TOP chefs will be cooking up a feast at this year’s Malton Food Lovers Festival.

Organisers have announced the line-up of patrons and visiting chefs for the crowd-pulling event which is being staged on Saturday and Sunday, May 18 and 19.

Topping the bill will be television’s Antonio Carluccio, alongside renowned food writer Tom Parker Bowles, Michelin-starred James Mackenzie, of the Pipe and Glass, at South Dalton, near Beverley, and Andrew Pern, of the Star Inn at Harome.

Antonio will be cooking live as well as hosting a ticket-only cookery lesson for the first time.

It is one of a number of new elements to the festival to further add to its appeal.

Tom Naylor-Leyland, founder of the festival, said: “We are very fortunate to have such a wonderful line-up and we’re hoping that this year will see Malton’s best festival yet.”

Another new highlight promises to be a charity gala dinner, cooked and hosted by Antonio, with proceeds from all tickets going to support Malton CIC.

Formed in 2011, Malton CIC works to benefit the local community, and organises the festival alongside regular indoor food markets in the Milton Rooms.

Antonio said: “I love Malton and its people and I can’t wait to come back to the county’s culinary capital.”

Andrew Pern and James Mackenzie, two of Yorkshire’s best chefs, will cook live and also give special cookery lessons, with festival goers having the opportunity to learn first-hand how quality produce makes all the difference to the dish.

James said: “At the Pipe and Glass, we are committed to sourcing as much local and seasonal produce as possible – but first and foremost it’s quality that counts.”

Meanwhile Mr Parker Bowles, who is food editor of Esquire magazine and stepson and godson to Prince Charles, returns to entertain with his culinary skills and cookbooks.

Festival president Selina Scott, newsreader, journalist and television producer, will interview some of the special guests in front of a live audience.