Getting bigger and better every year, the event attracted
some 25,000 visitors last year and is expected to welcome even more guests in 2019.
Over the ten days, visitors can look forward to meet the local producer events, chef demos and lots of tasty scran from more than twenty local producers and street food stallholders. Main pic shows guests tucking into a Jarvis Pickle pie.
Lots of street food to choose between
The street food vendors include Moskito Bites.
Among the highlights are demos from five of Edinburgh’s top chefs.
The line-up of free, non-ticketed chef demonstrations will include Scott Smith from Edinburgh Restaurant of the Year, Fhior; private events chef Barry Bryson from Cater Edinburgh; Jérôme Henry from Le Roi Fou; Carina Contini; and former MasterChef Professionals winner, Derek Johnstone from Borthwick Castle.
Enjoying a panoramic view of George Square Gardens from a specially equipped treetop kitchen, each chef will be offering a rare one-hour insight into their own unique food style and inspiration, as well as sharing some of their top cooking tips.
Treetop cooking crew
Top deck, L-R: Scott Smith, Barry Bryson, Derek Johnstone. Bottom deck L-R: Carina Contini, Jérôme Henry
Kicking off the new chef demonstration line-up from
6pm on Friday 26th July will be Cater Edinburgh’s Barry Bryson on.
Barry will be creating a 30-minute recipe in real time using local and seasonal ingredients - the perfect mid-week meal to make at home. Barry is motivated and inspired by Scotland’s natural larder, creating seasonal menus that combine traditional and contemporary cooking techniques.
On Saturday 27th July at 1pm, Carina Contini of Edinburgh’s Contini George Street, Cannonball Restaurant & Bar on Castlehill and the Scottish Cafe at the Scottish National Gallery will be adding some Contini sunshine to the menu with authentic Italian-inspired alfresco recipes.
Third generation Italian Scots, Carina and her husband Victor, run one of the few remaining independent family businesses that have benefitted from a century of experience running successful restaurants in Scotland.
From 2pm on Saturday 27th July, Scott Smith from Fhior on Broughton Street will be championing sustainable Scottish fish and offering his top tips on the best ways to barbeque fish outdoors this summer alongside Lewis Lowrie of Lowrie Fish Merchants.
Since opening in 2018, Fhior has been recognised with a string of award wins including taking the title of Restaurant of the Year at the Edinburgh Restaurant Awards in May.
A day out at Edinburgh Food Fest.
Next up, at 1pm on Sunday 28th July, is Derek Johnstone, Head Chef at Borthwick Castle at Gorebridge, Midlothian. Derek will be rediscovering some of Scotland’s lost ingredients and reinventing them in a modern and fresh way.
Rounding off the line-up at 2pm on Sunday 28th July is Jérôme Henry, Chef Proprietor of the award-winning Le Roi Fou on Forth Street, who will be joining Barry Bryson in a second one-hour cooking demonstration. Festival-goers will get a glimpse into their social kitchen, whilst they create a fresh summer menu in real time with a hyper-local flavour.
Alex Fitzhowle, Edinburgh Food Festival Producer, said: 'We wanted to mark the fifth anniversary of Edinburgh’s only city centre food festival with a bigger, better and more mouth-watering line-up of activities, so we’re really excited to be welcoming some of Edinburgh’s top chefs to wow visitors at Assembly George Square Gardens.'
Entry to the festival and the talks is free and non-ticketed, but spaces are limited and allocated on a first come, first served basis.
Family Friendly
Ideal for all ages.