6/21/2011

Review: Taste Of London Festival

Stuffed and satisfied – the only way to describe my condition following my tour of the Taste of London food fest in Regent’s Park last Friday (June 17).

I felt like that boy again - reliving my youth; the chubby dumpling-shaped boy who once ran down the aisles of Costco (as my Uncle Louis pushed the trolley), munching all the samples available. Anything with a toothpick was graciously jammed in my gob.

Illustration courtesy of Tom Pritchard

Now, a grown man, the grace is ever present as are the love handles. But the food was simply of a different calibre at the Taste of London food showcase. Envision a field with 40 of London’s plushest restaurants (from Gauchos to the The Ritz Restaurant), along with over 200 stalls offering tasters of their latest products, wine tasting and cookery master classes, celeb chef theatres (featuring the likes of Michel Roux Jr, Pierre Koffmann, Silvena Rowe, Chris Galvin and Gary Rhodes) - and we have every food connoisseur’s heaven:



Slight downside - the festival itself (presented by Channel 4, Brand Events and in partnership with British Airways) ran over four rainy days (June 16-19); where grey clouds dropped an unforgiving shower on the capital. On the afternoon I attended, my trainers looked like a dark shade of mud, and I watched with sympathy for the ladies with white dresses and sandals skidding through the puddles. Nevertheless, brollies high in the air, cocktails all around, the summer festival mood shone through.

This vegetarian in particular simply couldn’t complain with ample samples of butternut squash soup, couscous, Bermudan rum, toffee vodka and wine to keep me and my friends company. Through rain, hell, fire and brimstone – I do recommend.

Next year the Taste of London festival runs from June 21-24. For more info, sign up here.

This is also published on the Media Trust Community Channel

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