Taste of London 2013

*I received two complimentary tickets to the Taste of London for the purposes of review.

 It's hard to believe that I've been in London for over a year now.

I'm now attending some events for the 2nd year in a row.  Case in point is Taste of London.

Last year I attended with my then new friend Sarah, who is now a dear friend. 

We were just getting to know each other.  While we were at the food festival,

I received a call from Matt saying that he had got the job!  I was so thrilled.

I burst into tears and started squeaking.   I was certain Sarah was going to think I was nuts,

but she just laughed and gave me a big hug.

Then we headed over to one of the tents for a champagne toast to celebrate.

At that moment, I knew that everything was going to be fine.

I knew that Matt and I were going to be able to build a really good life here in England.

So, I couldn't wait to go the the Taste of London again this year.

This was the 10th Anniversary year for the Taste and it's London's biggest outdoor food festival. 

This is a wonderland for foodies.  Four days of eating, drinking, entertainment and education.

Some of London's hottest restaurants set up booths offering a signature festival menu with tapas size dishes.

Exhibitors from all over the world gather here to share their products with over 50,000 visitors.

You can sign up for a Masterclass or a BBQ Experience and much more.

This year, Gina went along with me to the Taste of London at Regent's Park.

It was raining a bit when we stepped out of the tube station, but it soon stopped

and didn't start again until we were safely home.

We spent all afternoon walking around, sampling food and sipping cocktails.

Pulled pork from two of the featured restaurants was a definite highlight.

We also stopped for a class on how to make the perfect Italian aperitif.

   

I also had another celebrity sighting.  I walked right by Kate Hudson and Matt Bellamy.

It was so surreal.  I was three feet from her, but became completely tongue tied.

She looked so normal, just strolling around.  No entourage or security.

I rushed over to tell Gina.  "Ohmygod! I just saw Kate Hudson.  That's her right there in the peach glasses."

We stalked followed them for a bit trying to get a better view.  Gina never got a straight shot of her face and I don't think she really believed me.  "Yeah right, Selena.  I believe you."

But later she Googled and found a photo to confirm the chick in the peach sunglasses was truly Kate Hudson.  (Gina's promised never to doubt me again, which is probably not a good thing.  I don't have the best eyesight.)

 

 

 

We each purchased £20 worth of Crowns which are the official currency of the event.

£1 gets you two crowns and most of the dishes are about 8-10 crowns (£4-5).

You can purchase them when you buy your tickets in advance

or there are plenty of chances to purchase them at the event.

Some of the exhibitors will also accept cash.

Just don't buy too many as you can't cash them back in if you don't use them.

There are two sessions each day (except Sunday) and your ticket will get you into one of those sessions.

The sessions are from noon to 4pm and 5:30pm to 9:30pm.

There is only one session on Sunday from noon to 5pm.

There is plenty to see and do, so be sure to get there on time to take advantage of the full four hours. 

 

 For 2013, the standard ticket price was £28 at the door and £25.80 in advance which gets you access to the festival and features.  Last year, Matt and I purchased VIP tickets which included fast track entry, access to a VIP Lounge, a glass of champagne and a Taste of London Recipe Book.  The VIP tickets were £70 this year.  

So be sure to save the dates for next year's Taste of London  June 19-22.

For the latest information, sign up for their newsletter or follow them on Twitter.

And don't forget the Taste of Christmas November 21-24, 2013.

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  *I received two complimentary tickets to the Taste of London for the purposes of review.
All photos, writing and opinions are my own.
As always, I promise to be open, honest and transparent with my readers.
If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask.


You can find this review and many others in my
London Attraction Guide.