Morning cappuccino or café latte?, sushi or salad for lunch? Spending so much of our lives in the office, it’s not surprising that food becomes a major pre-occupation. With deals sealed over a succulent sea bream fillet, food is the vital ingredient that greases the wheels of industry. Bringing together the most exciting products and restaurants from the four corners of the globe, Taste of London sorts the wheat from the chaff.
Office Breaks Taste of London
Breezing into Regent’s Park on a blissful summer’s evening, I’m met with an impressive layout of posh purple carpets and sophisticated marquees. As the tent sails billow in the breeze, plush leather sofas and fully stocked bars are revealed. Leading the pack is the Mahiki tent complete with palm trees, wicker chairs and a pop-up Polynesian paradise. With celebrity DJ’s, Maori men and cocktail master classes on offer, all that’s missing is Prince Harry.
Office Breaks Taste of London
Offering a melting pot of British, French, Pan-Asian, Japanese Fusion, South American and Italian cuisine, its hard to know where to start. (Advance planning is highly recommended!) Plied with pizza, the Rossopomodoro stand feels like a good starting point. Born in the back streets of Naples, the brand is taking London by storm with their wood-fired oven sensations which are wispy thin and incredibly moreish. Armed with a free voucher, a lunchtime trip to their Camden Town branch with colleagues is definitely on the cards.
Office Breaks Taste of London
Moving east, I set off to explore Taste of Thailand, which has a dedicated zone replete with massage therapists, live music and cooking demonstrations from stalwarts including the Blue Dragon. But bizarrely the biggest buzz is over the Thai Fruits stall where fiery rambutans, longans and mangos vie for centre stage. Parting with my crowns, I snap up a couple of rambutans to inject a little intrigue into tomorrow’s lunch.
Office Breaks rambutans Taste of London
Office Breaks Taste of Thailand
This year’s new contendor, Korean Foods sizzles up a tempting array of meat and noodle dishes but is outshone by Japanese hot-shot Roka where foodies queue four-deep to get their hands on the rakish robatayaki offerings.
Office Breaks Taste of London
For a dash of foodie inspiration, the Electrolux Taste Theatre headlines some of the world’s top chefs such as Michel Roux, Massimo Bottura and Tom Kerridge who concoct their signature dishes live on stage. Simmering with intense Latin passion, I listen intently to Massimo’s words of worship but know that my own passion lies more in the savouring than the steaming. For those who do want to improve their culinary skills, the Electrolux Secret Ingredient is on hand to expand your gastronomic repertoire.
Office Breaks Taste of London
After all the demonstrations, tastings and tipples, there’s plenty of opportunity to catch up with friends over a pineapple cocktail or two.
Office Breaks Taste of London
Wandering back through the park with a bag bulging with rambutans, chia seeds, rose harissa and a sneaky bar or two of Green and Black’s, my culinary knowledge has expanded hugely thanks to Taste of London. With so many exciting new restaurants to try, my lunch breaks and after-work dinners could take me to a whole new realm of dining excellence. All I need now is the pay rise to cover it.
Taste of London Winter returns at London Tobacco Dock from the 20th to 23rd November 2014.
My ticket was provided free of charge by Taste of London.
What’s your favourite restaurant? I would love to hear your thoughts.