Christmas flavour and star chefs bring festive feeling to West Midlands as popular show returns

There’s set to be a festive feeling across the NEC as a popular food show returns to bring new tastes and new inspirations.

The Festive Good Food Show is returning to the Birmingham exhibition centre for four days of festive food, famous chefs, delicious discoveries and plenty of inspiration for Christmas.

Running from Thursday, November 26 to Sunday, November 29, the event brings together foodies, drinkers, bargain hunters and cooking enthusiasts to view the latest gadgets, try different food and drink and hear from industry leaders about new recipes and new gadgets.

Organised by Good Food Magazine and sponsored by Princess Cruises, the event mixes exhibitors with live shows and demonstrations, including the Big Kitchen.

Hosted by Marcus Bean, the kitchen brings some of the biggest names in food to the stage, with Good Food prizes up for grabs, for members of the audience, and the line-up includes James Martin, John Torode and Lisa Faulkner, Jane Dunn of Jane’s Patisserie and Cyrus Todiwala.

There are also some new additions to the line-up in Tilly Ramsay, Ping Coombes and Sabrina Ghayour, Belles Berry and Mariella Frostrupp.

For those who want to take some Christmas cooking inspiration home with them, the Festive Kitchen, hosted by Chris Bavin, is the place to be.

The drop-in stage is packed with practical ideas, tips and inspiration for Christmas dinners, with guests including Becky Excell, Francesco Mattana, Brin Pirathapan and Barney Desmazery sharing their expertise and festive recipes.

Other stages and live events will include Kitchen Tales, an up-close, personal and live Q&A experience with some of the show’s most familiar faces and voices, the Christmas Challenge Stage, which provides a chef cook-offs and Christmas quiz and the Kitchen Clinic stage, where experts will be on hand to share practical advice, solve those festive cooking conundrums and help visitors head home with a little more confidence in the kitchen.

For those looking to make lunch part of the experience, the Love At First Bite Restaurant by Princess Cruises offers a chance to sit back, raise a glass and enjoy a dining experience inspired by the food and hospitality found across the Princess Cruises fleet.

Cocktail lovers can shake, stir and sip their way through the Princess Cruises Cocktail Club, hosted by cocktail expert Andy Clarke.

Created in partnership with Princess Cruises, these interactive sessions take inspiration from the cruise line’s signature menus, introducing guests to professional techniques and premium ingredients in a relaxed, hands-on experience.

Some of the food stages on offer include The Cheese Hub, which takes visitors on a journey through festive favourites, artisan cheeses and perfect pairings, and Fabulous Food Finds, where Katy Truss will unveil a selection of the best food and drink discoveries she’s made this season.

The Book Signing pop-up next to the Big Kitchen will be the perfect area to browse the latest books from chefs and food experts appearing at the show, then meet them in person, have a chat and get a copy signed.

There will also be plenty of fresh new on-the-go food options to suit every appetite including The Canteen and the Festive Street Food Area, including the Pop-up Patisserie, which brings the magic of the show’s demonstrations directly to the plate.

For visitors looking to make their day extra special, the VIP experience offers exclusive access to the VIP lounge, front-row seats at a Big Kitchen theatre session, two glasses of fizz and a host of additional VIP benefits.

And with Christmas just around the corner, there’s plenty of opportunity to get ahead with the festive shopping with more options and offers than ever before.

From brand-new product launches and treats to stocking fillers, kitchen gadgets and foodie gifts, the Gifting Village is packed with ideas for everyone from the hard-to-buy-for foodie to the person who has everything.