A vegan cookery champion with a passion for endurance sports will showcase his favourite plant-based recipes at a County Durham food festival next month.
Matt Pritchard rose to fame on MTV’s Dirty Sanchez, impressing and shocking audiences across the globe with his daredevil stunts.
But these days he is on a different kind of mission to convince the public that plant-based food can be exciting, tasty and sustainable.
Matt, also known as the Dirty Vegan, is passionate about health and fitness and will make his case for vegan cuisine at Bishop Auckland Food Festival. The free Durham County Council event returns on Saturday 18 and Sunday 19 April, with Matt taking to the stage in the festival’s free cookery marquee on the Sunday.
Colourful and packed full of flavour, Matt’s recipes won over the nation when he fronted his first BBC series, Dirty Vegan, in 2018. He has also penned two cookery books, Dirty Vegan and Dirty Vegan: Another Bite, and has competed in endurance races all over the world.
He is really looking forward to sharing his approach to health and fitness with visitors to Bishop Auckland Food Festival, while sampling some of the delicious vegan fare on offer.
Matt Pritchard said: “I’m totally fired up to be taking part in the Bishop Auckland Food Festival, to share my passion for amazing plant-based food that tastes fantastic. The whole Dirty Sanchez to Dirty Vegan journey has been amazing, and I can’t wait to share my story, meet as many vegan or vegan-curious people in County Durham as possible, and show how incredible this nourishing and energising food is to everyone.”
As well as serving up inspiration from Matt and other famous faces including MasterChef’s John Torode, Bishop Auckland’s historic Market Place will be bustling with more than 150 food and drinks traders.
This includes those catering for vegan customers; from mouth-watering street food courtesy of The Filthy Vegan and Goodtimes Tacos, to tempting sweet and savoury treats baked with love by The Green Guerrilla in Darlington.
Newcastle-based Baked for the Soul will be selling a variety of vegan and gluten free goodies, including indulgent chocolate brownies, carrot cakes and rocky road.
The Russian Food Company, meanwhile, will serve up its award-winning vegan pie, packed full of chanterelle and oyster mushrooms.
Those looking to add a kick to their dishes will be spoilt for choice, with vegan and gluten-free chilli sauces, jams and more produced in County Durham by the Screaming Chimp and Wiga Wagaa.
Feeling thirsty? The Barista Sisters boast a selection of plant-based milks to accompany their freshly ground coffee. Sloemotion, meanwhile, will be launching a new range of refreshing spirits called Finders, and the Steam Machine Brewing Company will be selling vegan-friendly lagers, fruit beers and India pale ales.
Cllr Joy Allen, Durham County Council’s cabinet member for transformation, culture and tourism, said: “Last year, Bishop Auckland Food Festival attracted 29,000 people into the town, boosting the takings of traders and local businesses. The event aims to cater for all tastes, so I am delighted to see see so many traders offering imaginative vegan options this year. Hopefully, this will attract even more visitors and give people the opportunity to try something new.”