Cooking up a storm at the Nottingham Food and Drink Festival 2010
In September, visitors to Nottingham will be able to sample the cityÂ’s diverse culinary delights at the Nottingham Food and Drink Festival thatÂ’s playing host to a lively line-up of celebrity chefs from Italy, India and the Caribbean.
This year, the festival will be dishing up live cook-offs, chef demonstrations, cookery masterclasses, and a host of delectable tasting areas courtesy of local restaurants, bars and eateries, as well as a special food and drink market featuring local suppliers in NottinghamÂ’s central hub, Old Market Square, from 23-26 September.
Organised and funded by the local bar and restaurant owners, the festival will also see different venues across the city boasting a wide variety of fun foodie activities and special offers to spice up the four days, from cocktail flaring and sushi making, to gourmet banquets and cheese and wine evenings.
Gino DÂ’Acampo, the Italian chef and winner of the ITV 2009 series IÂ’m A CelebrityÂ…Get Me out of Here! will be opening the Celebrity ChefÂ’s Theatre on the Thursday, whilst the hugely popular TV personality and Ready Steady Cook presenter Ainsley Harriott will be closing the festival on Sunday.
Visitors and foodie fans will also be able to pick up tips from Caribbean soul food star Momma Cherri on the Friday, as well as Michelin-starred chefs and Great British Menu representatives Atul Kochhar on Saturday and Sat Bains on Thursday.
Other highlights include Ready Steady Cook style challenges, where members of the armed forces will be partnered with chefs from Nottingham venues to take part in a series of cook-offs in aid of the Help for Heroes charity. Local sports stars will also be competing with each other at similar events during the festival.
Not only can visitors find out what the city has to offer in terms of the rich bounty of food and drink, but they can also embark on a Robin Hood voyage of discovery, since the city and county have been made world famous by Ridley ScottÂ’s blockbuster film.
So donÂ’t forget to visit the exclusive exhibition at Nottingham Castle and Sherwood Forest, which runs until the end of October.
Organised by NottinghamÂ’s Business Improvement District, We Are Nottingham, the city is aiming to attract over 25,000 people to the festival, with help from key sponsors, such as John Lewis.
For those that are travelling, Nottingham is easily accessible via the M1, and has excellent routes to towns and cities across the UK by train, with London taking only an hour and a half with East Midlands Trains.
So to pick up a piece of the action, visit www.wearenottingham.co.uk/foodanddrink where youÂ’ll be able to book online, check out the Nottingham restaurant and bar scene, and browse the accommodation on offer. Tickets go on sale Monday 5th July.
