Food & Drink at the Festival
There is no better setting for a celebration of our natural environment - of rivers and wild food - than L’Oasis. An ancient walled garden, L’Oasis is lined with fig trees and is abundant with persimmon, apricot, cherries, green gauges, olive trees, and vegetables galore. In every sense, food is at the core of the River Festival and L’Oasis will bear fruits of many kind for this year’s special event.
Chalabre itself, the village surrounding L’Oasis, has a history of local artisinal delights. The long standing bakeries, locally stocked butchers, and plucky new enterprises offer a grounded convenience and celebrate the local culture that pervades the region.
“My father was a great gardener and my new home was owned and loved by the market gardeners of the village so I feel I have a legacy to uphold.”
Now, L’Oasis is getting ready for the second River Festival on 16th September 2023. The seeds have been sown and an orchard has been planted in careful preparation so that again, we can come together and appreciate the land which produces the food we eat, and the water that is needed to sustain it.
By our side we have the much valued and continued support of some very special local chefs and artisans who bring with them a plethora of knowledge, understanding, and passion…
NICOLAS & MIRELLA KERSTING
Nicolas Kersting grew up in Antwerp, Belgium, surrounded by creativity. His father was an artist, violinist, painter, sculptor and cook, and together his parents ran a discotheque/restaurant there called "Gypsy Cellar”.
After taking on the family business, Nicolas has trained professionally, travelled the world, and worked in several renowned restaurants globally. He and Mirella met in Antwerp and set up their own restaurant there called “Faites Simple” which they ran successfully for 16 years.
In February 2013, he and Mirella found their dream home, an old tannery in Léran, and from there they set up their five guest rooms and infamous restaurant, Creamundo. There, they offered local products, mostly organic, and lived by the motto: “Think global, eat local at Creamundo.”
Nicolas and Mirella provided an outstanding fire-cooked feast at the inaugural River Festival. The two curated an exciting menu, using local, seasonal produce cooked over fire for nearly 60 people.
This year (2023), with the expertise of Nicolas and Mirella, we will be incorporating a greater variety of fruit and vegetables hand-picked directly from the L’Oasis garden. We will host an evening of wild food and fire, where conversations and music will flow into the night…
ARLETTE KELLY-BROWN
In a distinguished culinary career spanning more than forty years, Arlette has plied her craft in many of America’s great restaurants—including Emeril’s in New Orleans, the Atlanta Four Seasons and two of Santa Fe’s finest bodegas, Geronimo’s and Coyote Café. At those last two she closed her professional career after ten years as pastry chef. She now caters select smaller events, offering the best of southern France’s bounty of fresh fruits and vegetables, cheeses, cured meats, pates’ and fine local wines.
Arlette provided a buffet-style lunch menu which sustained us all at the inaugural event. She too will be there again next year with some more culinary delights, and a “Mr Brown Lunchbox” special…
BDQ BEER
We are thrilled that local artisan brewers BDQ Beer Co. have pledged their support for The River Festival for the second year running.
The Brasserie du Quercorb was founded in 2012 in a former industrial garage in Puivert, Occitannie. Today it is better known as BDQ Beer Co., an avant-garde, contemporary brewery. In 2018, production moved to Chalabre to meet increasing demand. Although production capacity was significantly increased, modern technology and a desire for innovation enabled BDQ Beer Co. to produce highly superior beer.
Speaking about the event, Jayne Bayliss of BDQ said, “As a business, we are passionate about producing high-quality beer with respect for the environment. The River Festival partnership is a natural fit for us as it puts Chalabre at the heart of environmental discussions and offers local people the opportunity to become guardians of our waterways and celebrate the local natural resources. We are proud to support the event with three bespoke BDQ Beer Co. editions which are named after the three rivers of Chalabre: L’Hers, Le Blau, Le Chalabreil.”
Claire Zambuni, Founder of The River Summit & Festival, said, “We are thrilled to have the continued and much valued support of local artisans behind us for this year’s River Festival in France. Much like ours, BDQ’s story is one of passion, commitment, and energy. Each beer they produce has a multifaceted narrative, but at their core is a desire to create a sense of community and care for the environment that those communities so heavily rely upon. That is the essence of the event which BDQ are so powerfully enhancing through their support.”
The River Festival is supported by some of the world's best outdoor brands but also realises the importance of underpinning the event with local knowledge and produce.
Tickets for the event are now on sale and more information can be found here:
https://www.tickettailor.com/events/theriverfestivalandriversummit/819836/