The Nidderdale Feast – celebrating nature-friendly food and farming

Nidderdale National Landscape has launched The Nidderdale Feast, a pioneering new project connecting local farmers, chefs and communities to celebrate and champion nature-friendly food rooted in the dale’s landscape.

Unveiled at a communal picnic earlier this month – bringing together farmers, producers, chefs and local communities – the initiative marks the start of a long-term programme promoting sustainable, place-based food production and strengthening local supply chains.

The project has partnered with renowned chef Frances Atkins, who brings both culinary expertise and a commitment to community food work to the collaboration.

The Nidderdale Feast will connect primary producers with the area’s best chefs and food processors, reviving traditional recipes whilst inspiring new dishes and transforming basic ingredients into desirable, sophisticated products.

The initiative will directly fund place-based product development and nature-friendly farming projects, adding resilience to the food supply whilst boosting the local economy.
“Nidderdale Feast is about celebrating truly place-based food – showing how local farmers, chefs and communities can work together to create something that belongs uniquely to Nidderdale,” said Matthew Trevelyan, Farming in Protected Landscapes Officer at Nidderdale National Landscape.

“We’re delighted to have Frances on board and she’s really passionate about the project. She’s rooted in Nidderdale and immediately understood what we’re trying to do. She’s happy to be one of several chefs involved, and she brings a real social conscience from her community food work, so we’re excited to develop this with her and many others.

“It’s never too late to get involved in the feast project – FiPL funding has been extended for 3 years – providing us with the ability to support projects right up until March 2029.

“We’re keen to help farmers and land managers, whenever we can. Food isn’t explicitly mentioned in the FiPL guidance – but we’re keen to support nature and climate friendly food-based initiatives, which are place based and located within the National Landscape it’s always best to get in touch directly with us, so we can chat about ideas first.”

The project will be punctuated by a series of celebratory meals where every ingredient tells a landscape story. Diners will hear talks about how producers are supporting nature recovery – from farmhouse cheesemakers restoring flower-rich meadows to regenerative farmers boosting curlew recovery by increasing cover for chicks.

Frances is a restaurateur and hotelier who purchased The Yorke Arms in 1997. Under her leadership, the restaurant earned a Michelin star, and she has made numerous television, film, and media appearances. In 2022, Frances opened Paradise Café in Killinghall with two long-term colleagues. The café focuses on fresh, homegrown ingredients, unprocessed plant-based foods, and local meats sourced from Nidderdale.

“For me as a chef, inspiration, feeling and creativity come from the beauty of the land and the climate of one’s surroundings,” she said. “Nidderdale possesses these qualities in abundance, so it’s a privilege to be asked to be involved.”

Primary producers can contact Matt directly, both if they can supply the raw ingredients for the feasts– or need help to develop a funding application that meets FiPL criteria.
FiPL is the ideal place to get funding for bespoke, innovative, and imaginative projects that sit outside the normal range of Agri-environment grant programmes.

“What excites me about Nidderdale Feast is that it’s a shared platform,” Matt added. “It’s not about one chef or one farm – it’s about many local people telling Nidderdale’s food story together, from field to fork.”

The first celebratory feast takes place at Masham Town Hall in mid-March 2026.