Chef Scott McGehee to prepare recipes from The Natural State
Arkansas Tourism and Chef Scott McGehee of Little Rock are participating in the National Geographic Traveller Food Festival Saturday, July 15, and Sunday, July 16, at the Business Design Centre in London, England. Arkansas’s participation in the event aims to capitalize on global interest in culinary tourism while increasing brand recognition and international travel to The Natural State.
“This festival provides The Natural State a significant opportunity to increase tourism’s economic impact in Arkansas,” said Shea Lewis, interim secretary of the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism. “The UK is a key international audience for the state and our participation in this event will help broaden our marketing reach and drive visitation to Arkansas. As Arkansans already know, our state’s natural beauty, outdoor adventure opportunities, rich arts culture and diverse heritage make it a premier travel destination for visitors from across the globe.”
As a member of Travel South USA, Arkansas is one of the Southern states that will participate in the Travel South Pavilion, featuring demonstrations by renowned Southern chefs and drink experts. Representing Arkansas’s culinary scene is Scott McGehee of Yellow Rocket Concepts, the winner of more than 400 “Best of” Arkansas Times awards, including a multi-year winner of the prestigious “Best Chef” award.
McGehee will prepare food samples while sharing stories about the history of Arkansas’s food and drink along with inspirational travel information. His menu will include cast-iron skillet fried yellow cornmeal cakes garnished with Arkansas caviar and green tomato pickle, chicken and dumplings, and peanut brittle.
Hosted by award-winning magazines National Geographic Traveller (UK) and Food by National Geographic Traveller (UK), the festival encourages visitors to broaden their palates with tasting opportunities, masterclasses showcasing specific cuisines, wine tutorials, live demonstrations and interviews with acclaimed cookbook authors.
For more information about Arkansas’s culinary scene, visit www.arkansas.com/discover-arkansas/2022-07/culinary.
For more information about the National Geographic Traveller Food Festival, visit www.foodfestival.natgeotraveller.co.uk.
Arkansas Tourism
Arkansas Tourism, a division of the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism, strives to expand the economic impact of travel and tourism in the state and enhance the quality of life for all Arkansans. The division manages 14 Arkansas Welcome Centers and employs more than 60 staff members across The Natural State. For more information, visit www.arkansas.com.
Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism
The Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism protects and promotes our state’s natural, cultural and historic assets, contributing to a thriving economy and high quality of life. It is made up of three divisions: Arkansas State Parks, Arkansas Heritage and Arkansas Tourism.
