‘There Was A Time’ Northern Soul Alldayer in York on Saturday

Add MasterChef finalist Stacie Stewart’s prowess as a DJ to a York music event this weekend, and what else could she be serving up than Northern Soul food?

The 31-year-old culinary queen, TV chef and Mod fashionista will be spinning platters rather than plates at There Was A Time, the 4th Charity Northern Soul and Motown Alldayer at the De Grey Rooms, on Saturday.

Jason Chinnian, organiser and promoter of this fund-raising event for York House Ventures, is urging Northern Soul enthusiasts to “get there early”.

“I have a great line-up of DJs from North Yorkshire and from around the UK, including Stacie. Well cool!” says Jason, alias DJ JayCee. “There’ll be a reduced admission price of £5 before 4pm, with doors opening at 2pm, and the first 50 dancers will receive a complimentary Northern Soul CD.”

Stacie came to prominence as a 2010 MasterChef finalist, going on to pop up regularly on This Morning, Perfect, Market Kitchen, Saturday Cookbook and Jamie Oliver’s Summer Rave Up.

She has appeared at food festivals all over Britain and has hosted and been a judge on Simon Cowell’s Food Glorious Food show, for which one of the heats was staged at the Great Yorkshire Showground in Harrogate.

“I’m pleased to be able to support Saturday’s alldayer and help raise money for York House Ventures, which is part of the Brain Rehabilitation Trust,” says Stacie. “Performing at York’s Georgian De Grey Rooms is a dream come true too.”

Along with Stacie, 23 northern soul DJs will be playing original vinyl records in two rooms, each donating their time to support the charity.

“The De Grey Rooms’ restored ballroom dates from 1830 and has a fabulous wall-to-wall sprung wooden dance floor,” says Jason. “It’s cited as one of the best in Britain for Northern Soul dancing.

“The whole event is unique because of this venue and its location, opposite York Art Gallery and York’s crescent of Georgian town houses.”

Jason is indebted to York Theatre Royal and De Grey Rooms staff for making the historic ballroom available for such an event. “We’ve had fabulous line ups of DJs at our previous alldayers and this one is no exception,” he says.

“Some of the best Northern Soul DJs nationally are being supported by DJs from York, Harrogate and Selby Soul Clubs, so it’ll be one of the outstanding Northern Soul events in the UK over the August Bank Holiday weekend.

“Classic Northern Soul and Motown records will fill the ballroom. A second Freestyle room will feature specialist DJs playing rare and underplayed vintage soul, crossover, Sixties’ R&B and modern soul from 3pm.”

There Was A Time’s 4th Charity Northern Soul & Motown Alldayer at the De Grey Rooms, St Leonard’s Place, York, will run on Saturday from 2pm to midnight. Early Bird tickets cost £5 up to 4pm; entry is £10 after 4pm.