Food Festival in the world's first Garden City

A diversity of food, deliciously presented by traders, tasted by visitors and sold; cooking demonstrations by professional chefs; local schools and North Hertfordshire College, activities for children, plus free admission – just some of the ingredients for Letchworth Garden City’s Food Festival, on Saturday and Sunday, May 22 and 23.

The event in the heart of the town centre – organised by Letchworth Garden City Heritage Foundation – is just one of many events on the menu over the next few months to celebrate the completion of the Town Centre Improvements, the Street Scene Works, which are due to be finished in May. The Street Scene improvements are Stage One of Stage Three in a planned massive revitalisation of the Town Centre.

The feast of different foods on sale by traders will include bread, meat, fish, jams, fruit juices, muffins and honey. There will be opportunities to talk with traders and learn more about the produce they are selling.

There will also be food to eat on the go, including soups, stews, hot and cold salads, goat curry, paella, chocolate, handmade fruit cream ices and other mouth-watering ‘goodies’.

The 12 hours (in total) of cooking demonstrations over the weekend features Michelin Star Chef Phil Thompson, Restaurateur and TV Chef Paul Bloxham, The Country Bumpkin, cookery author Sally Bee, Xanthe Milton – Cookie Girl and other local favourites.

• Phil Thompson is Executive Chef of Brocket Hall’s flagship restaurant Auberge du Lac and has played an important role in the success of leading London venues such as L’Escargot, The Lanesborough and Orrerry.
• TV Chef Paul Bloxham runs his award-winning pub with its culinary delights ‘The Tilbury’ in Datchworth, near Stevenage, and will soon be opening the door to his latest pub acquisition – ‘The Blue Anchor’ in St. Albans. A writer creating recipes for national magazines, Paul has appeared on numerous food programmes as TV Chef and presenter, most recently on ‘Market Kitchen.’
• Xanthe Milton, Cookie Girl has gained cult celebrity status following appearances on Master Chef, Diet on the Dancefloor and Market Kitchen. With cookies and cupcakes her specialty and a long list of celebrity clientele, Cookie Girl makes baking sexy!

“I would like to say a big ‘thank you’ to shopkeepers and their customers for their patience and loyalty throughout the Street Scene contract,” says Foundation Director, Marilyn Hands. “One year on, the physical transformation on Eastcheap and Leys Avenue now provides a stunning backdrop for a feast of events to encourage more people to visit the town. Putting food at the heart of the Garden City really is a taster of things to come.”

Letchworth Food Festival is open 10am to 4pm on Saturday 22 and Sunday 23 May 2010, located in and around Leys Square and Leys Avenue in the heart of the Garden City.

For further information on the Food Festival visit www.letchworthfoodfestival.co.uk or call 01462 476017.