Cooking has always been one of those things that I enjoy, but I am probably not as good as I think I am. So, I was pleased that Cardiff’s answer to Ainsley Harriot, Sean, was on hand at the Summer of Smiles to offer his culinary expertise.
The Cardiff and Vale College marquee was a hive of activity as I entered a zone with just about everything between hair care and flying drones. The huge kitchen island in the middle of the area beckoned to me that I would be able to make something that tastes nice, so I did.
Consider this a food blog, but one where I put in some of the preparation, including the washing up afterwards, to properly appreciate what goes into a good meal.
What’s cookin’?
Head chef, Sean, was on hand to talk me through making a Chicken Shawarma. But before that, we had to get dressed up like a school dinner lady.
When that was done, we got straight into it as we butterflied the chicken to make it optimal for marinating. I was surprised at the amount of spices that went into the mixture – there was coriander, cumin, cardamom, and paprika, among others.
Afterwards, we cooked up the marinated chicken on a high heat as a part of what Sean described as a “Simple process.” Clearly, he had overestimated my capabilities in the kitchen!
So, as the drone hovered precariously in the corner, albeit at a very safe distance from my work station, we plated up the dish and prepared for the taste test.
The finished product
I must say, it tasted unbelievable! I can take hardly any of the credit for the recipe supplied by Sean the chef because I was just the muscle of the operation.
With my food blogger’s hat on, though, there was nothing I could complain about with the experience. I’ve always appreciated being able to get stuck in with things, and that’s exactly what I did over at the Cardiff and Vale marquee.
It embodied what the Summer of Smiles festival is all about, which is getting young people stuck in with all sorts of different activities, and, believe it or not, even the flavour of the food reflected this very ethos.
The flavour kicked off as soon as I bit into it and, yes, I did eat it straight away.
Related Information
I have previously written that there is something for everyone at the main festival site, and I am yet to be proven wrong! I have now ticked off things for:
- Artists
- Daredevils
- Foodies
Meanwhile, I am already thinking ahead to next activity to unfold here, at the Summer of Smiles festival. If you’d like to check it out, you can book your £2 tickets here.