This week’s Wednesday Wisdom comes from Zena Leech-Calton, founder of Love Norwich Food, a website, walking tour business and food community celebrating the very best of Norwich’s independent food and drink scene.
Zena trained at Norwich City College Hotel School and spent 15 years as a professional chef, including a decade working in London before returning to Norfolk. After teaching for Adult Education and Family Learning and writing a three-year recipe column for the Eastern Daily Press, it was a food tour in Lisbon that sparked the idea to bring the same experience to Norwich. Love Norwich Food was born, combining food and drink walking tours, a cookery school, a free directory and an events page, making Zena, in her own words, an “accidental blogger.”
When it comes to food-led events, Zena draws on decades of experience both as a caterer and as someone who attends and supports a wide range of food and arts events across the region. Rather than dwelling on what goes wrong, her philosophy is refreshingly forward-looking: the experience of doing it, living it and making it happen is what matters most. A truly memorable event, she believes, comes from atmosphere, surprise and the small details, like truffle popcorn served from hawker trays at a Richard Hughes dinner in a Yarmouth circus.
Zena’s wisdom for anyone thinking about launching a food event in Norfolk is as direct as you’d expect from someone who has spent a lifetime in professional kitchens: just do it. Make the memories, flex your expertise, price what you need to price, and don’t let the noise put you off. She has built 12 years of authentic following on Instagram without ever buying a follower or chasing clickbait, and remains one of Norfolk’s most trusted independent food voices, generous, straight-talking and fiercely proud of a city she believes belongs in the top five food destinations in the UK.
Tell us about Love Norwich Food and what inspired you to start it?
I went to Norwich city college hotel school and worked as a chef for 15 years inc. a decade in London, moving into event management for Leith’s catering. So, when we came back to get married and bring a family up in Norfolk, I ended up teaching for Adult Education and Family Learning – community projects meant I stopped all my knowledge back to family friendly, cost effective, easy recipes. And from there I wrote lots of recipes for local papers and websites, inc. being the resident chef on a website called cookery club. Including a 3-year recipe column for the EDP. But it was when I booked a food tour in Lisbon that I thought why don’t I bring food and drink walking tours to Norwich – and I did along with a website www.lovenorwichfood.co.uk to incorporate all my food inc. my then cookery school, Lodge Farm Kitchen inc. a fee directory and events page. And that was the start to being an accidental blogger as the web designer told me to do social media too.
What makes Norwich’s food scene special compared to other cities?
OMG it’s incredible. I was walking around Bradford the other day (don’t ask) and there were literally 3 restaurants and half a dozen fast food takeaways. Norwich has around 500 places to eat and drink, 60 odd places on the market (which is foodie outstanding) and around 100 just independent restaurants & cafes. I could literally name them all and guide you into a food frenzy. But it’s not just the choice it’s the level – the level of food quality, mixed with localism of ingredients, pride in using quality ingredients and the professionalism in the way its cooked and served sets us apart from even Cambridge as in the top 5 top food destinations in the UK. Let alone top 10 shopping destinations and they are both facts. (well maybe top 5 was mine)
What do food-led events get wrong – and what makes one truly memorable?
I’m so lucky to both be invited to events as a blogger but also support a wide range of food and art events with my family, as we have always done. I’m always attracted to the food and look for something a tad different. We once went to a Richard Hughes event at Yarmouth circus, what a venue, the ambience was already set and the food inc. a well-remembered truffle popcorn served from hawker trays will forever live in my mind overlooking the round tables covering the hidden pool. (if you know you know) I’ve never held court for what goes wrong as a caterer we all get it wrong and can improve on a possible next time. But doing it and living that experience is good enough.
How have you built such a loyal and engaged local following?
I think being in the profession helps, people trust me and I am authentic and loyal – I’m not a bullshitter. If a place is bad, I just don’t post but message them privately. I’m an elephant who has reached the age in a matriacle society to lead by example – or in other words I’m post-menopausal, wife and mother who wants to help for nothing in return as life should be. So, I set up LNF insta 12 years ago and have grown authentically (it does pee me off 40-50% of bloggers buy followers and likes or use clickbait) I do what I do without putting pressure on myself and do it with love. Having said that a big number hits me next birthday so I’m thinking of swapping things around including the 1-2 hours I end a day to promote other businesses. I run 3 holiday homes and offer Food and Drink walking tours in Norwich – 2 businesses should be enough, especially after I stopped my cookery school 2 years ago – not sure how I ever juggles three businesses. But my passion has always been the food blogging, that’s the hobby that takes up too much time but is somewhat addictive.
What’s your one piece of wisdom for anyone thinking about launching a food event in Norfolk?
Just do it (or is that Nike) We do things because WE want to, we make memories, we flex our catering know how, we push ourselves for development and hopefully customers will appreciate that – but don’t forget if you put your head above the parapet sometimes you get kicked. But do you, price what you need to price and enjoy all the good stuff. Excuse my language I am a triple threat dyslexic, ADHD, and chef – lots of people are A-holes, that’s just a fact of life. Don’t let that stop you moving forward – oh and tag me in so I can story it – that’s free.
Follow the Zena & Love Norwich Food on Instagram and to see more information and learn more about the amazing food available across the city.
