Festival aims to get 100,000 visitors

Organisers of Huddersfield’s 11th festival, which was held outside the town’s railway station over four days recently, were delighted after finally meeting the attendance milestone.

Halifax’s organisers are hoping to see a similar success with TV personality and award-winning chef Jean-Christophe Novelli due to be among the celebrity chefs at the festival which, this year, is being held in association with The Halifax.

The festival, which is being organised by Marketing Halifax, will take place at the historic Piece Hall in the town centre from Friday September 16 until Sunday, September 18.

Mr Novelli, who has been given the accolade of “the nation’s favourite French chef”, has accumulated four consecutive Michelin stars throughout his career and created dishes for celebrity stars such as Richard Branson and David Beckham.

He has also appeared on some of the UK’s most popular cookery programmes including Saturday Cooks, Hell’s Kitchen and Richard and Judy’s Tender Loving Cooking.

Now Mr Novelli is bringing his kitchen skills and culinary flair to the festival’s cookery theatre, during which he will be showcasing a selection of recipes and cookery demonstrations to visitors.

He said: “I am extremely excited to be a part of the Halifax Food and Drink Festival.

“It is going to be a fantastic event for food and drink lovers everywhere and I hope people take advantage of this opportunity to come to this wonderful town and sample some of the high quality local produce that Halifax and the Yorkshire region are famed for.”

Marketing Halifax has extended the festival and it will now take place across three days rather than two.