YORK Food and Drink Festival is celebrating its 21st anniversary when it returns to the city between September 22 and October 1.
Organisers say there is a strong return to the festival’s core principles; promoting regional food, the diverse food scene of the city and food education.
Hands-on cookery sessions on learning skills like making chocolate, bread and pasta are a key new activity for adults and children and available every day at the Food Hub in St Sampson’s Square.
The Food Hub will be the heart of the festival’s programme and will host a market of small food producers at the two weekends.
During the week the hub will be taken over by 800 primary school children taking cookery sessions. It will double as a pop-up restaurant at night.
In the Lawn area there will be a Macmillan Cancer Support Coffee Morning every day, with cakes provided by the many great bakers at the festival.
Among the tops chefs attending are Michelin Star winners like Andrew Pern, Tommy Banks, and James Mackenzie.
From Great British Menu are Steph Moon and Josh Overington and from MasterChef Sara Danesin Medio and Joel Arnold.
Other demonstrators come from the best of York’s food scene including Neil Bentinck (Skosh), the team from Melton’s the Grand, the Park and Rafi’s Spice Box.
There are over 130 food stands attending selling a range of produce from macaroons to smoked salmon and street food including Asian steamed buns and filled Yorkshire puddings.
Ticketed events range from a Champagne and Caviar tasting to a charity evening with York Soup.
Amongst other events the Star Inn the City and Melton’s are both running a pop-up restaurant at the Food Hub, and alongside great wine tastings are there will be samplings of gin and sake.
Visitors to the festival can explore York through a Taste Trail of local establishments.
And children can make chocolate lollipops or explore a recipe trail through the city
Bars and entertainment will be open until 9pm along with York’s Little Festival of Live Music.
Entrance to the festival is free but tickets for a variety of events are now on sale and the programme can be found at www.yorkfoodfestival.com
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