Blok Knives: We discover vibrant Derbyshire foodie community at live fire cooking store launch
The opening day saw people browse award-winning seasonings, explore high end cooking utensils, then tuck into street food against a lively backdrop of DJ spinning tunes!
Blok Knives Derby, one of the country’s leading craft knife makers, has opened a BBQ shop at its Little Eaton site.
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The warehouse on Alfreton Road, approximately five miles away from Derby city centre will now share the site of a BBQ shop.
People can explore a range of high-end cooking utensils including Gozney ovens, bespoke BBQ apparatus, and award-winning seasonings and rubs.
Owner Ben Edmonds welcomed people to the warehouse and BBQ shop on Sunday, September, 15, 2024.
To celebrate the shop opening - which coincided nicely with DerbyWorld’s Food & Drink Month - we went along to speak with Ben and explore the exciting new shop.
On the day, chefs, foodies and budding BBQ fans could browse countless shelves filled with tasty seasonings, while enjoying craft beer and artisan pizza.
One of the many highlights was a chef demo by Sabrina Gidda whose myriad television appearances include BBC’s Great British Menu, Celebrity Masterchef, Saturday Kitchen, Saturday James Martin and Sunday Brunch.
The rain did little to deter crowds that had gathered for the opening.
Speaking exclusively to DerbyWorld, Ben said: “Opening day was really nice, something great for Little Eaton.
“We were supported really well by the local community, and people came to see us, from all over.
“It was good fun, we had a blast with Sabrina, it was mega.
“We had an absolutely fantastic turnout, there were 300 people here, for a BBQ shop opening in September, which is a good turnout in my book!
“I am really, really pleased with the result, the shop did really well, we’ve sold out of lots of stuff already.
“The opening allowed us to showcase some of our products and also the brands we are working closely with. They are brands which we believe in as well.”
Ben hopes to offer new BBQ enthusiasts the opportunity to explore the world of live fire cooking.
He said: “Going forward we’re going to be doing more demo days, showcasing how to use BBQs.
“The fact is, that BBQs aren’t just for the summer months. It’s an all-year round event if you can put up with the weather in this country.
“We’ll be doing demos with Gozney ovens, and what can be achieved with them, not just pizza, what you can do with our fire cases.”
Ben is happy with the variations offered in the shop.
He said: “We’re going to carry on curating the shop, it’s not just what’s in there at the moment.”
Trust is a key part of Blok’s ethos, with Ben keen to try everything sold in the shop.
He said: “We’re working with some fantastic brands, everything in there is tried and tested by us, that’s the point.
“So I’m not just going to start stocking stuff for the sake of it. Everything that we get in, we try, and put it through its paces, and make sure it’s OK.
“We’re going to be launching some exciting new products, so expect more guest chefs and even more exciting news to follow.”
The shop is now officially open, trading hours are Monday to Saturday, 9am till 5pm.
Blok Knives and BBQ shop is located at Unit 2b, Old Hall Mill Business Park, Alfreton Road, Little Eaton, Derby DE21 5EJ
For more information click here.