Old Spitalfields Market has been announced as the location for two of the highest-profile events at the 2010 London Restaurant Festival (October 4-18). The first is a market hosted by a collection of Festival restaurants. The second is a glamorous awards evening bringing together the best chefs and restaurateurs in the industry.
The London Restaurant Festival Market will run for six days (October 11-13 and October 15-17). It will showcase the diversity of cuisines available in the capital as well as the wonderful produce its restaurants rely on.
Numerous well-known establishments will be represented, while there will also be different zones dedicated to different nations, such as Mexico and Malaysia. Restaurants will highlight their country’s produce and cooking techniques through demonstrations, while visitors will also be able to buy produce and freshly-cooked dishes.
The market format means visitors will be able to learn about the food and cooking styles of many different restaurants and countries in just a few hours. Set against the backdrop of the iconic Old Spitalfields Market, the event looks set to become a Festival regular in the years ahead.
Old Spitalfields Market will also be the location for the glitz and glamour of the London Restaurant Festival Awards, which will take place on the evening of the 18th October. The awards ceremony will bring this year’s fortnight-long celebration of food to an end. In a sign of the Festival’s growing scale, this year’s awards will be four times bigger than in 2009 and will be a celebration of London’s chefs, restaurants and the diverse cuisine which is served up throughout London’s 33 boroughs.
The evening will see a number of London Restaurant Festival sponsors and restaurants creating special food stalls including a bespoke G. H. Mumm champagne bar.
Simon Davis, Festival Director, London Restaurant Festival, said: “It seems only right that one of the capital’s best-loved spaces should play a starring role what is becoming one of the capital’s best-loved events. The second London Restaurant Festival already looks set to outstrip last year’s inaugural event in terms of incredible food, star names and wonderful venues – we’re thrilled that Old Spitalfields Market is going to be right at the heart of proceedings.”
Malcolm Ball, chief executive of Wellington Market Company, the organisation responsible for the day-to-day operation of Old Spitalfields Market, said: “We are delighted to be hosting the London Restaurant Festival’s Suppliers’ Market and Awards Ceremony for 2010. With so many fantastic restaurants and food outlets on site at Old Spitalfields Market, this partnership with the London Restaurant Festival will provide a tremendous showcase of what Old Spitalfields Market has to offer.
“Both events will provide the London Restaurant Festival’s participating restaurants, supporters and consumers with the opportunity to experience the uniqueness of Old Spitalfields Market as an events venue, as well as visiting one of London’s premier visitor attractions.”
Old Spitalfields Market is one of the finest surviving covered Victorian market halls in London. The venue is fast becoming one of London’s most sought-after event venues and is equipped with state-of-the-art facilities. The London Restaurant Festival Awards and the London Restaurant Festival Market are just two of many high-profile events being held at Old Spitalfields Market over the coming months.
The London Restaurant Festival will strengthen the market’s growing reputation as a foodie destination. This aspect of the market’s offering will be further enhanced by the soon-to-open ‘Flavours’ food court, a special area of the market that will be dedicated to showcasing the best in local, regional and international food and drink.
For more information and for tickets to this year’s Festival events go tohttp://www.londonrestaurantfestival.com
