Celebrity chefs Phil Vickery and Nick Nairn were swamped with kisses, requests for photos and autographs when they appeared at the Somerset Food Fayre at The Seagull Inn, Brean, on March 18.

It was standing room only for their live cooking demonstrations, too at an event which organisers said was an "unqualified success."

Phil Vickery and Nick Nairn were joined by Michelin star winning chefs Martin Blunos from Blinis in Bath, Peter Gorton from the Horn of Plenty in Gulworthy, Tavistock, and Adam Fellows from the Mulberry Restaurant, Charlton House plus Tristan Giddings of the 2T's in Taunton

The hundreds who attended the free event, with free parking at nearby Pontins, enjoyed nearly continuous practical cooking demonstrations during the day long event, which will now be held every year.

It was organised to celebrate the launch of the Somerset Hygiene Award and Phil Vickery presented the first batch of awards to over 30 Somerset businesses who had worked to achieve and maintain high food safety standards on their premises. They included pubs, restaurants, hotels, schools, hospitals, retirement homes, companies and the Sedgemoor Splash swimming pool.

Awards went to organisations in Mendip, North Somerset and Sedgemoor, and organisers hope in future Taunton Deane and South Somerset districts will take part as well.

Pierce Furlong, head of environmental services at Sedgemoor, was delighted at the public response.

"We had 700 in the first half an hour, it's wonderful. This is a unique event for us and we have been very lucky to be able to work with some of the top chefs in the country." Team leader Anna Hardman explained that Sedgemoor had run a scheme for years and the aim was to go countywide in the future.

Nick Nairn said: "It's unbelievable. Phil said last time was a small affair but you can't move.

"It shows there is so much enthusiasm for cooking. This is living proof that food is still incredibly popular." Mr Nairn praised Somerset food and said the county had a real regional identity.

As well as the demonstrations there were exhibition stands promoting and selling a range of food products and cookery equipment and a local produce market outside.

The Somerset Hygiene Award 2003 went to: All Hallows Preparatory School, Shepton Mallet, Cathedral View Nursing Home, Wells, Field House, Shepton Mallet, The Galloper Restaurant, Wells, Tuckers Take-Away Wells, Alvis Brothers Farm Shop Redhill, Ashcombe Retirement Home Weston-super-Mare, Granada House Weston-super-Mare, Mendip Farm Butchers Blagdon, Reflections Restaurant Weston-super-Mare, Sidcot School Winscombe, Stanger Montessori School North Somerset, The Madeira Cove Hotel Weston-super-Mare, Timbertop Hotel Weston-super-Mare, Bridgwater Community Hospital, Burger Express Brean, Burnham-on-Sea Memorial Hospital, Canton Chinese Takeaway Bridgwater, Fortes Ice Cream Parlour Cheddar, Gerber Foods Soft Drinks Bridgwater, Home Farm Country Park Club Burnham-on-Sea, Jade Garden Highbridge, Nether Stowey Primary School, P & B Pyne Butchers North Petherton, Pro Serve Hospitality (Gerber Foods)Bridgwater, Rose Farm Preserves Somerset Ltd Wedmore, 7 Day Catering (Somerfield) Huntworth, St Michaels Cheshire Home Axbridge, The Conifers Burnham-on-Sea, The Friendly Spirit Cannington, The Old Vicarage Residential Home Stockland Bristol, The Pipers Inn Ashcott, The Rose and Crown East Lyng, The Sedgemoor Splash Bridgwater, the Tom Mogg Inn Burtle, The Wendy House Nursery Cannington, and Wellfield House Residential Home Catcott. WORDS: Alison Hulls