Foodies Festival Christmas is coming to London

Foodies Festival, the UK's largest celebration of food and drink, have announced their first-ever Christmas festival at The Old Truman Brewery happening this Friday 28th until Sunday 30th November.

A range of famous chefs will be demonstrating in the Chefs Theatre, including Michelin star chefs Robert Ortiz of Lima, Tony Fleming of Angler and Ernesto Paiva of Bubbledogs.

Other chefs appearing include Jesse Dunford Wood of PARLOUR; The Bluebird’s Matt Robinson; 2013 Masterchef winner Natalie Coleman; The Corinthia’s head chef Garry Hollihead; Arnaud Stevens of Sixty One; head chef Adam Handling at Caxton; Kim Woodward of York and Albany and Anna Haugh of London House.

Also vegans and vegetarians can look forward to Little Miss Meat Free Katy Beskow - winner of Peta’s 2014 Great Vegan Bake Off - sharing her Christmas alternative recipes...perfect timing for vegan month!

Outdoors, a Street Food Courtyard will be serving up some on London’s best street food including Up in my Grill, Gaddens Scotch Eggs and Free Ranger. Visitors will be able to tuck into this food in the neighbouring Feasting Tent - the social hub of the festival.

Keeping with the history of the brewery, organisers have added a new Craft Beer and Spirits Theatre, where visitors can enjoy artisan beers, gin and whisky with experts Melissa Cole and The Cellar’s Johann Dum.

A Wine and Champagne Theatre will offer a food and drink pairing master class with Neil Phillips and Charles Metcalfe who will also advise on the best wines and champagnes to buy this season.

Other features include a Producers Grotto with local artisan produce to sample, Pop-Up Breweries selling craft beers from across the UK, an international Cheese Village with award winning cheese-makers, a Ski Bar serving après ski cocktails and a Vintage Tea Room with live jazz and swing music.

The Pudding Hall will be a haven of festive treats from patissiers and chocolatiers and will include a life-sized Gingerbread House serving warm ginger cider with roasted marshmallows. Among the brands setting up shop will be Candy Kittens, Jamie Laing from Made in Chelsea’s designer confectionary brand.

The Cake and Bake Theatre will offer a masterclass with 2012 Great British Bake Off winner John Whaite and series 4 Bake Off favourite Glenn Cosby, while the King and Queen of sweets, Miss Hope and Mr Greenwood, will whip up confectionery creations from their recent BBC series Sweets Made Simple.

There will also be free hands-on masterclasses in cake decorating and icing, where participants will be able to learn sugarcraft skills and decorate edible treats to hang on the Christmas tree at home.

For kids, the Elf Cookery School hosted by Kiddy Cook invites children under 12 to bake chocolate snowballs and decorate gingerbread men, cookies and cupcakes to leave out for Santa.

Finally, in the non-food related category, The Apprentice contestant Daniel Lassman will be hosting a daily Christmas Bumper Quiz throughout the day. Festival-goers will also be able to learn how to dance the Gay Gordon with ceilidh dancing lessons, have a group picture taken in the Christmas Jumper Photo Booth and enjoy carols and live music from The Waitress Sisters, The Belles and the Bevins on the Acoustics Stage.

Foodies Festival Christmas takes place at The Old Truman Brewery from 28-30th November. Advance tickets are available now from www.foodiesfestival.com or by calling 0844 995 1111