As summer rolls in and the mood in London lightens, your appetite for eating and drinking in the sun suddenly kicks in. Every patch of sunny lawn is a picnic spot; every table and chair is an al fresco terrace.
That's why, when London's biggest food festival comes to town in June, bringing with it a line-up of restaurants, food traders, bars, drinks brands, shops, pop-up events and more, we know you'll be keen to get down there.
Without further ado, here are a few events you won't want to miss…
Illy's University of Coffee
Seriously geeky about coffee? If so, your CV should probably boast a qualification from the University of Coffee. OK, it's not a 'real' degree, and there's no graduation ceremony, but just like priceless knowledge from the School of Hard Knocks, it'll be of use to you almost every day of your life.
Italian coffee brand Illy is bringing a version of its University of Coffee pop-up to Taste of London, where you can learn how to make the perfect coffee from its expert baristas. Not only that, you’ll be able to expand your taste in coffee by sampling nine different premium coffees from growers around the world. And in the evening, Illy's Marco Arrigo and a team from a secret London cocktail bar will give you some hands-on insight into whipping up the perfect espresso martini at home.
Celebrity Cruises
Take your tastebuds on a gastronomic journey at the Celebrity Cruises stand, where Michelin-starred 'president of culinary' Cornelius Gallagher and his team will be giving guests an insight into the food and wine experiences on board Celebrity Cruises' ships and at their destinations.
You'll be able to sample the cooking of Yoshikazu Okada, a fourth-generation master sushi chef; Tuscan executive chef Alexander Capello; and fish and seafood with Panamanian executive chef Victor Mancilla
And there’s more: you'll also be able to try wines from its extensive cellars, which boast the largest and rarest wine collections at sea, as well as tastings with resident experts Amelia Singer and Joe Fattorini.
The Gin Garden
Drinking the perfect G&T in lush, verdant surrounds is one of the joys of summer. That's why you'll find us at Taste's gin garden, which has been planted with fragrant herbs whose aromas will revive and restore you after the hustle and bustle of the festival.
The space will give you a chance to sit down and relax, sipping inventive cocktails that use a whole range of delicious gins, listening to live music and taking part in tastings and expert-led masterclasses.
If you're a gin fan (of course you are), this is the perfect time to test your palate. Get acquainted with Whitley Neill’s African-inspired serve, which uses the flavours of baobab, exotic spices and candied lemon peel, or sample the classic JJ Whitley, which is infused with eight botanticals including coriander and liquorice.
Jarlsberg
Jarlsberg is a cheese that's straightforward but also complex; delicious, but versatile, too. Its story began in the Norwegian Agricultural University, where a research project culminated in a partnership with a huge dairy cooperative called TINE, and sweet, nutty Jarlsberg cheese was born.
The recipe is famously elusive – while there are many cheesemakers around Europe and beyond, only a handful of people know the secret behind it.
To find out more about this mysterious cheese, head to Jarlsberg’s stand at Taste, where you’ll be able to get your chops round Norway's best-loved cheese and learn more about its incredible story – including how it came to develop those characteristic airholes.
What’s more, you'll be able to buy plenty of Jarlsberg here, too. Ever wondered what your living room's missing? Spoiler alert: it's a 10kg wheel of Jarlsberg cheese.
Action Against Hunger
Action Against Hunger has been Taste of London's charity partner for more than a decade, a partnership it celebrates each year by working with five big-name chefs to bring festivalgoers a selection of one-off dishes they'll never forget.
This year, in keeping with London's current Mexican wave, Action Against Hunger has partnered with seafood maestro Rick Stein; pioneering Israeli chef Yotam Ottolenghi; Breddos Tacos; wunderchef Adam Handling; and Nieves Barragán Mohacho, formerly of Barrafina, to create five incredible tacos. We'll take two of each.
Get your discounted tickets, exclusively with Foodism
Want to experience the action for yourself? Grab a ticket to this year's festival and make your own top five. It's the best of London's restaurant scene, all in one place. See you there.
Taste of London runs from 14-18 June at Regent's Park. For more information or to book click here.
