Lisa Higginson
The movers and shakers of Manchesterâs food and drink world gathered in the dizzy heights of The Modern for a first taste of the cityâs annual culinary celebration. More than 70 people attended the first Manchester Food and Drink Festival (MFDF) Ambassadorâs event on Tuesday (June 16) to hear whatâs on the menu for this yearâs event.
Festival director Phil Jones whet the Ambassadorâs appetites with the promise that the 12th annual MFDF â which runs from 1-12 October â was shaping up to be the best yet. Guests heard how organisers were raising the bar for 2009 with the introduction of a host of brand new events, including wine and whisky festivals, as well as the launch of a new regional food summit. Festival favourites such as the producersâ markets, chef demonstrations, MFDF restaurant offers and the Greater Manchester Real Ale Festival are also set to return for the two-week extravaganza.
Having secured major sponsor Love Food Hate Waste, this yearâs event will follow the theme of sustainability with emphasis on reducing food waste. To that end, MFDF is introducing the first North West Food Summit at The Palace Hotel from 1-2 October. This will be the UKâs first dedicated food and drink conference and aims to provide a forum for the industry to debate and discuss issues and present new opportunities. The first North West Food Summit will be entitled The Great Sustainability Debate and will focus on the impact of environmental sustainability expectations on the industry as well as the impact of the economic downturn. It is hoped the summit will become an annual event.
MFDFâs calendar of events will once again culminate with a Gala Dinner and MFDF Awards Ceremony at The Palace Hotel and this year the glitzy gathering will be hosted by celebrity chef duo The Hairy Bikers.
July will see the launch of the new MFDF 2009 website, which will provide a comprehensive guide to the festival as well as information on participants and nominations for the MFDF awards.
For information on how to get involved with MFDF 2009 contact 0161 839 3461 or visit www.foodanddrinkfestival.com