Light bites: Brighton & Hove Food Festival

September sees the return of the Brighton and Hove Food Festival Autumn Programme and as ever I will be out and about making public appearances across the city.

The first will be at Hotel du Vin for Make Your Case. We piloted this in 2011 and it was a raucous evening of lively debate and booze. This year presenters will have three minutes to introduce their wine, blind, and then the assembled audience will vote.

At the end of the evening one wine will be revealed to be the winner and one audience member will go home with a bottle of each of the wines presented. I will be joined on stage by co-host Henry Butler so it should be a ribald and gastronomic treat (Friday 7 Sept, Pub du Vin Ballroom, tickets £20 to include wine and food platters).

This year the Live Food Stage sponsored by Latest 7 will be on Hove Lawns as part of the festival’s international market on Saturday 15 and Sunday 16 September. Once again I will be joined on stage by local chefs and food producers but also by guest chefs from France participating in Chef Exchange at L’Eglise in Hove. We will also be presenting the awards for our new food and produce competition the Big Brighton Bite Off with classes for kids, adults and professionals – for more details take a look at the festival’s website.

I will also be taking part in an industry event in conjunction with Brighton & Hove Chamber of Commerce and open to the hospitality industry. Hospitality Out of the Box will be a seminar format event in which industry professionals will discuss how best to promote your business.

If that sounds too serious then you will probably find me at the launch in Bartholomew Square having a stab at the noodle eating competition.

There are many more events, details of which can be found on the website at: www.brightonfoodfestival.com