FOOD STARS AT BRIGHTON FOOD FESTIVAL

Antonio Carluccio is confirmed to attend Brighton & Hove Food and Drink Festival and food writers Madhur Jaffrey and Anthony Bourdain will hold events as part of the city’s celebration of ‘local produce...international flavours’ in the city throughout September.

Dozens of fun foodie public events, including markets, picnics, street parties, foraging expeditions, food trails and urban vegetable growing competitions will bring visitors to the city and the local community together around food. Details of events are on www.brightonfoodfestival.com

The festival sets off at a canter on 1st September, at Brighton Racecourse, with the Fun & Foodie Race Day, mixing delicious local food with exciting horse racing and lots of family fun, including the hilarious spectacle of the famous Waiter’s Race on the horse-track. Pick up a food festival programme in town for a two-for-one admission voucher, kids go free.

The glorious Big Sussex Market Weekend on 11-12th September will again be the centrepiece in the unique North Laine, with a huge range of Sussex food stalls, whilst nearby in the Pavilion Gardens, celebrity chef demos and tastings at the Live Food Show will entertain market-goers.
Join Discovery – the home of great-tasting Mexican food - in the celebrations for the 200th anniversary of Mexican Independence Day in Jubilee Square, at a fiesta filled with food, fun and entertainment. A Mariachi band, a troupe of Mexican dancers, craft stalls, piñatas, face painting and chefs on stilts will keep visitors of all ages entertained throughout the day, while they enjoy samples of Discovery fajitas or buy freshly prepared Discovery fajitas and tacos. Visit Mexico, the Mexican Tourist Board, will also be on hand with information and inspiration for those thinking of travelling to this vibrant country. Entry is free to all these events on both Saturday 11 and Sunday 12 September.
The Prince Regent himself can be found in the glittering Ambassador Ballroom, Hilton Brighton Metropole for a lavish banquet of Regency period food based on the menus of the famous chef, Careme, on 11th September. Regency costume is positively encouraged! Tickets available from www.brightonfoodfestival.com .

Fiery Foods UK Chilli Festival, on the weekend of 18th and 19th September, offers a tastebud-tingling two day celebration of all things hot and spicy, with stalls, chilli eating contest ‘heats’, music and family activities. Meanwhile on Sunday 19th September, to celebrate Streets for People – Brighton’s car free day – local restaurants in the city centre will be turning their restaurants inside out to tempt passersby with their tasty offerings.

For the first time, an International Food Weekend will feature mini events and markets running over the weekend of Saturday 4th and Sunday 5th September across the city centre, including a French wine festival, Indian street festival, Spanish fiesta market, Japanese festival, with more foodie countries to follow. On Saturday 25th and Sunday 26th September the Sussex and the World Market will be held on Hove Lawns, celebrating some of the best Sussex products alongside great international food and drink and the festival will end on an international note with a fabulous Spanish Festival Gala Dinner at Hotel du Vin on Thursday 30th September.

Brighton Pier will be hosting a weekly pop-up restaurant event, including the wonderful Terre a Terre who will be serving a fabulous seaside themed menu; the Churchill Square Farmer’s Market will be holding live demos and cook-offs every Wednesday; the Community Chef is hosting hands-on cookery workshops at venues across the city (including a foraging special at Stanmer Farm); the Food Partnership is holding the Local Food Week Picnic on Saturday 25 September in Preston Park; Open House Dining returns; and there will be a host of tastings and dinners across the city all month.

Brighton & Hove city dwellers have been voting hard since March for the city’s best restaurant, cafe, food pub and food shop in the Brighton & Hove Foodie Awards, sponsored by new environmentally-friendly coffee brand ‘ecoffee’ and the winners will be announced on 4th October to round off the festival, hosted by Hilton Brighton Metropole.
All event details as www.brightonfoodfestival.com