Food festivals worth travelling for in 2014

Eat, drink, talk and walk your way round the country this spring at some of Britain’s best food and drink festivals. Inundated with gastronomic events that act as a magnet for a given area’s best and brightest producers, this year’s spring offers a great opportunity to get to grips with produce across Britain. Travel north to see the future of food technology in Edinburgh or head down to Cornwall and breathe in the salty air while eating the finest seafood. Make the journey to Yorkshire to meet famous chefs or stay in London for one of the biggest festivals of its kind. Here are our food festivals worth travelling for:

The London Coffee Festival

When: 3^rd-6^th April 

Where: Old Truman Brewery Brick Lane, London

The London Coffee Festival showcases, on an impressively large scale, the best coffee available in the capital. In the True Artisan Café sample dozens of blends from independent coffee shops in London. Next, head over to L’Accademia di Cimbali and take a walk through the history of coffee equipment from the early 20^th century through to modern day machines. And of course, there will be the obligatory plethora of stalls offering great food.

For further information visit here.

Gastrofest

When: 5^th March – 20^th April

Where: Edinburgh

Head to Edinburgh to get involved in the conversation surrounding the link between gastronomy and science. Situated firmly within the Scottish landscape and in its first year, the event will see the country’s best chefs, scientists and producers analysing and celebrating the relationship between Scotland’s finest ingredients and newly discovered techniques. You’ll have the chance to create your own revolutionary dish or innovative cocktail – though if science isn’t your bag, the vast array of world-class meat, fish, cheese and ales should be more than enough to keep your palate interested.

For further information visit here.

Porthleven Food Festival

When: 26^th April
Where: Porthleven, Cornwall

The festival’s 2014 programme is yet to be announced but the location alone should be enough to draw you in. Set in and around the picturesque harbour of this Cornish fishing town, this year’s theme is “Local Food, Global Stage”. Seafood is evidently the first port of call and some of the region’s best chefs (and there are no shortage of those knocking around Cornwall) demonstrate the best ways to cook it.

For further information visit here.

Malton Food Lovers Festival

When: 24^th-25^th May 

Where: Malton, North Yorkshire

Revered chefs and passionate producers are everywhere at this market town’s signature event. Malton is home to a monthly food market and it’s hard to not be impressed by the produce sold there: everything from the locally grown asparagus to the wine from Ryedale Vineyard seems to have won an award. The Ginger Pig, supplier to some of London’s best butchers and restaurants, is based 15 miles from the town. This year’s festival offers the chance to see The Incredible Spice Men and Cyrus Todiwala and Tony Singh, who are two of the event’s patrons.

For further information visit here.

Cheltenham Food and Drink Festival

When: 13^th-15^th June
Where: Montpellier Gardens, Cheltenham

Any town that’s home to the two Michelin star Le Champignon Sauvage can be pretty much guaranteed to put on a decent food and drink festival. Home this year to the Two Greedy Italians Antonio Carluccio and Gennaro Contaldo, Cheltenham opens its arms to producers from all over the Midlands. Local brewers and wine experts come along for a chat, while you can also gorge on authentic Belgian chocolate made in Gloucestershire and fill up on pig roasts and BBQs with meat sourced from Worcestershire. There’s also plenty of live music to entertain should your stomach let you down.

For further information visit here.

Taste of London

When: 19^th-22^nd June
Where: Regent’s Park, London

Just about occupying the last days of spring, Taste of London is a bit of a monster: around 50,000 people take over Regent’s Park to experience the food of some of the capital’s best chefs and restaurants. Though the line-up for this year’s edition is yet to be released, there’s little doubt that it’ll be anything less than excellent (in 2013 Michel Roux Jr, Ben Tish and Ashley Palmer-Watts were joined by dozens of other world-class chefs). With London’s diverse restaurant scene in attendance – as well as hundreds of artisan producers – you’re sure to find something to sate your palate.

For further information visit here.

Joe Russell