TASTE OF GRAMPIAN PROVES TO BE MORE POPULAR THAN EVER

Food festival celebrates 10th anniversary

The enduring popularity of the Taste of Grampian food festival was clear as thousands of visitors “voted with their feet” at the 10th anniversary of the event.

Veterans of the north-east food industry stood shoulder to shoulder with fledgling local firms to display their wares on Saturday.

TV celebrity chefs Phil Vickery and Michelin-starred Frenchman Jean-Christophe Novelli brought glamour to the Thainstone Centre near Inverurie.

Food demonstrations, cookery competitions and a record number of local produce exhibitors kept the food fans entertained. Numbers for the 10th anniversary event, are estimated to have exceeded the 14,000 visitors of the previous year.

Steering group chairman Brian Pack said it had been a superb day. "It was very special, almost unbelievable," he said. "When we started off we never expected to still be here after 10 years. It was a one-off event but it was so successful we thought we better do it again."

The secret to keeping people coming back was to keep adding new elements to the show, he said.

Cookery demonstrations by local chefs were held in the Exchange Hall for the first time.

Taste of Grampian is organised by the Aberdeen & Northern Marts Group, Aberdeenshire Council, the Grampian Food Forum, the Press and Journal and Scottish Enterprise.

Scottish Rural Affairs Secretary Richard Lochhead said: "Taste of Grampian is now one of the jewels in the crown of Scottish food and drink. Clearly the people of Grampian are voting with their feet. It is a very special day given the event is celebrating it’s 10th anniversary."

The buoyant atmosphere was replaced with tension and excitement as the event climaxed with two of the celebrity chefs facing each other off in culinary battle.

Mr Vickery, who was the winner, said: "It’s my third time and it’s great to be back. I am really proud to be here on the 10th anniversary. Every year it gets bigger and better."

His rival, Mr Novelli, said: "What a lovely day. It’s been absolutely fantastic, the people, the produce, a fantastic ambience. One of the things I like very much to see is a lot of families."

Happy stallholders reported that trade seemed to be busier than the previous year, said Mr Pack. "At the moment we are still having an upsurge, even after 10 years," he said. "Your best ambassador is your own people. Our concern was that the Grampian consumer was not aware of the richness and diversity of the Grampian larder. I believe Taste of Grampian has changed that."

Award-winning chef Alan Coxon, visiting for the fourth time, took control of the school competitions. "The standard of children and school competition has really improved," he said. "Year after year the teachers and pupils are seeing what it’s all about. There is a lot of mixed groups here. We’ve got grannies and kids, a sign of good family entertainment."

He said he received a "wonderful reception" from the north-east audience. "There is an element of honesty with people," he said. “The whole event is very honest and open."

The fact the event is free places it on a pedestal above other events farther south which can price some people out of visiting, he added.

The main sponsor of the event is the Food Standards Agency. Other sponsors are Quality Meat Scotland, Union Square Developments, Tesco, BAA, Esslemont Marquees, cash and carry Makro, the Mercure Ardoe House Hotel and Spa, Malmaison Hotel, More Than Kitchens, The Store and Uber Direct.

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