Dines Out: The year ahead

At the end of last year I looked back at what that year had held for we food lovers, and there was much that is good. To be honest, here in Brighton & Hove we are pretty lucky to have such a wide range of food and drink choices. On my travels I sometimes despair at other British cities where there are so few choices and so many of them are those all too familiar chains. Not that I have anything against the better chains, they offer value, reliability and comforting familiarity. How often have I drifted into a Pizza Express knowing that my American Hot with extra capers will hit exactly the right spot? Too many times to number. I am also a fan of Carluccio’s and when in doubt when out and about will seek the comfort of their tasty and satisfying menu. Good chains are the no-risk option when out and about unarmed of local intelligence.

Here in this city by the sea we have become champions of the independent business in so many fields, from estate agents (turn the mag over) to restaurants and I suspect few other cities or towns of a similar size (we should not lose sight of just how small Brighton & Hove is) can boast as many independent restaurants. It is without doubt the reason that we have become a major culinary destination for visiting food lovers and dining in many of our most noted restaurants we should not be surprised if the people at the next table have travelled here to enjoy that experience, not just from the UK but from around the globe.

Will dining in be the new dining out? Not with so much local talent to devour and enjoy!

Given all of this what might we expect in the year ahead? For me my first major food event will be the first of the year’s Brighton & Hove Food & Drink Festival. Already planned is another epic festival including Brighton Cocktail Week; chef exchanges with St Lucia, Guernsey, Gibraltar and Holland; a Pommery Champagne dinner; German wine dinner at the Chilli Pickle with Johannishof winery; Sussex wine bus tour; Food Lab at 64 Degrees and lots more including the epic free entry Sussex & The World Weekend on Brighton’s seafront Hove Lawns on Saturday 27 to bank holiday Monday 29 May. Keep an eye on the festival’s Facebook page over the next few weeks for more info and events and details of how to book tickets to those events. And please note that our festival on Hove Lawns is free entry unlike other food festivals that charge for entry.

I will certainly be there for my 12th year hosting the live food stage in the marquee and already we are talking to the city’s best chefs about them coming along and sharing their kitchen secrets, and again it’s free entry.

As you have just read our International chef exchange project continues and although I am not currently filming them you can now watch International Chef Exchange, the Latest TV series on Amazon Prime, six episodes and there is one further episode filmed in Vancouver and featuring Brighton’s world acclaimed restaurant Terre à Terre in all its gastronomic glory.

I will still be on your screens on Freeview channel 7 and Virgin 159 and I will be hosting a new chat show called AK Soufflè as part of our brand new LGBT+ channel.

Any other predictions? Well I foresee that there will be lots more pop up events across the city as young chefs seek that opportunity to prove themselves and that supper clubs will go from strength to strength too. I also think that we will be dining in and extending our home cooking skills, after all, with so much great local produce now available who would not want to dive in and entertain chez nous. Will dining in be the new dining out? Not with so much local talent to devour and enjoy!