Taste of Leeds 5th-8th June 2008, Millennium Square
The ubiquity of quality wining and dining establishments in Leeds is now truly notable, having become firmly embedded in the city’s culture almost imperceptibly over a remarkably short period of time.
Loiners have known this for a while now: Leeds’ extravagant tastes are palpable when considering evidence in the form of popular student hangout Opposite which came second in the national Barista’s Excellence awards only 6 months after opening, or the phenomenal takeaway boxpizza overseen by Michelin-starred Henry Vigar. When the everyday is this good, it can only bode well for the extraordinary.
Finally, the rest of the country is starting to take notice of this turnaround in Leeds’ foodie fortunes, a shift measurable by the recent glut of top restaurateurs (Raymond Blanc, Albert Roux, Marco Pierre White and Jamie Oliver) flooding into the city to get their own slice of the thriving scene.
Once and for all pinning Leeds and its surrounding area onto the UK’s gastronomic map, Channel 4’s Taste festival series has chosen Millennium Square in which to make its Northern debut this June. Taste festivals bring a city’s (and its suburbs') top restaurateurs together in one place, throwing some top quality local producers into the mix.
There’ll be tasting sessions and demonstrations from some of the region’s best chefs, working alongside household names such as Anthony Worrell Thompson. And best of all, your ticket gives you the chance to try out signature dishes from the most exclusive restaurants in town, saving you the process of making your reservations and agonising over a mouthwatering menu, and cutting straight to the chase.
Participating establishments confirmed so far include Anthony’s, Harvey Nicholls, Room, Orchid, El Gato Negro, with plenty more to be announced. Organisers have also taken into account Leeds’ solid reputation for top quality drinking spots, and are constructing the city’s longest bar, at 24m, with cocktails and specialists beers and wines served by representatives from bars such as Verve and Oracle.
So it might not be a night of being fawned over by the maitre d’ whilst fulfilling that exclusive reservation you’ve been waiting on for weeks, but Taste will provide an all-encompassing and affordable appetizer for what’s on offer in the flourishing city of Leeds.
Rachel Jeffcoat
Taste of Leeds 5th-8th June 2008, Millennium Square
