Foodies is back in 2014 – bigger and better than ever

Foodies Festival, the UK’s largest celebration of food & drink returns to Edinburgh’s Inverleith Park on 8-10 August 2014 for a weekend celebration of Scotland’s finest produce, international street food, and culinary masters.

Although it started as a small event in Edinburgh eight years ago, the festival has now grown into Scotland’s food and drink event of the Summer, transforming Inverleith Park into a foodie paradise with over 200 artisan producers, pop-up restaurants, premium brands and the chance to watch your favorite chefs cooking live.

Festival Director Sue Hitchen said:- “Edinburgh is where it all started for Foodies Festival, so it’s a very special event for me and our team. This year we are delighted to be the official partner of the MasterChef Dining Bus, which offers our visitors a unique onboard dining experience with the contestants and winners from the series cooking onboard and serving visitors top-notch dishes from the purpose built kitchen.”

Top chefs joining the festival this summer include MasterChef the Professionals runners-up Adam Handling and Scott Davies, Great British Menu’s Jacqueline O’Donnell of The Sisters, Mark Greenaway of Bistro Moderne, TV Chef Tony Singh, The Pompadour by Galvin Head Chef Craig Sandle, Café St Honore’s Neil Forbes and Glasgow’s The Three Sisters bakers Gillan, Nichola and Linsey, all of whom will cook their signature dishes live in the Chefs’ Theatre while explaining how home cooks can prepare the same dishes for friends and family.

MasterChef’s Adam Handling said:- “I am delighted to be a part of the Foodies Festival in Edinburgh, I always love it when I can meet other foodies and share my love of cooking with them, and if I can help to inspire and encourage people in their kitchens, then that for me is an honour. Coming back to Scotland is always special for me, it was the where I undertook my first apprenticeship when I was 16, where I gained my first two AA rosettes at Fairmont St Andrews, and where I was awarded ’Scottish Young Chef of the Year 2011’. Being a part of the Edinburgh Foodies Festival will add to the many special memories that I have here.”

Exciting new features for 2014 include a spectacular Chocolate, Bake and Preserves Theatre, which will host top pastry chefs, chocolatiers, bakers and sugarcraft experts. This is complemented by the new Chocolate, Baking and Preserves Village, for those with a sweet tooth and who enjoy home baking, with a selection of stalls selling baking essentials and the latest gadgets.

A brand new outdoor BBQ Arena will appeal to lovers of al fresco dining. The purpose built BBQ stage will feature hourly BBQ cooking demonstrations and invite the audience to take part in BBQ challenges; meat-eating competitions and they can even learn how to make a ‘BBQ cake’!

A new Chilli Market spices things up with a range of chilli-growers and artisan producers of sauces, sweets and jams. For those who can handle the heat a Chilli Eating Challenge takes place at 5pm daily.

A new Feasting Tent at the heart of the festival becomes a social hub, where visitors can relax and enjoy their purchases in the company of chefs, friends and family at long banqueting tables.

Another exciting addition this year is the Vintage Tea Tent that will hold daily tea dances, alongside a Vintage Kitchen Market allowing visitors to pick up beautiful pieces to add to their own kitchens at home.

Returning features this year include the popular Drinks Theatre, where regular masterclasses and demonstrations allow visitors the chance to taste and learn about wine, champagne, sherry, ales and spirits with experts including TV’s Charles Metcalfe, beer expert Melissa Cole and champagne expert Neil Phillips. There is also a daily cocktail making competition to find the best cocktail in Edinburgh, judged by an audience of Foodies visitors.

Foodies Festivals are recognised for their focus on street food with the introduction of the Street Food Avenue in 2012. This year visitors can enjoy a huge selection of award winning hot and cold food from around the world including hog roasts, Vietnamese buns, exotic meats, tapas, churros, burritos, Moroccan tagines, South American prime beef, Jamaican and Thai street food.

There is plenty for little foodies to do as well with the Children’s Cookery Theatre hosting “Around the World” themed cookery classes. These workshops will help children find their taste buds and teach them basic cooking skills.

The entertainment stage features live music acts and fringe performers throughout the day until 7pm.