Guest blogger Billy Gould reviews Foodies Festival in Edinburgh

The Foodies Festival, the UK’s largest celebration of Food and Drink, this year made a welcome return home to Edinburgh. Inverleith Park played host to top chefs from across Scotland including MasterChef: The Professionals finalist Adam Handling, fellow finalist Scott Davies of The Adamson in St Andrews, Celebrity MasterChef favourite Russell Grant, along with some of Edinburghs top chefs. Mark Greenaway, Michelin starred Jeff Bland and TV Chef Tony Singh, cooked some of their favourite summer recipes in the Chefs Theatre.

The festival site was laid out with plenty of room to negotiate the myriad of stalls selling every type of food and drink product imaginable. From local Scottish produce, to exotic African meats this festival had it all. Every stall were vying for you to try their free samples, which really added to the party atmosphere.

Festival goers got the chance to enjoy a beer, wine or cocktail at the Drink Master classes as well as receiving top tips from baking experts in the Chocolate, Cake & Bake Theatre with Glenn Cosby. There was also a producers market, street food and pop-up restaurants to tuck into. The freshly made Italian coffee in the Italian coffee tent was particularly popular.

After a day of feasting, visitors could relax at the champagne; gin and pimms tents equipped with deck chairs and picnic rugs. Or alternatively, you could enjoy an exotic cocktail at the Ibiza riot bar with live DJs, giant beanbags, hanging chairs and hammocks. The entertainment stage featured live music acts and fringe performers, including the beautiful voice of Michelle McManus, over the weekend until 8pm.

For little foodies a children’s cookery theatre was hosted by The Edinburgh School of Food and Wine, running summer themed cookery classes to help children find their taste buds and to teach them some basic cooking skills.

A great day for everyone, the only downside is that we have to wait another year till the next Foodies Festival!

Foodies Festival hold a number of different events across the country each year: Brighton, Marble Hill House and Kenwood House in London takes place in May, Clapham Common in June, Bristol and Cheshire in July, Edinburgh and Battersea Park in August and yet to come on this next weekend - Oxford South Parks.

Keep an eye on our website for 2015 dates.