Jean Christophe Novelli Heads up Taste North 2019
Scottish mainland’s most northerly food festival announces 2019 dates and guest of honour.
Now in its fifth year, local food, drink and artisan craft festival, Taste North, will welcome foodies and families to venue, John O'Groats by Together Travel, on Sunday 6th October 2019 (11am-4:30pm) for a day of epicurean experiences and family fun.
Event managed by tourism cooperative Venture North, the event has gone from strength to strength since its launch in 2014, attracting 1700 visitors to the 2018 event and selling out exhibitor space in record time for this year’s event.
Venture North chair, Catherine Macleod said: “Taste North 2019 is looking even better than ever with more producers, more space, more delicious food and drink, more amazing artisan craft, more family activities and more prize-winning baking. We hope the local community and visitors alike will join us on 6th October and have a great day celebrating all the very best of Caithness and Sutherland’s producers.”
Throughout the day, chef demonstrations, cocktail masterclasses and workshops will delight visitors. Jean Christophe Novelli, is Taste North 2019’s guest of honour and will conduct a number of live cooking demonstrations and be charged with choosing the winner of the annual baking contest, the Taste North Challenge.
Novelli said: “I am honoured to have been invited to take part in the Taste North festival this year. Most exciting, for me as a chef, is to come and sample and experience the rich tapestry of food and drink from the area and meet the producers and makers behind it.”
The Exhibitor's Market will offer everyone the opportunity to sample food from local eateries and producers, taste local tipples and see an array of artisan crafts from Caithness & Sutherland. The cream of local food and drink businesses populate the Exhibitors Market and there are a number of artisan exhibitors from further afield, including Skye and Orkney.
For families, there will be plenty of children’s entertainment and various opportunities for them to get their hands sticky and learn where their food comes from.
The event’s annual baking competition, The Taste North Challenge, continues this year with support from the Gordon & Ena Baxter Foundation – the philanthropic foundation established by Baxters food group – who have been on board since 2014. This year the competition offers talented local bakers the chance to take part and win exceptional prizes across two categories. First off, the Open category, supported by Developing the Young Workforce. Secondly, the Youth category, supported by Mackays Hotel, Wick.
Watch out online for entry dates and more information as the competition is launched later in the summer.