Taste Festivals facts for kids

Taste Festivals is a company that organizes fun food festivals all over the world. Imagine a huge party where you can try amazing food from many different restaurants! As of 2012, these festivals had taken place in fifteen cities. Most of the events are called "Taste of" followed by the city name, like "Taste of London." The company also runs The World Restaurant Awards, which celebrates the best restaurants globally. At these festivals, restaurants set up small kitchens, and some even have famous Michelin star chefs!

What Happens at a Taste Festival?

Events run by Taste Festivals are like a giant food playground. Different restaurants set up mini-kitchens where they serve small, delicious dishes for you to try. You can also watch live cooking shows by talented chefs. Some very famous restaurants, like Rhodes 24 and Le Gavroche, have been part of Taste of London. Each festival gives out a special "Best in Taste" award to the restaurant that serves the most amazing dish at the event. It's a great way to discover new favorite foods!

History of Taste Festivals

The very first Taste Festival, called Taste of London, started in 2004 at a place called Somerset House. It was so popular that in 2005, the London event moved to Regent's Park, where it has been held ever since. This show was even named the "Best Consumer Show" in 2012!

London also has a second Taste event later in the year, called the festive edition of Taste of London. It's similar to the main event but focuses more on holiday shopping along with the great food and chef demonstrations. Since 2016, this festive event has been held at Tobacco Docks in London.

Taste of Edinburgh began in 2007. It first took place at The Meadows but moved to Inverleith Park after two years. In 2012, the Edinburgh festival had to be canceled at the last minute because of heavy rain. The site became unsafe for all the visitors who were expected.

By 2012, Taste Festivals were happening in fifteen cities around the world. The restaurants at the 2012 Taste of London alone had a total of 11 Michelin stars, which shows how high-quality the food is! The events also expanded to Africa in 2006 with Taste of Joburg, and then to Cape Town in 2008.

In 2013, a big company called IMG bought Taste Festivals. This helped the festivals grow even more. Hong Kong joined the list of Taste Festival cities in 2016. These festivals are held at the Central Harbourfront, which is an outdoor area with an amazing view of the city skyline. In 2018, about 24,000 food lovers visited the Taste of Hong Kong festival over four days, and it keeps getting more popular!

The Big Feastival

Taste Festivals also started running "The Big Feastival" in 2011. This event is extra special because it combines both amazing food from restaurants and live music from artists! The original idea was to have it in Victoria Park in 2012 during the 2012 Summer Olympics. However, this plan changed. Instead, the event took place at the farm of musician Alex James in Oxfordshire. In 2013, IMG also bought The Big Feastival, just like they did with Taste Festivals.

Where Are Taste Festivals Held?

Taste Festivals happen in many places around the world. Here are some of the regions and cities where you can find them:

Australia

• Taste of Sydney

Ireland

Europe

United Kingdom

Middle East

• Taste of Dubai

Elsewhere

• Taste of Auckland
• Taste of Hong Kong