences as a chef and his cookery school.

Seven years ago, after many years running The New Inn in Baschurch, Marcus and his wife Jenny bought Brompton Cookery School and Brompton Farmhouse Bed and Breakfast, part of the Attingham Park Estate.

The TV chef, who was behind the launch of the first dedicated street food event in Shrewsbury – Eat Street Shrewsbury – now teaches a wide range of courses at the school as well as running a catering company.

The September networking event will also see Business Builders in attendance – businesses who have stepped up to support Fund for the Future, IGMT’s ongoing campaign to raise £1 million within the next two years.

Any figure raised by the trust by the 2021 deadline will be match-funded up to a maximum £1 million by the National Lottery Heritage Fund through money raised from people playing the National Lottery.

Adam Siviter, fundraising manager at IGMT, said: “The networking events have proved extremely popular over the last year and our first anniversary meeting gives us the chance to show off our new Furnace Kitchen.

“It’s a great opportunity for people to network and keep up to date with the work we are doing at the trust. Time is ticking on our Fund for the Future campaign and it’s important we don’t let up on our fundraising activities so we can take full advantage of the match-funding available to us.

“Every pound we raise from individuals and through our 1,000 Builders campaign, aimed at businesses, other groups and organisations, will help us raise the much-needed funds which will keep our heritage alive for future generations.

“We have a special treat for our Business Bridge guests. Marcus Bean is now a chef consultant with the Ironbridge Gorge Museum – creating our Furnace Kitchen, which was opened by HRH Princess Alexandra last month.

“He has been a regular chef on ITV’s This Morning and has appeared on Good Food’s Market Kitchen, Channel 4’s What’s Cooking and ITV’s Munch Box. He is also a regular cookery demonstrator and host at food shows around the country. We are delighted to have him agree to come along on September 11.”

To book a place at the networking event, email fundraising.manager@ironbridge.org.uk