A celebrated chef, a Bake Off finalist and a cooking legend are just some of the highlights to look forward to at this year’s Sunderland Food and Drink Festival.
The Festival – which will take place throughout June – will offer virtual and in-person socially distanced experiences and organisers Sunderland BID and Sunderland City Council have announced some of the big names who will be taking part.
Acclaimed French chef, Jean Christophe Novelli – who was a huge hit when he appeared in person at the first festival in 2019 – will be running a number of cook-a-long sessions, as well as an event where he will talk about his life and answer questions.
Food lovers can also tuck into virtual classes with television chef Rustie Lee, who is as well known for her raucous laugh as her culinary expertise, while Great British Bake Off finalist Alice Fevronia will bring a touch of the tent to the festival.
And to ensure that youngsters also don’t miss out, CBBC’s Stefan Gates, who combines cooking with science and fronts tv’s Gastronuts, will be running online sessions. Other events involving local restaurants and cooks will also be announced in the near future, along with a community cake decorating event.
The hope is also to encourage people to visit Sunderland’s fast-growing food and drink scene and support local businesses as part of the festival.
Sharon Appleby, chief executive of Sunderland BID is delighted the event can return. “The Food and Drink Festival was a huge success in 2019 but then it had to be cancelled last year because of Covid-19. Although we can’t bring it back just yet in the same format, we have put together a really exciting programme with something for everyone to enjoy – even if it is in their own homes. We’re looking forward to being able to share details of more of the events in the coming weeks.”
For further information on all events taking place visit Sunderland Food & Drink Fest on Facebook
