As July draws closer, Taste of Birmingham looks set to enrich your culinary senses with four days of foodie festivities in the al fresco surroundings of Cannon Hill Park, 10-13 July. For the third consecutive year, Taste of Birmingham will be the only ‘Taste’ festival to host the coveted Restaurant Awards, which will take place in a star-studded Gala Evening on Thursday 10th July.
Atul Kochhar joins Aktar Islam, Surachet Patpun and Chris Duffy
in a culinary contest to launch the Restaurant Awards
Founder of Benares Restaurant, and the first Indian chef to receive a coveted Michelin-star, Atul Kochhar, joined three of Birmingham’s top chefs; Aktar Islam, head chef at Lasan; Chris Duffy, Radisson; and Surachet Patpun of Thai Edge; on Tuesday 10th June to launch the 2008 Restaurant Awards.
Guests were treated to delicious nibbles at Thai Edge, one of the twelve restaurants involved in this year’s Taste of Birmingham festival, before heading outside to witness the chefs demonstrate their BBQ skills. First to take to the griddle was Surachet Patpun of Thai Edge who cooked Thai-style grilled sea bass with garlic marinade; he was then followed by Aktar Islam who served up amazing Malai mutton chop. Finally, Chris Duffy, head chef at Filini brought the BBQ to a climax with steamed sea bass with Lingurian and Panzella salad.
After sampling the three dishes Kochhar said, "They were all beautiful so it was very hard to judge but I think my favourite was the Thai dish… I have a weakness for Thai."
As well as this display of culinary perfection, details of this year’s Awards were announced. Head of the Judging Panel, Paul Fulford, Birmingham Mail, announced the ten award categories: Best Newcomer, Best Restaurant 2008, Rising Star, Best Out of Town Restaurant, Best Use of Seasonal Produce, Best Family Restaurant, Best Service, Best Business Lunch, Outstanding Personal Contribution and Chef’s Chef Award. Fulford also announced that two of this year’s awards, Best Family Restaurant and Best Business Lunch, would be decided through a public vote in Birmingham Mail and Post.
Paul Fulford said, “I am extremely proud of the Birmingham restaurant scene which has improved beyond measure in the last ten to fifteen years.
Through events like this I’m pleased the city is finally getting the culinary recognition it deserves."
The 2008 Awards, sponsored by Marketing Birmingham, will be hosted by Antony Worrall Thompson on Thursday 10 July, and will celebrate the best of the Midlands’ cuisine.
Dave Hodgson of Marketing Birmingham also spoke at the launch, “Taste of Birmingham Restaurant Awards are all about celebrating the region’s talent. We’re really pleased that Birmingham and the Midlands as a whole are fully established as foodie hotspots.
Birmingham was the first city outside London to host a Taste Festival, and Taste of Birmingham is the only one to hold Restaurant Awards. The Awards put the spotlight on the region’s culinary talent and this year is no exception with excellent restaurants such as Opus and Simpsons shortlisted for Awards.”
Details of this year’s shortlist were also announced; Best Newcomer candidates are Turners, Purnells, Jacky’s Kitchen and Pascals; Best Use of Seasonal Produce is Simpsons, Opus, Filini and Hotel du Vin; and Best Restaurant 2008 finalists are Simpsons, Purnells, Lasan and Cielo. The shortlist for another important category this year, Best Out of Town Restaurant, is Liaison (Shirley), Lyttelton Arms (Hagley), Town House (Solihull) and Saffron (Oldbury).
The three chefs from Lasan, Thai Edge and Filini will join other top restaurants such as Simpsons, Malmaison and La Becasse in the four-day food festival, at Cannon Hill Park, 10-13 July, which will also see Antony Worrall Thompson and Aldo Zilli in attendance.
Over 20,000 visitors are expected to attend this year’s festival to enjoy features such as the Spice Quarter, Taste Kitchen with Sainsbury’s, delicious. magazine Producers’ Market, ‘Brindleyplace Experience’, and Lavazza’s Aroma Theatre.
Tickets for Taste of Birmingham start from £12 and can be bought from the box office 0871 230 5581 or through the website www.channel4.com/taste.
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