FOOD enthusiasts are being given the chance to sample the very best of local foods.

The Evening Press and Dean Court Hotel Eat Local Banquet is to be held on May 15, a huge milestone in the Eat Local campaign to showcase the best of North and East Yorkshire's produce.

Dean Court Hotel general manager David Brooks said: "We are very excited about the banquet, we have already put a lot of work into making this a hugely enjoyable event.

"It is wonderful to see ideas like this one come to fruition, and after the Eat Local campaign has given so much good publicity to our local producers, this will be a great chance to celebrate their achievements." The event has already received a great response. An eight-course menu has been specially complied by head chef Andrew Bingham.

The entire menu has been produced exclusively from food produced by Eat Local nominees, so the feast really will offer the taste of the Eat Local competition we have been telling you about for the last few months.

Mr Brooks said: "We decided that we were not going to put anything on the menu which had not come from Eat Local nominees.

"We built the menu around that idea, and it seems to have worked very well."

Each course will be introduced by the suppliers who have produced the foods, with a personal presentation and a few words about what makes their local food so special.

Now is the chance for Evening Press readers, who have already made the competition such a success with all your nominations and support, to try it out for yourselves.

A limited number of tickets are available for the exclusive event at the Best Western Hotel, so book early to have your chance, at a price of just £35 per guest. Seats can be reserved by contacting Dean Court on 01904 625082, faxing on 01904 620305 or emailing sales@deancourt-york.co.uk.

Keep your nominations coming in for the Eat Local competition, your chance to recognise your favourite local produce, and the very best of the region's food.

Updated: 10:50 Saturday, April 19, 2003