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After months of planning for this one week in June, where thousands descend on Regent’s Park in London to try the best culinary treats, drink sip on cocktails and explore new products, the 17th of June finally rolled around. With the weather forecast looking unfortunately gloomy the preparations went ahead smoothly. Our brand new events stand was erected seamlessly and looked magnificent where the Belazu flags stood proudly atop the tent, our stand also included a stunning new demo kitchen and bar as well as two different retail spaces.
With two full days to get the stand looking its best, we were eagerly awaiting the first visitors when the gates opened at 5.30pm on Wednesday 19th June. From the first evening the Belazu tent had a constant flow of people watching one of the many chef demonstrations, trying our selection of olives on offer or grabbing a drink and nibbles at the bar. Even the rain didn’t deter the crowds, who continued to come for all 5 days.
As our chef demos were such a success in previous years, this year we upped the anti and had 23 different demonstrations on our stand throughout the festival. A whole range of chefs took to the Belazu stand to cook a wide variety of delicious dishes, that the audience were more than happy to try. Belazu’s Product Specialist, Robert Curbishley, held a Balsamic Vinegar masterclass to explain how Balsamic Vinegar is made and why a cheap bottle has the same EU status as one 14 times the price. For a full list of the demonstrations please see below.
All in all, Taste of London 2019 was a great success presenting us with a unique opportunity to engage with customers and showcase the wide retail range that we have on offer. Our new stand worked effectively and efficiently and was able house our many guests that visited over the course of the event. We want to give a special thank you to all of our of very talented chefs who demonstrated their skills over the 5 days, all our guest and customers who visited the stand and the Belazu crew who worked so hard to make it all possible. We are very excited to come back in 2020 bigger and better than ever!
Chef Demonstrations:
Aine Carlin – Author of vegan cookbooks including ‘Cook, Share, Eat Vegan’. Aine cooked griddled aubergine & courgette roll-ups with a Wood Roasted Piquillo Pepper and Preserved Lemon Barley Cous Cous.
Alexandra Dudley – Food & Travel Writer and Author of cookbook ‘Land and Sea’. Alexandra cooked two different recipes; Rose Harissa sesame roast carrots with Tahini and chargrilled Zhougy gem lettuces with pecorino.
Angela Cutton – Award winning food writer & author of The Vinegar Cupboard. Angela demoed two recipes from her new book; quick pickled radish and scallops with malted butter.
Anna Hansen – Former owner & chef at The Modern Pantry. Anna cooked a Chermoula baked sea trout with turmeric roast cauliflower and Zhoug Tahini cream.
Billy & Jack – London super club chefs. Recipe writers, content creators and former MasterChef contestants cooked lamb with cauliflower hummus, smoked yoghurt, pulled lamb pastilla and Zhoug as well as charred courgette and asparagus salad, with ricotta and Preserved Lemons.
Elly Curshen – AKA Elly Pear, Sunday Times bestselling cookery author including her most recent book ‘Green’. Elly cooked a selection of recipes from her recent cookbook including; aubergine, tomato and chickpea traybake and a sesame roasted new potato salad.
Frank Coughlan & Monty Panesar – Frank, Executive Head Chef at BaxterStorey and Monty, former international cricketer. This unlikely duo met on BBC Celebrity MasterChef and have been cooking up a storm in the kitchen together ever since! At the Belazu stand they whipped up a Rose Harissa corn bread topped with creamed mushrooms and Fresh Leaf Basil Pesto.
Gary Foulkes – Executive Head Chef of the Michelin-starred restaurant, Angler. Gary treated the audience to fresh Orkney scallops with spiced hummus, orange and basil.
Geneveive Taylor – Live Fire & BBQ Expert and cookbook author. Geneveive cooked Rose Harissa stuffed peppers from her most recent cookbook ‘Charred’.
Georgina Hayden – Cookery author, food writer & stylist for delicious. magazine. Georgina cooked too different dishes from her new book ‘Taverna’ recipes inspired by growing up above her Grandparents North London Cypriot Taverna, Tahinopita and Strapatsada.
James Goodyear – Head Chef at Michelin-starred Hide Above. James cooked raw scallops with broad beans, white currants and chilled fig leaf broth using Belazu Fig Leaf Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
Josh Angus – Head Chef at Michelin-starred Hide Ground. One of the few sweet offerings from our collection of chef demonstrations, Josh cooked a Verdemanda Extra Virgin Olive Oil & pistachio cake with green olive ice cream, strawberries and toasted Kasha.
Josh Katz – Founder and Head Chef at Berber & Q. Josh cooked a Rose Harrisa chicken with carrot muhammara, charred onion and garlic yoghurt.
Dan Acevedo & Sarah Wasserman – Dan is Executive Head Chef and Sarah Development Chef at Mildreds. A recipe each from Dan and Sarah, a Skordalia and plum black cherry waffles with a Tahini yoghurt and Pomegranate Molasses.
Romy Gill MBE – Food writer & owner of Romy’s Kitchen. Romy cooked a Rose Harissa Sheekh Kebab, a crowd pleasing recipe perfect for cooking on the BBQ.
Ramael Scully – Head Chef and co-owner of Scully. Scully didn’t cook just one salad but three different salads; including Freekeh salad with pickled red onions, Piquillo Pepper dressing & Smoked Almonds.
Three Girls Cook – Alison, Giovanna & Lorna – 2017 Masterchef Finalists. Three Girls Cook created a delicious dish of Rose Harissa roasted chickpeas with Tahini yoghurt and jammy eggs.
Hus Vedat – Executive Head Chef at Yosma. Hus cooked a traditional Turkish dish of cheese filled Manti with grated truffle and truffle oil drizzled on top.
