23 world class chefs
15 Michelin stars
1,800 Obsession guests
97 different dishes
88 matched wines
600 bottles of Louis Roederer Collection 243 Champagne
1 huge sell out success

Amount raised for Hospitality Action: approximately £73,000

Lancashire, UK, February 2023 - 1800 guests visited luxury Ribble Valley hotel, Northcote between 20th January and 5th February, for the annual Obsession culinary festival, sampling innovative, original dishes from 23 world-leading chefs that hold a combined 15 Michelin Stars between them. 

The event was a sell out success as usual, living up to its reputation as an unrivalled highlight in the UK's culinary calendar, this year raising an enormous £73,000 (approx.) for charity, Hospitality Action. 

The stellar line up was packed full of outstanding talent and flair, a true celebration of gastronomy, with chefs from all over the UK and Europe making the trip to Lancashire to showcase their exceptional fine dining menus, created especially for the event.  

Commenting on Obsession 2023, Lisa Goodwin-Allen said:  

“Obsession 2022 was so well received that it did take some beating, but I have to say that this year has been one of my favourite festivals to date.  

“We wanted to showcase culinary excellence from the UK and Europe, giving guests the opportunity to experience dishes from exciting chefs that everyone is talking about like Chetan Sharma, as well as household names like John Williams from The Ritz and Tom Sellers from Restaurant Story. To have such a great line up of female chefs was really special too.” 

“It has been a tough time for the hospitality industry, we were just starting to recover but now business is being affected by so many other factors. To support people by raising an over £70,000 for Hospitality Action is amazing. It's a charity that's close to my heart. I'd like to thank the team and the incredible line up of chefs who came to Northcote to help us to achieve that figure.” 

Charity officials were delighted with the amount raised which will be put towards a range of support services that help hospitality people pick up the pieces after a setback, whatever issues they are facing. Each year the charity assists thousands of people through challenging times.  

Mark Lewis, Chief Executive, Hospitality Action says: “Year after year we are blown away by the incredible support of all those who attend, donate and work towards Northcote's Obsession festival. Our industry and in turn, our people have been through the mill but, together, we're so much stronger. On behalf of all those we support, thank you. The Obsession legacy speaks volumes and will transform the lives of many hospitality people and their families across the UK”. 

This year, Obsession was also a celebration of female talent with four of Europe's leading women - Anna Haugh, Myrtle, London & Sally Abé, The Pem, London  Monica Galetti, Mere, London , and Nieves Barragan Mohacho, Sabor, London - all joining Northcote's executive chef Lisa Goodwin-Allen and her brigade, reflecting the growing number of outstanding female chefs working in the industry right now.   

Ends. 

Hospitality Action 

Hospitality Action is dedicated to giving professionals in the industry help, advice and support they need when times get tough. Serious illness, mental health issues, financial difficulties, family problems, or addiction: whatever the challenges faced, Hospitality Action is there to get people back on their feet and enjoying their job again. And when it's no longer possible to work, the charity helps people prepare for the next phase of their lives.  

Obsession launched 2001 as a celebration of great food, wine and a meeting of friends, old and new. From that first event, it has evolved but the ethos is still very much the same; to offer guests a completely memorable culinary experience, created by some of the world's most innovative chefs.   

Guests enjoyed a Louis Roederer Collection 243 Champagne reception, and had the option of adding a wine flight to the dinner. Managing director Craig Bancroft and his wine team meticulously choose wines to pair with the unique flavours and ingredients of each course each night, to elevate the dining experience. Northcote recently retained its Spectator Two Glass Wine Award for its absolute commitment to wine, and breadth of the cellar across multiple winegrowing regions including Burgundy, Spain and Portugal. The hotel's atmospheric bar was also a focal point of every evening with specially created Obsession cocktails that take inspirations from chefs' menus.    

Obsession 23 sponsors:  

• Headline sponsor: Deepbridge Capital  
• Restaurant sponsor: Royal Crown Derby   
• Cookery School sponsor: Gaggenau  
• Film sponsor: Wellocks   
• Luxury Car Sponsor: Stratstone   
• Wine sponsor: The Wright Wine Company  
• Kitchen sponsor: Electolux Professional   
• Programme sponsor: Leonard Dews  
• Champagne sponsor: Louis Roederer  
• Glass sponsor: Riedel Glassware  
• Water sponsor: BELU  

The official charity for Obsession23 was Hospitality Action.   

For more information visit https://www.northcoteobsession.com/.   

ENDS  

Located in the Lancashire's Ribble Valley, surrounded by miles of unspoiled and glorious countryside, sits the treasured boutique hotel Northcote. Its Michelin-starred restaurant, headed up by Lisa Goodwin-Allen has long been known for its adventurous menus using seasonal ingredients available to the restaurant. An award-winning wine list is curated the outstanding wine team to complement the menu dishes. This had led to Northcote being widely recognised as one of the best food-led, boutique hotels in the UK.  

Northcote is perfectly situated to let guests enjoy the great outdoors – by foot or bike – or explore the quaint market towns and picturesque historic villages locally. Meanwhile, for something indoors, The Northcote Cookery School is one of the UK's top culinary schools with inspirational cookery courses from barbeque to bread. Lisa Goodwin-Allen's Chef's Table places diners in the heart of the action in Northcote's kitchen, offering a unique celebration space where guests can witness the theatre of exquisite dishes being created.  

This renowned country house hotel has 26 imaginative and inspired rooms, all individual in character. At Northcote you have a choice between the Manor House rooms and Garden Lodge rooms. The Garden Lodge is situated within the Northcote gardens, just across from the Manor House, with eight rooms including a master suite.    

For further details contact:  

Kate Greville at Q Communications  

kate@qcommunications.co.uk / 07889223906