From 10 – 28 May, Leeds Indie Food festival will celebrate Leeds’ thriving independent food and drink scene. Funded by Leeds Business Improvement District (LeedsBID) and Leeds City Council, the annual food and drink festival is an important showcase of Leeds’ ever-growing community of independent businesses and its fourth year will host even more events and collaborations than ever before.
The 2018 programme of over 80 events is spread across three festival strands: Eat, Drink and Do. Events include collaboration menus, exhibitions, a PAYF supermarket, latte art throwdowns, coffee schools, beer markets, tasting menus, street food markets, wine debates, film nights, food photography, outdoor dining, chocolate making, dine-along cinema, talks and supper clubs. The food festival sees old favourites (such as Chef: The Experience, School Diner and The North Bar Magical Mystery Tour) and new faces (vegan junk food from Knave’s Kitchen, Real Junk Food Emporium’s PAYF supermarket at 34 Boar Lane and a cooking demo with Rafi’s Spicebox with tea pairing courtesy of North Star Coffee Roasters) as well as the return of Leeds Indie Food and North Brewing Co.’s weekly street food fair every Saturday: Eat North.
This year’s festival also focuses on the importance of sustainability with more and more independent businesses now committing to mission statements, working towards zero waste policies. Alongside the Real Junk Food Emporium’s PAYF Supermarket and their fine-dining evenings (using surplus food) and the Food Waste Exposed Ramen Pop-up event at Hyde Park Book Club whilst renowned chefs Ben Davy(Ox Club, Patty Smith’s, Dough Boys, Small Victories) and Adam Smith (Real Junk Food Project) have challenged each other to go head to head in a cook-off, using surplus ingredients, with the public voting for the best dish.
In the run-up to the start of the festival, Leeds Indie Food have also re-launched a new event; Eating Your Own Mind will see Chef Jono from XO Supper Club serve a five-course vegetarian dinner, supported by Andrew Critchett of Fish& and a team of volunteers in support of raising money for and awareness of mental health, specifically in the hospitality industry. All profits will be donated to Leeds MIND.
With many events already/close to selling out, head to www.leedsindiefood.co.uk to browse the events and buy tickets.
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