Dines Out: The British Street Food Awards come to Brighton’s Big Screen
It looks like street food is here to stay and who amongst can deny that they have been seduced by the smell of delicious foods that are cropping up in our streets and markets. It comes as no surprise then that The British Street Food Awards, a reflection of the melting pot of culinary influences that makes the UK’s food scene so vibrant and diverse, is the toughest street food competition in the world. This year the South East heat comes as a live cook-out on Brighton Beach with the national final judged by the general public and Michelin-starred chefs. The British winners will then head off to Berlin to represent the UK against the best of Europe.
On 30th July, the 15 best traders from London and the South will be cooking up their signature dishes near to the Brighton’s Palace Pier – with an amazing day of food programming on the Big Screen to enjoy. With themed dishes to match the films – including Willy Wonka, Ratatouille and Chef. The people of Brighton can vote for two traders to go through to the finals, in Manchester, and – potentially – onto the finals of the inaugural European Street Food Awards.
The Big Screen is the largest event of its kind in Europe. It features all-weather seating for hundreds and a capacity of 3000 at any one time. Entry is just £5 and includes two movies, full use of the venue and a huge array of beach treats and entertainment.
“ With themed dishes to match the films – including Willy Wonka ”
“Street food is taking over” says Richard Johnson, founder of the BSFAs. “It’s interesting that in the midst of troubled times, we are choosing to eat in different ways. We just don’t want that fixed starter-main course-dessert menu any more. We want a bit of this and a bit of that – flirty, low-commitment dining.”
The end-of-season bash comes at an exciting time for British Street Food. And, in an effort to future-proof the street food revolution, the BSF team are about to launch the European Street Food app, which will showcase the best street food on the continent. With live GPS maps showing who’s trading where and when, it will also continue the latest news stories, and allow punters to vote for their winners at the European Street Food Awards.
“The next step is to form a European team to take on the Americans” says Johnson. “Take a container ship to New York, full of our very best traders, and compete on the streets of Manhattan. Then it’s the Far East. Although not sure how well we’d do on a floating market. This way of eating is all about coming together and sharing food – in a world like ours, that’s a positive message right now.”
Richard Johnson, 07976603098, richard@britishstreetfood.co.uk
