Chef Hugh returns to Food Festival (From Free Press Series)

Chef Hugh returns to Food Festival

TV CHEF Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall makes a welcome return to the hugely-popular Abergavenny Food Festival - last year voted the 'greatest event in Wales'.

With a colourful line-up and something to tempt everyone's palate, the organisers are hoping to break the record of last year's 20,000 crowd over the two-day event.

Sponsored by Waitrose, this year's line-up over the weekend of September 18 and 19 includes demonstrations, plus a multitude of market stalls and lively street entertainment, with Cross Street once again closed to traffic to create a continental atmosphere.

Martin Orbach, festival director said: 'We are once again privileged to share the company of some of the most celebrated and articulate names in the culinary world, who join us to share their skill, passion and knowledge."

At the Angel Hotel Mark Hix, luminary of the London restaurant scene, goes Wild (about) Mushrooms, while Elisabeth Luard, cookery writer and food historian, focuses on the Celtic culinary tradition, and FishWorks supremo Mitchell Tonks shares the secret of great tasting fish.

Abergavenny's own maestro Franco Taruschio cooks up some Italian Style with food writer Lindy Wildsmith and Fuchsia Dunlop demonstrates real Sichuan Cooking one of China's great regional cuisines.

Robin Weir, the ultimate ice-cream enthusiast explains how ice-cream was made in the 17th century, in contrast to modern techniques.

And to find out what to do with unfashionable cuts of meat join chef Stephen Terry and Richard Vaughan of Hunsham Farm to make the most of the whole beast. Bristol-based Queen of herbs Jekka McVicar kicks off the Tutored Tastings sessions and there's a marriage of Welsh Cheeses and great British Ales with Fiona Beckett and Shumana Palit.

Whiskies of the world come under the spotlight with expert Helen Arthur while Jeremy Torz of Union Coffee Roasters takes visitors on a journey from bean.

For chocoholics, evangelist Sara Jayne-Stanes educates senses and there's a chance to celebrate real bread with Village Bakery founder Andrew Whitley.

Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall delivers his Meat Manifesto in the Borough Theatre and joins biologist and author Colin Tudge to look at the big picture, how we can best feed ourselves for the next 10,000 years.

Antarctic chef Gerard Baker recounts his travels and the art of cooking in cold climates, while Amy Willcock, doyenne of the Aga, encourages her audience to get the most out of theirs.

From VegTalk on Radio 4 there are cheeky, chirpy, cockney greengrocers Gregg Wallace and Charlie Hicks while John Burton Rice revisits French Leave on Channel 4 and the heartland of French gastronomy.