10 July 2014
Producers of a new S4C series, which will recreate life in the Middle Ages, are looking for a cook who could make Tudor-style feasts for a historical reality TV series.
Y Llys (‘The Court’) will be filmed during the autumn in Tretower Court in the Brecon Beacons on a site protected by Cadw, the Welsh Government’s historic environment service. The series is set to be broadcast in November.
The producers are already in the process of choosing a variety of people to play the imaginary roles, based on the kind of people who would have lived in a nobleman’s house during the Middle Ages. These roles include the nobleman’s family as well as the servants in the Tudor gentry’s court.
Now Boom Pictures Cymru, which produced the series Y Plas (The Mansion) based in Plas Llanerchaeron, Ceredigion for S4C, have launched a nationwide search for someone who can handle the heat of the Medieval kitchen.
Producer Alison John says, ‘We are looking for a cook with specific skills, because preparing food in this period was an altogether different challenge to preparing food in a modern kitchen. That’s why we’ve decided to launch a public appeal to find a Welsh speaker with the skills to handle the challenges of running a Tudor kitchen. Being a cook by trade isn’t essential, but any potential cook has to have the confidence to lead a team.”
If you are interested, and believe that you have the skills required to be a cook and handle making Tudor feasts, please contact yllys@yllys.co.uk or phone 02920671545 by 25 July.
Filming Y Plas last year offered quite a challenge to the participants. But recreating a period where there was no heat apart from the log fire and no gas, electricity or any light apart from candle light, poses even more of a challenge.
The producers have turned to a number of Medieval Times specialists to help ensure that they find the right person for the cook’s role. One of the experts is Marc Meltonville, who also manages Hampton Court, London and is an expert on day-to-day life during the Tudor period.
Marc Meltonville says; “The steward and the cook managed to hold the household together. The steward’s role was to manage everything that was visual in the house. while the cook managed everything you couldn’t see. The cook has to be a good time manager; he sorts out the daily organisation of the house. It’s a challenge, and you have to be good at organising, and also have pride in every daily routine in the household. You should also be a strong character.”
One person who would encourage any potential cook to try and gobble up the role is Jasmine Wilson from Pontrhydfendigaid who played the role in Y Plas last year.
Jasmine says, “It’s a huge personal challenge but one well worth tackling. When I went in, I knew I wanted to do the best I could. It was a fantastic experience, and I made a great many friends.”
