Kingston Food Festival 2012
Gastronomic delights will be available in abundance during Kingston’s Food Festival, which runs from August 6 to 12 and includes foodie events, tasters and discounts at many of the town’s eateries
Kingston is fantastic for food, stuffed with so many different types of cuisine that we often lose count. Thankfully, the week-long Kingston Food Festival in early August will draw out the best of the Royal Borough’s food and drink.
Starting the week off on August 6 is the Kingston Mix-Off Competition at the new Las Iguanas Restaurant. Cocktail makers – or mixologists – drawn from around the town centre will be competing for first place. Free entry and nibbles are included.
Some of Kingston’s top eateries – such as the Rose Theatre café, Zizzi, Riverside Vegetaria and Carluccio’s – are running special offers as part of Kingston Restaurant Week, which takes place in conjunction with the Food Festival. Grab a brochure or visit the website to get the vouchers needed for the offers.
You can preview some of these gastronomic delights on the Kingston Food Trail, running on August 9. Pick up a festival brochure and see where to visit for bite-size samples. Venues such as Cattle Grid, Frank B’s, Exotic Tagine and err…Edinburgh Woolen Mill are taking part.
Other great events planned include the English Beer, Wine and Cider Festival at Eagle Brewery Wharf, starting from noon on Friday August 10 and ending on Sunday August 12. Loads of local beers and ales will be featured, alongside Sussex ciders, English wines and cocktails made using English spirits. A Chilli Challenge will be testing the limits of tastebuds on the Saturday, with the most stoic entrants trying the Naga Bhut Jolokia chilli (28 times hotter than a Cayenne pepper). Live music will feature until 10pm each night.
For £20, you can book yourself a place on a special tasting masterclass with wine experts Dr Belinda Kemp and William Wilson of winebox.tv. The intimate sessions are for a maximum of eight people and there are several running over the weekend. The English Sparkling vs Champagne tasting is sure to spark some fierce debate.
August 11 and 12 brings the Big Kingston Market to St John’s Churchyard and Market Place. Included among the 75 stalls selling on the day are farm fresh producers, artisan food specialists, and some serving hot food. The Live Food Show will also be running in the Market Place, hosted by food writer Andrew Kay. Kingston’s top chefs and some special guests will be on hand to demonstrate their recipes and offer some cooking tips.
Taking place on the same weekend is the Children’s Food Festival. At Market House, Cookie Crumbles, Little Cooks and Sassy Stirrers are running ticketed cookery workshops, costing £6 per child. In the same venue, Kiddy Cook are hosting a free interactive “Food Bravery” session, which invites children to explore the different textures of food – it probably will get messy. The People’s Picnic in the neighbouring Memorial Gardens will also include some activities for kids. There is to be a showcase of some original Doctor Who props such as the Tardis, K9 and an army of Daleks. But don’t chew down your sandwiches too quickly, or the Doctor’s foes may shout “MAS-TI-CATE”.
There’s plenty more to get your teeth into across the week – including a Festival Fringe – so make sure to stop by at this temporary foodie paradise.
Kingston Food Festival runs from August 6 to 12 at venues across Kingston-upon-Thames. To see what else is on and book for the ticketed events, visit: kingstonfoodfestival.com
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