in brief

Alive-o

The 10th annual Swansea Market Cockle Festival will take place on

2-7 October. The event includes demonstrations by local Welsh chefs - including Gareth Johns, head chef at the Wynnstay Arms hotel in Mchynlleth, Adrian Coulthard, head chef at Fairyhill hotel, Reynoldston, on the Gower Peninsula, and Dermott Slade of former Caterer Adopted Business Dermott's. They will be cooking traditional and modern Welsh dishes.

Oz-bound Iversen

Henrik Iversen, who left his job as executive chef of London restaurant Quaglino's on 18 August after three years, has been appointed executive chef of the 550-bedroom Grand Hyatt hotel in Melbourne. He will be in charge of two restaurants, including a 120-seat fine dining eaterie, and a food court with seven outlets. Food styles at the hotel range from New York deli to Japanese, Chinese and Italian cuisines. "I was sad to leave Quaglino's, but very excited at the challenge," Iversen said.

Safe food

Chefs and caterers who want to beef up on food hygiene and safety can pay a visit to the 11th annual Foodtech Exhibition at Birmingham's NEC, which takes place on 4-5 October. More than 100 exhibitors will be displaying the latest advances in equipment and services aimed at improving food hygiene, safety and quality. A number of related seminars will run through the two days. For further information, e-mail foodtech@twevents.co.uk.