Food Festival

The biggest food and drink festival in Scotland’s north-east is going virtual later this month, starring some of Courier Country’s talented producers.

It’s been a funny old summer and, for food lovers, there has been a distinct lack of events promoting the wonderful food and drink produced across Tayside, Fife and beyond.

Fear not, however, as Taste of Grampian will be hosting six “virtual” tents at the festival, which takes place online between Friday September 18 and Sunday September 20. Each tent will be streaming a variety of videos over the event weekend.

Angus, Dundee City, Fife, and Perth and Kinross councils have teamed up to sponsor the Taste of Tayside and Fife tent.

Some of the businesses taking part include: 71 Brewing and Verdant Spirits from Dundee; Pilgrim’s Gin, Deli-Isher’s Cuisine, The Dory Bistro and Gallery and Janettas Gelateria, all based in Fife; and Provender Brown Delicatessen, The Highland Chocolatier, Persie Distillery and Broadslap Fruit Farm, all from Perth and Kinross.

Angus businesses featuring will be: Toll House Spirits Ltd, Fournos authentic Greek food, Angus Soft Fruits, Arbikie Distillery, The Gin Bothy and Ella Drinks.

Well-known local industry experts – including The Kilted Chef, Craig Wilson, from Eat on the Green in Aberdeenshire – will showcase the wealth of produce available across the regions in their cooking demonstrations.

After making the difficult decision to postpone Taste of Grampian due to the pandemic, organisers rallied and announced that the festival would instead be making a virtual comeback.

By hosting the event online, the festival will continue to provide an opportunity to celebrate and promote Scottish fare to audiences across Scotland, the UK and even the world.

From interactive gin tastings, cooking demonstrations and cook-alongs, to live online entertainment and fantastic foodie hints and tips from local producers and professionals, there is so much to look forward to.

Angus Council leader David Fairweather said: “Angus has a high-profile food culture, with excellent promotion prospects to develop the supply chain and better connect business opportunities.

“The Invest in Angus team works closely with a number of local food and drink producers and fully supports the Scottish Government’s ambition to double the size of the industry to £30 billion by 2030. This is an opportunity to drive Angus food and drink sales domestically in Scotland.”

Roz McCall, business ambassador at Perth and Kinross Council, said: “Our area is home to many exceptional and award-winning businesses and producers, and the Taste of Tayside and Fife tent provides an ideal platform to share some of their stories.”

Mark Flynn, convener of Dundee City Council’s city development committee, said: “The high quality, locally produced food and drink on offer in Dundee is an important part of the visitor experience, as well as one of the great things about living here.”

Altany Craik, convener for Fife Council’s economy, tourism, strategic planning and transportation committee, added: “As Fife Council continues to assist local businesses recover from lockdown, the economic development team is employing innovative ways to assist them in connecting with new customers.

“Showcasing Fife companies in the virtual world and helping them build their digital marketing knowledge is more vital than ever as consumers buy more products online.”

Taste of Grampian, which is run in association with Quality Meat Scotland, is also supported by ANM Group, Opportunity North East, the Evening Express and The Press and Journal.

Picture:  John Torode, Celebrity Chef at Taste of Grampan Festival 2019