Five days; a feast of culinary masterclasses; a chef line up to beat them all; and more than 160 taster-sized dishes from 40 of London's most exciting restaurants: sounds like a recipe for one hell of a party to us.
From 14-18 June, Taste of London will be turning Regent's Park into a food-lovers paradise, with interactive masterclasses, live entertainment, and cooking demos with the industry's favourite chefs – and we've partnered with Taste to give Foodism readers discounted tickets.
What's in store
Just a few of the names to look out for are Tom Kerridge of The Hand & Flowers; two Michelin-starred chef Nathan Outlaw; Wahaca's Thomasina Miers; and L'Anima's Francesco Mazzei, to name but a few. Each of them will be showcasing their skills at the new-look AEG Taste Theatre, in association with Etihad Airways.
There's even more to keep you amused this year, with the new Taste Residence, a sit down, fine-dining experience for groups of 20-24 guests. Book a seat here, and you'll be treated to a four-course menu made by anyone from Ollie Dabbous to Alex Atala, and your evening will be hosted by inimitable maitre d' Paulo de Tarso of Covent Garden's Margot.
Elsewhere, there's The Daily Special rotating restaurant, where there'll be pop-ups from Michelin-starred modern European favourite Portland (14 June), which will be donating all proceeds to the Refugee Community Kitchen; the much-loved Bao (16 June); modern Indian small plates from Kricket (17 June); and modern British restaurant Perilla (18 June).
The AEG Take Taste Further cookery school is returning, giving budding chefs the chance to make their own gourmet food under the expert guidance of School of Wok's Jeremy Pang.
What's more, the prestigious Le Cordon Bleu is partnering with AEG for its own masterclass, Perfecting the Classics, that'll focus on perfecting classic techniques.
DS Automobiles will be back, applying its avant-garde approach to food and drink by serving pioneering dishes by up-and-coming chefs under the guidance of Club Gascon's Pascal Aussignac.
As with other years, there'll be plenty of taster-sized portions of both signature dishes and specially created, limited edition plates from a raft of top restaurants, too. With more than 160 on offer, we challenge you to try them all over the course of the festival.
And it's not just about food, either – there'll be VIP experiences from Laurent-Perrier; a cheese, honey and sourdough-pairing masterclass with The Balvenie whisky; a Monkey Shoulder Whiskey Den; tank beer from Pilsner Urquell; craft beer from House of Hops; and Illy's world-famous University of Coffee.
And if that weren't enough, Celebrity Cruises will be taking festival-goers on a round-the-world trip through their tastebuds, showcasing the cuisine of Tuscany, Japan, and the Galapagos Islands.
The deal
- Wednesday 14 and Thursday 15 June: £14 (usual price £17)
- Friday 16 June: £18 (usual price £21)
- Saturday 17 and Sunday 18 June: £25 (usual price £28)
All you need to do is quote FOODISM at the checkout.
Meanwhile, Etihad Airways will be hosting its Taste the World initiative, selecting a Taste of London chef to compete to become the 2017 Taste The World champion at Taste of Abu Dhabi in November.
Phew! We're excited already – especially because our friends at Taste of London are offering Foodism readers money off their tickets.
Click here to book, and quote FOODISM when buying your tickets – we'll see you there.
For more information, visit tasteoflondon.co.uk
