Marketing Birmingham to take on Taste festival

Jan 26 2009 By Anna Blackaby, Creative Industries Editor

Marketing Birmingham is to take over the running of the annual Taste of Birmingham festival – the first time a UK “Taste” city has taken on the franchise.

The contract, which lasts for three years, will see Marketing Birmingham managing the four-day food and drink event and working closely with partners in the region.

The organisers anticipate the event, which takes place in Cannon Hill Park from 9th to 12th July this year, will be entirely self-funded through sponsorship and commercial partnerships

Marketing Birmingham chief executive Neil Rami said: “We feel it is important to build on what the city’s good at. Increasingly, food and events help shape a city’s image.

“Taking a more strategic role in the Taste of Birmingham event will allow us to attract interest and visitors from further afield.

“We will be working closely with restaurants and chefs in the city and throughout the Midlands to ensure the event showcases the region’s growing culinary offer.”

Marketing Birmingham commercial director said it was significant that Birmingham was the first city to take on the organisation of the festival itself, in the same way it was the first city to host the “Taste” festival outside London in 2006.

He added: “We felt that because this sector as a whole is a very important one for Birmingham – we spend a lot of time and effort promoting the sector – and we felt it was an opportunity get it done by Birmingham and for Birmingham.”

Marketing Birmingham will take over from previous organisers Brand Events, the company who developed the Taste franchise and which now organises festivals throughout the world, including in Cape Town, Sydney and Dubai.

Birmingham cemented its standing on the culinary map of the UK earlier this month after three of the city’s homegrown chefs were awarded coveted Michelin stars for their outstanding cooking.

The awards from the most respected food guide in the world mean the city now has more top-ranking restaurants in the 2009 Michelin Guide than any other UK city outside London.

The three restaurants making it into this year’s guide are Purnell’s in Cornwall Street, Simpsons in Edgbaston and, this year’s surprise entrant, Richard Turner’s restaurant in Harborne.

Andreas Antona, chef patron at Simpsons restaurant, said: “We’re looking forward to the return of Taste of Birmingham. This time, the event will be taken to the next level, showcasing the whole spirit of the region’s talent.”