Taste of London Announces a New Look and Line-up for 2014
The world’'s greatest restaurant festival returns: with a new Wednesday night session, an outdoor cooking showcase and a spotlight on emerging talent.
The culinary event of the year returns to Regent's Park from 18th - 22nd June, and this year the festival is delighted to announce even more reasons why the event is the highlight of the foodie calendar...
2014 sees a new Wednesday evening session added to the bill, due to popular demand. Allowing even more foodie fanatics to take part in the action, this additional session will include live chef demonstrations as well as the chance to try food from the capital's hottest restaurants.
Emerging talent is the theme of this year's festival. London has become one of the top culinary hotspots in the world, and the best of young British talent will be showcased amongst the world’s greatest chefs in one stunning location at Taste of London. To celebrate this year's theme, Taste of London has teamed up with The Young British Foodies, a movement aimed at championing the best of emerging British talent with an awards programme. The YBFs will be showcasing some of their finalists and winners on the new Cook Skills Theatre hosted by Valentine Warner. Visitors will have the chance to see some of the country's finest emerging talent including Zac Tozino, Giles Clarke and Sarah Mather live on stage.
This year sees the first outing for The Stubbins Food Partnerships Kitchen Garden, an outdoor cooking showcase. Visitors will be invited to watch top chefs such as Thomasina Miers, Claude Bosi, Sophie Michell, Daniel Doherty and Neil Rankin demonstrate their skills on the fire pit. The Kitchen Garden has been developed in association with Sage™ appliances by Heston Blumenthal.
Electrolux is the headline sponsor for Taste of London, and this year will once again be showcasing The Electrolux Taste Theatre. This will act as the 'main stage' for the festival, where a selection of the world's best chefs will be creating gastronomic delights on the latest appliances from the Electrolux Inspiration range.
Firstly making his Taste Festivals debut is the lively two Michelin starred chef Tom Kerridge. Taste of London always delivers the most exceptional global chef talent and it doesn’t come much bigger than Massimo Bottura, chef patron of Osteria Francescana, a three Michelin star restaurant based in Modena, Italy which is number three in The World’s 50 Best Restaurant Awards list and René Redzepi, of the world number one restaurant Noma.
Taste of London wouldn't be the same without one of its founding fathers, and arguably one of the country's greatest chefs, Michel Roux Jr. Joining him is fellow Le Gavroche chef Monica Galetti. Hot new names added also include Bobby Chinn, Tom Sellers and Cyrus Todiwala. If the line-up wasn't strong enough already, Taste favourites Alfred Prasad, Ben Tish, Pascal Aussignac, Theo Randall and Daniel Doherty will be back by popular demand.
New for this year is the Electrolux Secret Ingredient - an experience that will empower and expand the cooking capabilities of all aspiring home cooks. Come and visit the Secret Ingredient and have an unforgettable sensory experience involving sound, smell, touch and taste using naturally sourced, matched seasonal ingredients. Returning for 2014 is Electroux Chefs' Secrets, offering visitors the opportunity to get up close and personal with culinary legends in an interactive cooking masterclass.
New for 2014 The Balvenie Whisky Lounge; take part in a Balvenie Single Malt Masterclass with a Balvenie Malt Master. What's more, The Balvenie Bar, with a fine selection of their single malts, will be open to all ticket holders.
London hotspot and Royals favourite Mahiki is thrilled to treat tiki lovers to a fabulous Taste of London experience like no other. Get your Mahiki ticket and enjoy access to the Mahiki Bar with cocktail masterclasses, complimentary cocktails, famous DJs, limbo dancing plus much more. Laurent-Perrier will once again host their popular, delicious and educational champagne Masterclass but with a unique twist for 2014 - following a Cuvée Rosé reception, visitors will experience a blind tasting incorporating three of their white champagnes.
Taste of London is delighted to welcome Korea Foods for the first time who will be showcasing their country’s finest food alongside the wonderful Gizzi Erskine who will be hosting Korean masterclasses. Guests looking for an oriental flavour can enjoy Taste of Thailand from the Royal Thai Embassy. Visitors will experience a selection of London’s best Thai restaurants, music, entertainment and cooking, alongside a number of Thai exhibitors.
If that isn-t enough, take part in sushi making masterclasses with Inamo, pour your own Czech style serve at the Pilsner Urquell Tank Beer pouring pods or unwind with a glass of champagne in the SPG VIP Lounge. Not forgetting… Chapel Down-s Wine and Oyster Bar, DSTRKT Picnic and BBQ, Lurpak Cook-s Range, and a silent disco in the Mortimer’s Orchard marquee.
Taste of London serves up 40 of the hottest restaurants in London with visitors getting the opportunity to try tapas sized dishes from these incredible eateries in one stunning location. New to the restaurant line-up for 2014 is MEATliquor serving possibly the finest and most talked about burgers in London, trendy new Vietnamese hot spot The House of Ho, serving a fusion of traditional and modern cuisine, Mark Sargeant's Plum + Spilt Milk and Assado, a perfect blend of Portuguese, Goan, Brazilian, Indian and Cyprian cuisine. Joining them is Chop Shop, the butchers shop inspired restaurant.
Returning for the second year are sister restaurants Duck & Waffle and SUSHISAMBA - both guaranteed to thrill even the toughest critic. The event would not be the same without Taste of London favourites Le Gavroche, Club Gascon, Salt Yard and Spice Market. The Truscott Arms and Tamarind will add variety to the already strong restaurant line-up. Full restaurant line-up at end of release.
Over 55,000 visitors are expected to dine from 40 of the capital's top restaurants, serving a mix of British, French, Pan Asian, Japanese Fusion, South American and Italian cuisine, shop from 200 boutique food and drink stalls, enjoy fine wine tasting and watch some of the world's finest chefs demonstrate their skills.
Treat your taste buds at the world's greatest restaurant festival and one of London's chicest social events of the summer. Tickets on-sale now: https://london.tastefestivals.com/. Sign up to the Taste newsletter for ticket updates and further event information.