TRO project manages foodie promotion for Tenderstem

Visitors to London’s Foodies Festival, held last weekend in Battersea Park, were treated to a little tenderness thanks to a demonstration kitchen which handed out freshly cooked Tenderstem samples to over 7,500 people.

Operating from a bespoke demonstration kitchen in the heart of the showground, chef Craig McAlpine cooked up cuisines from around the world featuring Tenderstem to demonstrate the versatility of the product.

Visitors to the stand took full advantage of the opportunity to tuck in to the dishes on offer, while some lucky members of the audience were invited to test out their own skills at the hobs.

Guided by Craig, four teams of two could choose from four different collections of less than ten ingredients – each collection themed by a different international cuisine. Participants were challenged to cook a ‘Tenderstem in Ten’ recipe – something that could be rustled up in less than ten minutes – and the winners were voted for by the audience members.

While one team was busy infusing their Tenderstem with garam marsala, cumin and coriander to create a taste of India, another worked with fresh peas, goats cheese and lemon to create a British-themed dish. Team Asia cooked up their Tenderstem with cashews, spring onions and fish sauce, but it was the Mediterranean-inspired dishes that proved most popular throughout the day – a fresh and summery dish using ingredients such as parmesan, tomatoes and basil.

Project managed by experiential agency TRO, the Tenderstem alfresco kitchen allowed consumers to try for themselves the mild flavour and tender texture, and each visitor to the stand was also given a ‘Tenderstem in Ten’ recipe book to take home with them for on-going culinary inspiration. Visitors to the stand could also enter a competition to win a Le Creuset 3 piece cast iron saucepan set worth £235.

Andy Macdonald, managing director of Coregeo Ltd, the Master Licensor for Tenderstem, explains: “It’s important for us to provide a premium brand experience for consumers, whether they are already core buyers of Tenderstem® or trying it for the first time. The key features of the product are that it is quick, versatile and delicious – and what better way to demonstrate these characteristics than to let people try it for themselves? People also want to have fun in the kitchen, and we were delighted with the way contestants threw themselves into the Tenderstem in Ten challenge with great humour – and fantastic results!”