PICTURES: Taste North food and drink festival attracts over 1700 visitors
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Exhibitors at the eighth Taste North festival were delighted with the success of this year's event, with comments ranging from "amazing" to "best one ever".
Sunday's food and drink showcase at Wick High School attracted a crowd of 1748, up by more than 300 on the 2022 event at the same venue, and there were 42 exhibitor stands – again an increase on last year.
The packed programme of food and drink demonstrations, an exhibitor marketplace and family activities again proved to be a recipe for success.
Taste North is part of a series of food and drink events and activities supported by Venture North, the destination management organisation for Caithness and Sutherland.
Ellie Lamont, owner of Mackays Hotel and chairperson of Venture North, said: "The feedback from the exhibitors ranged from 'amazing' to 'best one ever' and 'book us in for next year', so we're really, really pleased with the feedback we got. The visitors were also really pleased with the range that we had available.
"One of the exhibitors was sold out quite quickly and all the exhibitors said that they had to keep bringing stock in. Everyone in the Venture North team was delighted with it."
Caithness-born private chef Grant MacNicol was back for a second year to give two demonstrations in the Taste North Cookery Theatre.
He opened with a “Mac ’n’ Crab” dish, then returned to cook with a mystery bag of ingredients. Grant’s Angry Seagull food truck was stationed outside serving up hot food, while the Coast van had crêpes, waffles and hot drinks.
Indoors, Wick High School’s canteen was in demand as it offered a range of food to visitors.
Simon Collier from Mr C's in Thurso again presented a cocktail masterclass.
Ellie said: "Simon is one of the mainstays of Taste North. He supports us every single year.
"This is the second year we've had Grant and he went down well.
"Nicola Macleod of NJDinspired Events Management runs the event for us and she does a fantastic job every year. We brought Nicola in right at the start and we rely a lot on her."
As well as food and drink stands there were a number of craft exhibitors.
The Taste North Challenge baking competition is a highlight of the day and this year it was extended to three categories – 15 and under, 16-24 and open. Entrants were asked to come up with innovative ideas containing a “hero” ingredient from Caithness or Sutherland, with a £50 Taste North voucher and trophy for each category winner.
Winners were:
- Fifteen and under – Robyn Speirs (Firework Night Cake, using home-grown carrots and local eggs)
- Sixteen to 24 – Iona Simpson (Hamish the Highland Coo cake, using Caithness Chocolate)
- Open – Emma Gordon (Scottish lamingtons, using Old Pulteney and home-grown raspberries)
The Taste North Challenge was sponsored by Developing the Young Workforce North Highland and Mackays Hotel.
Ellie said: "The standard of entries was amazing this year.
"With the 15-and-unders, everyone was astounded by the quality and look of what they put in. Our 16-24 category was just great as well, and we were really pleased with the number of entries in the open category.
"It just keeps getting better and better every year and the interest in it is great as well."
Ellie revealed that plans are already being made for the Taste North 10th anniversary event in 2025.
She said: "Taste North will be back for 2024 and we'll publish the date as soon as we have it. That will be our ninth event, and we're planning 2025 as well.
"In 2025 we're going to try to go for a bigger event. It does depend on funding, though."
This year’s Taste North was funded by Foundation Scotland and NRS Dounreay and supported by Venture North.
