Food festivals in June

The Staff Canteen
June, the month where the sun is meant to be out and where we're meant to be having BBQ's galore, getting our pastey white legs out and having long summer evenings sipping cool cider in a beer garden - perhaps someone should go and tell the sun? We have lots of festivals to bring you this month so without further ado let us begin with:

Foodies Festival, Clapham Common

When: 6th - 8th June Where: Clapham Common, London Foodies Festival is the UK’s largest celebration of food & drink and this time at the beginning of June it's returning to Clapham Common. Happening over the weekend there will be: top chefs cooking in the Chef’s Theatre, wine, beer, and cocktails in the Drink’s Theatre. And...if that wasn't enough there's a new Feasting Tent where visitors will enjoy eating with chefs, friends and family at long banqueting tables. Another addition 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 - those Foodie Festival people really are spoiling you this year! Have a look at who is making an appearance including all these Masterchef favourites: Including 2012 and 2013 MasterChef victors Shelina Permalloo and Natalie Coleman; Steven Edwards, winner of last year’s MasterChef: The Professionals; TV regular Manju Malhi; the Michelin starred Robert Ortiz from Lima restaurant and Anna Haugh-Kelly, head chef at Gordon Ramsay’s London House. Foodies Festival Clapham Common will additionally welcome the newly unveiled MasterChef Street Food Bus. On the lower deck 2009 MasterChef winner Mat Follas and 2011 MasterChef finalist Jackie Kearney will be cooking up a storm in the purpose built kitchen. Upstairs diners can feast on such street food treats as smoky chicken burger served with salad & yuzu chilli sauce and lemon & lavender ice cream. Other highlights include an Ibiza Chill Out Cocktail Bar; Feasting Tent; Chocolate, Cake, Bake & Preserves Theatre; BBQ Arena; Vintage Tea Tent; Producers’ Market and Children’s Cookery Theatre. Visitors will also be able to test their mettle in chilli eating competitions, experience a variety of food and drink masterclasses, take their pick from delicious dishes on Street Food Avenue and enjoy an eclectic line-up of live music. See everything you'd need over on their website.     Next up is another one happening the first full weekend of June:  

Flavours of Summer

When:  7th - 8th June Where: Henham Park, Southwold, Suffolk If you love good food & drink, can’t get enough of great local produce, like to know what’s happening in the food world and enjoy a good day out - then you won’t want to miss Flavours of Summer. Now in it's third year and once again in the setting of the walled garden at Henham Park, this food festival will be bringing you stands and stalls showcasing the very best of local produce, a new food court area, Cookery Theatre (where you’ll find a host of chefs from top restaurants showing off their cookery techniques) and the return of the Little Cookies’ Cookery Theatre. Have a look at what else is happening over the weekend and who's scheduled to be there here.   Next we're staying down South but this time in the opposite direction with:  

Grillstock Bristol

Where: Lloyds Amphitheatre, Bristol Harbourside When: 7th - 8th June This one is very much what it says on the tin - A two day festival of meat, music & mayhem. As well as a chilli, hot dog and hot wing eating competition this Bristol fest. features BBQ cooking and competitions, live music, freshly brewed fine craft beers and Romy Gill, owner and head chef at Romy’s Kitchen, Restaurant cooking at the BBQ Back Yard on the Sunday. Grillstock festival will dock at Bristol’s Harbourside on 7th and 8th June before heading North to Manchester’s Albert Square on 28th and 29th June. With a US style low 'n' slow BBQ competition, over 25 acts playing across two music stages and craft beer bars, Grillstock attracts over 17, 000 meat and music lovers seeking some southern hospitality. With US legends Fun Lovin’ Criminals now confirmed as headliners for Saturday, joining Hayseed Dixie who will close the festival on Sunday this weekend is certainly back with a bang for it's fifth year. Have a look at their website for a full list of what's going on.   Next on the food festival agenda is;  

Cheltenham Food & Drink Festival

Where: Group shot Montpellier Gardens, Cheltenham When: 13th - 15th June Celebrity chefs, local chefs, food writers, 200 fine food and drink exhibitors, real ale as well as live chef demonstrations this weekend really has it all.   Appearing over the weekend are:Jay Rayner Photo Credit John Arandhara-Blackwell
  • Head chef Mark Lloyd who opened the River Cottage Canteen with Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall.
  • TV Chef and author Rachel Green.
  • The Pudding Club - who next year will be celebrating their 30th birthday
  • Influential food and drink journalist Jay Rayner writer who will be explaining why the doctrine of local food is dead.
Now in its seventh year the 2014 festival has over 227 exhibitors, providing an exciting range of delicious and unusual produce. You will have the opportunity to meet local, national and international food and drink producers and chefs who are passionate about their food. All of the chefs there will be providing inspirational cookery demonstrations using the best local and national ingredients, for full details of who is where and when visit their site here.     And towards the end of the month is:  

Shrewsbury Food Festival

When: 28th - 29th June Where: The Quarry Park, Shrewsbury   A festival of food and drink, with local craft, unsigned bands and family entertainment where 200-plus exhibitors will provide artisanal food and drink in a  courtyard setting within Shrewsbury’s Quarry Park. Celebrating local restaurants, producers and craftspeople in a family-friendly environment expect to see talks and demonstrations from some of the areas finest chefs. You’ll be able to ‘have-a-go’ at baking and learn some of the skills that local food producers use. Download the programme to plan your visit here.     Others happening throughout June:
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The Staff Canteen

The Staff Canteen

Editor 6th June 2014

Food festivals in June