Dundee foodie Gillian Veal will host an “intimate” dinner at the V&A, sharing recipes from her latest cookbook with a small number of guests.
The award-winning author, who runs The Parlour Cafe in Dundee, will plate up dishes from her new cookbook, Café Cooking: From The Parlour to Cambo Gardens.
The exclusive dinner is part of the Dundee Food Festival, which runs from Saturday July 6 to Sunday July 7 across the city.
Gillian told The Courier: “It’s a momentous building. I’m very humbled and really proud to be doing it.
“I went to art school and I think the V&A has a great energy about it.
“I’m really, really happy to be part of it.
“It will be a really intimate meal.
“And it will be a tough crowd, my mum’s going,” she laughs.
What will Gillian Veal cook at the V&A?
The Dundee cook will host the Tatha Takeover event in the Tatha Bar and Kitchen on Saturday July 6.
Gillian, who The Courier revealed will take over the former Newport Restaurant, enjoys “family sharing style” dining.
“We’re doing it on three long tables, and we will be bringing all the dishes out,” says Gillian.
“It will be like sitting around the table on holiday. And we’re hoping for a gorgeous sunset.
“It will be really informal, offering tasters of what we do.”
The food will feature the vibrant, veggie-packed cuisine that Gillian is well known for.
The menu includes seasonal canapes, a mezze selection, aubergine parmigiana, salads, and a satsuma cake with rosemary honey syrup.
“We’re actually going to pick from Cambo Gardens that day,” says Gillian.
“So it will be really dictated to by the garden as we’ll be harvesting it from there.”
And Gillian’s delicious food isn’t all that will keep attendees entertained.
There will be a live DJ, rhubarb Bellinis and more.
Gillian adds: “Given my art background – and my head chef’s art background – we are both really going to be concentrating on the visual presentation of the food.
“We’re just going to enjoy that really, and go for it, and hopefully make it a bit special.”
Dundee street food lovers rejoice
Gillian’s new cookbook is an updated version of her first cookbook published over a decade ago.
Her favourite recipe in it is her ‘Morning Glory’ muffins.
She says: “I revisited the first cookbook and I really liked a lot of it.
“But it’s been a decade, so we just decided to refresh all those, as of course we have changed and grown in that time.
“And we have added a few extras as well.”
The event is £60 per head, with a signed copy of her cookbook available for an additional £25.
Dundee Food Festival will also showcase an array of street food.
Heather Street Food, Troff On the Go and Stag Bites the Hog will be on the esplanade outside V&A Dundee.
Drinks will be available from The Gin Bothy’s pop-up inside.
The street food will be available from 10am to 7pm on Saturday, July 6, and will close at 5pm on Sunday, July 7.
Other local foodies involved in the Dundee Food Festival include Jim’s Delhi and Lyndsey’s Kitchen, while Braw Tea will host a free baking workshop.
A free educational event will involve food scientists and local producers and there will be a food-themed art collection.
Conversation