Plate full for arty TV chef

IAIN MCGREGOR

DAZZLING ACT: Tanya Drewery, of Fuse Circus from Wellington, performs in Victoria Square yesterday during Christchurch's 2010 World Buskers Festival.

Relevant offers

Food & Wine

How do you find food that you'll like? Spice it up with savoury muffins A healthy take on fish tacos Peach puddings a spicy delight What is the meatiest meat? Chip off the old block Celebrity chef puts skills up for auction Your Valentine's Day dinner sorted Make-ahead dessert for lovers Alex James - what are you playing at?

Television chef Richard Till has gone from Smart Shopper to stage mopper.

The Christchurch chef, known for his TV shows and supermarket commercials, helps as a stage manager for the Comedy Club at the Arts Centre during the World Buskers Festival. He designed the illuminated Comedy Club sign that hangs behind the stage nightly.

Till is a friend of festival director Jodi Wright and has helped backstage for more than a decade.

"Jodi is a good mate and I like the festival. I like being around the festival and being involved," he said.

"Those nights when it is packed, the energy and enthusiasm really spark. It is a great place to be.

"There are so many people having such a great time. It is always going to be good being around all that excitement."

Till keeps up his culinary skills during the festival by cooking everything from noodle fritters to guacamole for the buskers to eat backstage.

"I cook something up for them, but every night more and more buskers circle like vultures eating it all, so I have to cook a bit more," he said.

"I cook up a groaning table of food, so they are well looked after."

Till said his presence on stage had prompted a few double-takes.

"New Zealanders don't come up to me much, but they do the double-take and whisper and point when they think I'm not looking. I just smile and say `hello'."

He works part-time at Canterbury University's theatre and film studies department teaching set design, and he designed sets for the Court Theatre when he was younger.

Meanwhile, the rain clouds finally parted yesterday and sunshine attracted hundreds of people to Cathedral Square and Victoria Square for busker performances.

Large crowds filled the city centre in contrast to Friday, when heavy rain cancelled shows.

- © Fairfax NZ News