Photo Credit: Marylebone Cricket Club
CHEF TOMMY BANKS AND MARYLEBONE CRICKET CLUB (MCC) ARE THRILLED TO ANNOUNCE A BRAND NEW FOOD AND DRINK EVENT AT LORD’S CRICKET GROUND THIS SUMMER.
The Home of Food by Tommy Banks will run across the weekend of 9 and 10 September at the iconic location in St John’s Wood. It will be the first summer Lord’s, also known as the Home of Cricket, will open the Ground for a non-sport related event, in a bid to open up the venue to more people.
Yorkshire-based Chef Tommy Banks who runs restaurants The Black Swan at Oldstead, Roots in York (both Michelin-starred) as well as The Edrich* located at Lord’s Cricket Ground promises an unforgettable weekend of gastronomy featuring some of the UK’s best chefs and food trucks, as well as a unique opportunity to explore the historical ground in North-West London.
Visitors will be able to experience the culinary delights of Irish Chef Richard Corrigan who runs Bentley’s Oyster Bar & Grill, Chef and Author Selin Kiazim of Oklava fame, Gareth Ward of two Michelin-starred Ynyshir in Wales (and voted UK’s best restaurant at the 2022 Estrella Damm National Restaurant Awards) as well as Northcote’s Lisa Goodwin Allen and Opheem’s Aktar Islam.
The Home of Food will also see chefs Nokx Majozi and Liam Fauchard-Newman of Rosewood London’s Holborn Dining Room bring their celebrated pies to Lord’s for the weekend. There will be treats from local, New York style deli Panzer’s – who have served the St John’s Wood community since 1944, with many more names to be announced in due course.
The Home of Food will play host to family-friendly events including cricket taster sessions and cooking lessons for little ones, behind the scenes tours of the Ground from expert guides and more. In addition, some of Tommy’s chef friends will be making special one-off guest appearances to demo their favourite dishes. There will also be bookable experiences, tastings and banquets including a Sunday Lunch from Tommy’s soon-to-open Yorkshire pub The Abbey Inn within the impressive Grade II-listed Pavilion.
Andy Muggleton, Commercial Director at MCC commented: “Lord’s Cricket Ground is one of the most loved sports venues by fans across the world. We wanted to open up the Ground and be able to welcome more people to enjoy the magic it has to offer.
“LORD’S IS FAMOUS FOR ITS WORLD-CLASS FOOD ENJOYED BY CRICKETERS AND VISITORS ALIKE AND THIS NEW PARTNERSHIP AND TWO-DAY EVENT WILL BRING THAT EXPERIENCE TO THE MASSES.”
“At MCC, history and heritage are prevalent but we’re also looking to the future and this new venture is a very exciting part of that. Lord’s is famous for its world-class food enjoyed by cricketers and visitors alike and this new partnership and two-day event will bring that experience to the masses.”
Born and bred in a small North Yorkshire village, Tommy’s first passion in life was cricket and he dreamt of becoming a professional cricketer. Life, however, took him in a different direction with his natural culinary talents leading him to swap cricket whites to chef whites.
Tommy, Chef Owner of The Banks Group added: “I have been mad about cricket from a young age and always dreamed of one day becoming a professional cricketer. Alas, life has carried me to the kitchen and food, but I couldn’t be happier to be working with the team at such an historic and iconic cricket ground on the launch of their first food event.
“THE HOME OF FOOD GIVES ME THE CHANCE TO BRING SOME OF MY FAVOURITE PEERS FROM THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY TO LORD’S, TO SHOWCASE THEIR AMAZING FOOD AND DRINK”
“In recent years we’ve run some fantastic events together but the launch of The Home of Food gives me the chance to bring some of my favourite peers from the hospitality industry to Lord’s, to showcase their amazing food and drink. In the same way that cricket crosses borders, food is a theme celebrated so widely across the world, and we’ve got some fantastic chefs coming for the weekend to showcase their culinary talent. I can’t wait!”
