Malton Food Lovers Festival 2012

According to the The Malton Food Lovers Festival’s website, Malton is “Yorkshire’s Food Town”, and certainly this particular food festival has carved a very popular niche for itself in the food lovers’ annual calendar.

With growing numbers of visitors and stall holders, plus an impressive line up of patrons and celebrity chefs, cookery demonstrations, street food, top class Yorkshire fresh produce, a Taste Trail and live music, the two-day festival has become a must-visit event over the last couple of years for foodies and families alike.

This year’s patrons are:

Antonio Carluccio – star of BBC Two’s Two Greedy Italians and the godfather of Italian Cuisine

Rosemary Shrager – the popular TV chef and star of Ladette to Lady

Tom Parker Bowles – the Mail on Sunday columnist and Market Kitchen TV presenter

Matthew Fort – The Guardian’s Food & Drink editor and a judge on BBC Two’s Great British Menu

Andrew Pern – food writer and chef at the Star Inn at Harome

The Festival is held in the historic market place in the heart of Malton and as well as 22 cookery demonstrations and a fabulous beer and wine festival (with 40 cask ales including some exclusive to the Malton festival), this year sees the introduction of the Masterclass Marquee with talks and tastings on offer, plus interviews with some of the patrons by Selina Scott.

The atmosphere at the Festival promises to be buzzing as the smells of street food infuse the air, accompanied by brass bands,  jazz, the Malton White Star Band and the Yorkshire Regiment’s Military Band. Kids will enjoy the army kitchen and the childrens’ cookery area, whilst everybody will be entertained by the waiter’s race (a 200-yard dash complete with tray, full wine glass and empty bottle) which is a fun addition to this year’s event.

As well as the patrons, the following foodie experts will be appearing at the Festival:

James Mackenize from Yorkshire’s Michelin-starred Pipe & Glass Inn

Rudding Park’s chef consultant, Stephanie Moon

Deli Fresh’s Robert Ramsden

Peter Neville, Head Chef at The Pheasant Inn at Harome

Raman’s Kitchen’s Priya Raman

The Jolly Farmers’ Dan Farrall

Anthony Gillham, The New Malton’s chef

Bettys Cookery School, Harrogate

Malton Relish’s Sophie Legard

Richard Allen from award winning Leeds social enterprise, Create

Green’s of Whitby’s award winning chef Rob Green

Entry to the event is by wristband, which can be purchased in advance online for £4 (until midday on 8 May) or on the gate for £5. Accommodation in the area is available in a number of lovely Malton cottages which can all be found on Hello Yorkshire’s accommodation pages.