From the 13th to the 15th November, Foodies Festival Christmas will bring Scotland’s top chefs, award-winning artisan producers and international street food together under one roof for a fabulous festive feast.
Acclaimed chefs from across Scotland will swap their aprons for Santa hats in the Aga Rangemaster Chefs Theatre, sharing their favourite recipes and top tips to help visitors create the perfect Christmas banquet.
Chefs already confirmed to attend include MasterChef winner 2015 Jamie Scott, Great British Menu Regional Campaign, Jacqueline O'Donnell and MasterChef Winner 2014 Ping Coombes.
The festival will feature a range of activities including Retro Recipes in the Chefs Theatre where festival-goers will be transported back in time to the 1960s where several chefs will recreate classic recipes such as prawn cocktail, baked alaska and chicken kiev in their own signature style.
Picture: Foodies Festival cooking demonstration
An Artisan Christmas Market will play host to over 150 of Scotland's finest producers selling locally produced cheeses, chutneys, chocolates, sauces and jams, biscuits and crackers, cakes, puddings and more for visitors to sample and shop from; perfect for picking-up those little extras that make Christmas extra tasty and special.
The Christmas Market will also offer a range of delicious and healthy vegan, veggie and gluten-free treats for visitors to indulge in including desserts, street food, bakes, condiments, beers, wines and more.
Gin lovers will also be catered for as Edinburgh's gin producers, Daffy's, Pickering's and Edinburgh Gin, host daily Christmas gin cocktail masterclasses. Wine experts Charles Metcalfe and Neil Philips will also be on-hand helping visitors match wines with Christmas flavours in the Drinks Theatre and beer expert Melissa Cole champions craft beers as an alternative to wine and champagne this Christmas in masterclasses with local brewers.
Other features of the festival include a Street Food Village where visitors can feast of flavours from around the world, a Cake & Bake Theatre hosted by Scotland's top bakers, chocolatiers and GBBO contestants and an accompanying Pudding Hall - a haven of sweet treats selling festive favourites such as eggnog and mulled wine, mince pies, Christmas cakes, marzipan bonbons and macaroons.
While parents shop and enjoy a chilled glass of bubbly from the Champagne Ski Bar, children under 12 can enrol in the Elf Cookery School with Kiddy Cook, where they can bake and decorate snowballs, gingerbread men, cookies and cupcakes to leave out for Santa.
Just like Christmas day there is lots of post-feasting fun to be had with live music, local choirs singing carols and entertainment throughout the day. Visitors can enter the Chilly-Eating Competition (the winter version of the famous chilli contest), register their team to compete in the Christmas Bumper Quiz and have a group Christmas jumper picture taken in the photo booth.
