RESTAURATEURS and food producers across Hampshire will have the chance to hear from celebrity chefs at a major taste this weekend.

The Taste at the Top of the Town festival on Sunday will be coming to Basingstoke to offer foodies a bespoke range of tasty treats.

Businesses in the area like The Lime Leaf will be working with famous chef Jean-Christophe Novelli, pictured above, at a food theatre in the Market Place.

Hundreds of Hampshire producers are expected to join the line-up for the festival, bringing their unique produce for people to taste and buy in the artisan food market.

Some delights which organisers hope will tempt visitors include various free samples from companies like Basing Bakes, Northdown Orchard vegetables and Belinda Clarke’s Gourmet Marshmallows.

Other produce up for grabs will include Hampshire cheese, olives, chutneys, chilli products, New Forest farm beef, homemade fudge, wood fire pizzas, paella street food as well as specially infused liquors with Whiskey, gin and rum.

Celebrated chefs will be joining Jean-Christophe in the food theatre to host live cooking demonstrations including James Durrant from The Plough in Longparish and Andy MacKenzie from Lainston House Hotel.

Ross Harvie from Proteus Theatre Company is helping with the event, he said: “We are thrilled to have 25 local independent producers in the heart of the Top of the Town, through our work we want to improve the culinary offering in Basingstoke alongside fantastic free cultural and artistic experiences for the local community. This really is an event not to be missed and something we hope to see more of in the future.”

The festival will also have activities for the family with a programme of food themed entertainment, from a new food-inspired theatre show and workshops encouraging kids to creates their own pedal-powered smoothie on the smoothie bike.

For people wanting to be hands-on with their food there will also be fruity art and craft workshops like courgette carving.

Lainston House will also be showcasing their Hampshire cookery school for aspiring chefs and visitors can admire the creative talents of BCoT students as they take to the stage with a Food Dye Fashion show.

The Food Theatre programme kicks off at 10.30am with a Kiddies juice making session, followed by James Durrant at 11.30am, and Jean Christophe Novelli at 12.15pm and 3.15pm.

Taste at the Top of the Town will be held on Sunday, August 2 from 10am- 4:30pm and is free entry.

To find out more visit www.topofthetown.org or call 01256 321 621.