Restaurants pop up at Exeter Festival of South West Food & Drink

A unique dining experience is on offer at the 2012 Exeter Festival of South West Food & Drink when five of the region's best restaurants will temporarily relocate to the Festival to show off their skills and serve signature dishes to Festival goers in Northernhay Gardens, Exeter from 13th - 15th April.

The brand new Gourmet on the Go feature at the Exeter Food Festival offers the chance to taste the food of some of the region's top restaurants and enjoy menu's inspired by the South West's best produce when established restaurants set up shop right in the heart of the Festival.

Michael Caines MBE, Exeter Food Festival co-founder, explains, "We want people to be able to taste high quality food from some of the best chefs and restaurants they may otherwise not get to enjoy. The temporary nature of pop-up restaurants is what makes them exciting - and a must do experience at this year's Festival."

Dishes on the menu are from Fifteen Cornwall, the Jamie Oliver inspired restaurant; award winning cuisine from Browns Hotel, Tavistock; contemporary dishes from the celebrated chefs of Brownsword Hotels group; fine dining from Taste of the West Gold Award winners The HH, Exeter and seasonal delicacies from St Olaves, Exeter.

Andy Appleton, Head Chef, Fifteen Cornwall, taking part in Gourmet on the Go, says, "This will be our first time at the Exeter Festival of Food and Drink - the event sounds great and our team of professional and apprentice chefs are delighted to be part of it this year. We are looking forward to serving up some great tasting Italian food using some of the very best Cornish produce with our unique Fifteen Cornwall twist."

Choose from a mini two Michelin star selection of classic Michael Caines dishes from Brownsword Hotels, including pan fried scallops with caramelised cauliflower puree and cumin volute or Pipers Farm spring lamb as well as a selection of Italian, Moroccan and modern British menus made with regionally sourced, seasonal produce including starters of Vulscombe Goats Cheese mousse with poached rhubarb from The HH, main courses of Dartmoor lamb cutlet shepherd's pie or broad bean risotto from Brown's and deserts including Fifteen's very own rhubarb fool using Cornish rhubarb and clotted cream. All Gourmet on the Go restaurant starters and deserts will be £5 each and all main courses £8 each.

The HH, Head Chef Craig Sampson, says, "Gourmet on the Go offers a fantastic opportunity for us at the HH restaurant to be involved with the food festival, you can expect us to serve up some serious plate appeal! We are really looking forward to mixing with the very best food producers in the South West and getting to meet and thank the people that make what we do possible, the South West foodies!"

Trainee chefs and restaurateurs from the Exeter College Michael Caines Academy will be making the most of exceptional work experience opportunities at the Exeter Food Festival, learning from and supporting the chefs in both the Gourmet on the Go and the Festival Cookery Theatre.

The three-day festival is also a great chance to buy the finest produce from over a hundred regional producers in 3 huge food pavilions and to see over 30 top chefs demonstrate their skills in the Festival Cookery Theatre. Visitors can pick up tips at a number of expert masterclasses, get advice on herb, vegetable and fruit gardening and some hot BBQ cooking tips in the mini show garden in the Fermoy's Grow Your Own area, get hands on in the Darts Farm Food is Fun theatre and enjoy the atmosphere of the South West's famous food and drink Festival in the beautiful surroundings of Exeter Castle and Northernhay Gardens.

After the daytime events, enjoy the Festival After Dark Party on both Friday and Saturday nights in Exeter Castle courtyard with a mouth-watering array of stalls serving delicious regional fare, ales and cider, sizzling chef demos and live music from the renowned Mama Stones House Band with special guests.

Now in its ninth year, Exeter Festival of South West Food and Drink is supported by Exeter City Council.

Tickets can be booked in advance and are on sale now.  For more information or to buy tickets visit: exeterfoodanddrinkfestival.co.uk