I attended the pumpkin carving competition at Fortnum and Mason last week for Halloween. I love Fortnum and Mason, it is just so British that I couldn’t think about another place to celebrate Halloween with elegance and respect of tradition.

Elegance and refinement till the competition started… In the demonstration kitchen from 3pm to 5pm, children up to 10 years old were helped by their parents, all taking the competition very seriously… Half an hour later, children were running around, drinking very pinky and acid fizzy water with marshmallows soaking on it, eating pancakes and far too sweet candies while their parents were still carving hard.

At four o’clock, after far too many sweets, it was time for judging. The winner of the competitions was selected by an esteemed panel of judges including Simon Burdess, Trading Director at Fortnum & Mason, food writer, Xanthe Clay, Sophie Goodwin from Tatler magazine… A little girl won the competition (pumpkin on left hand side), her mum was very happy and in addition to get a crate of sweets, her pumpkin will feature in Fortnum’s famous Piccadilly windows for all the world to see.

Then the adults competition was between 6pm and 8pm and the winner receiving a £1000 Fortnum & Mason hamper. I didn’t attend, too serious and probably no sweets.

If you want to take part of the competition next year, it is free for children, please contact :

Caroline Lay, Jess Armstrong

Bell Pottinger Consumer

020 7861 2465

clay@bpconsumer.co.uk

jarmstrong@bpconsumer.co.uk