Raymond Blanc, Ainsley Harriot and Monica Galetti have added their names to what looks to be a jam-packed foodie celebration at the The Times and The Sunday Times Cheltenham Literary Festival.
Also featuring at the festival, which runs from October 8 to 17, will be a Dishoom dinner with co-founder Shamil Thakrar, an afternoon tea with baker Jane Dunn, a meal with Ravinder Bhogal will be cooking up a storm and Claudia Roden will channel the warm glow and tastes of the Med.
They will appear alongside, award-winning Anna Jones who will speak on sustainable and stylish snacks, while renowned chef Emily Scott will be joined by musician Gerry Smyth in a celebration of Cornish food and shea shanties, and Mandy Yin will share her love of Malaysian cuisine.
The programme also features snippets from food historian Pen Vogler, who is set to reveal the history of British eating habits, and Giffords Circus Head Chef Ols Halas will recreate the Circus Sauce restaurant alongside stories of circus life.
Gardening grandad ‘Veg King’ Gerald Stratford and horticulturist Alys Fowler will share their knowledge of growing your own food, Jay Rayner and Britain’s leading food historian Annie Gray will report the British year in food, restaurant critic Grace Dent and actress Katy Wix will discuss the central role food plays in either bringing us together or driving us apart, plus Frank Wynn and Jack Guinness of The Queer Bible will host a brunch club celebrating queer history.
This October will see the launch of a major new three-year theme for the Festival: ‘Read the World’. A greater range of international writing will be profiled, offering an incisive guide to key issues on the global stage.
From Friday 8 to Sunday 17 October, the world’s foremost writers, thinkers and performers will descend on the spa town when the festival village returns to the heart of regency Cheltenham.
Showcasing literary legends, fresh new voices and the biggest books of the year, as well as stars of the stage and screen and incisive political debate. The programme spans history, food, travel, poetry and spoken word, art, sport, faith, philosophy, fashion, psychology, science, nature, business and much more.
Booking for the Literature Festival opens to Cheltenham Festivals Members on Friday 3 September and general booking opens on Friday 10 September.
www.cheltenhamfestivals.com/