Quirky food market in bid to become family destination

 

Meet Max Kennedy – the father of two is launching a weekly market in Dalston this Sunday (November 16th) with a twist.

 

There’s a big emphasis on family, including kids baking with BKD London, making sessions with Artburst and a face painter as well as live music, stalls selling hot street food and a large covered outside eating area.

 

One vendor practices experimental cooking with water baths and his menu includes poached eggs cooked sous vide for 45 minutes, others will be serving pizza, Korean, burritos, Japanese Gyoza and fry-ups.

 

It’s a return to his roots for the advertising consultant whose dad was a pig farmer. He’s taken great care to choose a range of quality food producers, with plenty of organic options too.

 

The market takes place from 10am to 3pm at the Petchey Academy sports pitch in Downs Park Road, which is enclosed to prevent children wandering off.

 

Max, who lives in Stoke Newington, said: “When you’re young and single East London is like a playground but it seems as soon as you have kids the options become very limited.  My dream is that this market becomes a family destination, somewhere to enjoy a relaxing Sunday, have fun with the children and get most of your weekly shop done.  Children’s activities will follow a different weekly theme – this week it’s ‘Down on the Farm’.”

 

There’ll be around 30 stalls selling seasonal fruit and veg, meat, fish, bread, cheese, pies, cakes, jams, chutneys, flowers and a charcuterie. And celebrity photographer Retts Wood will be there taking family portraits.

 

Max has good experience of large scale events; having previously helped plan events for the Olympics and for Nike.

 

He added: “The idea for this began when I visited an amazing farmers market in Brockley a year ago and it has been a long journey of finding a suitable venue, dealing with councils and many dead ends.  It’s wonderful to finally be in a position to get going. These things live or die in the first four weeks so if parents like the idea I hope they’ll come along in the first couple of weeks to help us succeed.”

 

Visitors to the market will also be able to pre-order a Christmas tree from Kevin Jenkins OBE, with proceeds going to help children living in poverty in East London.