27th November 2024
Taste North 2024 welcomed over 2,100 visitors, setting a new attendance record for the annual food and drink festival organised by Venture North. Now in its ninth year, the event showcased the best in local produce, featuring 56 exhibitors, including exciting new businesses from Orkney, the North Highlands, and Kinross.
Renowned Scottish celebrity chef and restaurateur Tony Singh MBE captivated audiences with live cookery demonstrations, sharing his culinary expertise through mouth-watering recipes such as Haddock with Lime and Ginger Butter, Bombay Aloo, and Lamb Vhura with Dalz. Assisting Tony was Harris Turnbull, a professional cookery student from UHI NWH Thurso and Castletown Hotel, highlighting local talent.
Tony participated as a judge in the Taste North Challenge, an event celebrating exceptional culinary creativity. In the 15 and Under category, Robyn Speirs showcased her talent with a Blackcurrant, Lime, and Pistachio Cake, crafted using homegrown blackcurrants and local eggs. In the Open category, Rachel Patterson impressed with her Mini Marmalade Battenbergs, made with Three Fruit Marmalade from Donna’s Crafts in Latheronwheel. Finally, in the Commercial Operator category, Emma Gordon of Bonbon Bakery stood out with her Spiced Rum Carrot Cake, featuring Ice & Fire Distillery’s Caithness Raiders Dark Spiced Rum.
Taste North was also nominated for the 2024 Highlands and Islands Thistle Awards in the Outstanding Cultural Event or Festival category, highlighting its remarkable contribution to showcasing the region’s exceptional food, drink, and cultural heritage. Taste North will celebrate its 10th anniversary milestone in 2025.