A FOOD and music festival is returning to Winchester this summer, with a host of guest chefs and musicians announced.

Foodies Festival will be taking place at North Walls Recreation Ground from July 15 until 17.

The festival had its licence renewed in February despite complaints over noise from local residents.

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This year's line-up includes MasterChef: The Professionals champion Daniel Lee, MasterChef champions Thomas Frake and Shelina Permaloo and Great British Bake Off star, Juergen Krauss.

Hampshire Chronicle: Foodies Festival

Daniel said: “I am thrilled to be performing in the Chefs Theatre at Foodies Festival in Winchester this year. I’m hoping that people will enjoy a bit more of an in-depth and interactive explanation into why I cook the food I do, and where my inspiration for it comes from. For me food is all about bringing people together, and that’s exactly what Foodies Festival is about!”

Shelina said: “It’s great to be heading back to Foodies Festival, the weekends are always buzzing with great food and lovely foodie friends!”

The music line-up includes: chart-topping singer-songwriter Gabrielle and Lee Ryan and Simon Webbe from boy band Blue. New for the Friday, Foodies launch their ‘Big Party Night’ - taking a nostalgia-filled trip back to the 90s, featuring some of the biggest music acts of the era, including: Rozalla, N-Trance and 911.

New this year, is a competition called Ready Steady Chef. Celebrity chefs from TV’s biggest cooking shows will compete against each other, turning up the heat in the Chefs’ Theatre.

Hampshire Chronicle: Crowd at Foodies

Presented with a bag of surprising ingredients chosen by their competitors, it will be a race against the clock to create the best dish, and to win the public vote.

Also, world chilli eating champion Shahina Waseem will join the tour and challenge those brave enough to compete. Competitions will be broadcast live across the world to huge ‘League of Fire’ audiences.

More than 150 exhibitors will showcase their produce, providing festival-goers with an opportunity to sample the best of the region and to try a huge selection of food and drink from around the world.

Foodies Festival director, Sue Hitchen, said: “We are delighted to be returning to Winchester this summer. The festival has become a meeting point for friends and family to enjoy a great weekend of delicious food, live music and fun.”

For the fourth year running, the festival is supporting Musicians Against Homelessness (MAH) with tickets raising money for UK-wide homelessness charity Crisis.

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MAH founder, Emma Rule, said: “I’m very pleased to help bring this amazing line-up of artists to Foodies in Winchester. I can’t praise them enough for their generous support in these difficult times.

Hampshire Chronicle: A previous Foodies Festival

“The last two years have been incredibly hard for charities and the hospitality industry alike. But together we can and will make a difference.”

For tickets, visit foodiesfestival.com and or call 0844 9951111.

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