Taste of London (2008)

[LornaC]

My other half is taking a party of clients to Taste of London tonight, three have just dropped out so we have three tickets going spare. If anyone wants them pm me and I can arrange to leave them at the BA desk for you to pick them up. It starts at 5.30pm

I don't want them to go to waste!

[MoGa]

That's one ticket for me!

Thank you so much Lorna!!!

[MoGa]

Thank you again for a very enjoyable evening, I had a wonderful time. I learned about (and tasted) a few interesting products, some of the live music was very good, there were enough drinks to get me tipsy and I even won enough crowns to bring a few goodies back to my husband.

I'm really grateful to have had this opportunity (I was strengthening my legs the day before walking outside the perimeter wondering what it was like in there, much nicer to be exercising inside!)

[sunbeam]

Thank you again for a very enjoyable evening, I had a wonderful time.  I learned about (and tasted) a few interesting products, some of the live music was very good, there were enough drinks to get me tipsy and I even won enough crowns to bring a few goodies back to my husband.

I'm really grateful to have had this opportunity (I was strengthening my legs  the day before walking outside the perimeter wondering what it was like in there, much nicer to be exercising inside!)

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You got in free and so did I on the Thursday which is as well as this is seriously expensive. A £20 ticket only gets you in - no extras at all, not even a credit for one free dish. You can't do a whole day, only afternoon or evening, and the dishes are very pricey.

I would say two people might spend £100 in total for a few hrs in there including entrance. The restaurants could charge less for the dishes IMO as this is, after all, a marketing exercise for them. An opportunity to attract potential diners by handing out samples at cost. Unfortunately they seem to see it as an ego trip for the chefs and the public are asked to pay through the nose whilst genuflecting (which is not as easy as it sounds).

When the weather turns wet, the site turns into gourmet glastonbury. At this point those without passes to the luxury world of the corporate marquees have to huddle disconsolately under the awnings of the concession stands with water dripping down into their collars and into their already very weak and overpriced Pimms.

I have been two years running on a freebie but I certainly wouldn't pay to go. The event seems to me to be an example of greed of the worst sort, financial.

S

[Roger le goéland]

You shouldn't go for the standard ticket - the £35 (booked online) "premium" also includes £20 of food, so entry is cheaper.

Last Thursday afternoon, I found it more enjoyable than Trinity College May Ball (for which I paid maybe 5 times as much), but then again we were shameless students with not so great expectations and fully exploited the numerous freebies available.

Considering the quality of the dishes served out, I doubt that this could serve as a marketing opportunity for restaurants though. Joel Robuchon's burger being the exception.

(I thought I already posted a review but it seems to have disappeared - apologies for any duplication)

[Mrs Foodie]

I think this year quite a lot of the old stalwarts have given it a miss. I have spoken to a couple of companies who can't justify the high prices charged to exhibit as their return on investment just doesn't warrant it. Also, they need to staff it for the four days too.

I went on Thursday evening, luckily on a freebie ticket. I know that quite a few exhibitors at the London and other Taste festivals have been complaining that the organisers are becoming very mean with the free ticket allocations for exhibitors. This is so silly - when a company invests in the stand it wants to invite its local customers to come along - it should be encouraged to do this.

Like the BBC Good Food show, the organisers have become very greedy. To say that the food should be cheaper would not help the situation at all.

Edited June 22, 2008 by Mrs Foodie (log)

[sunbeam]

Considering the quality of the dishes served out, I doubt that this could serve as a marketing opportunity for restaurants though. Joel Robuchon's burger being the exception.

(I thought I already posted a review but it seems to have disappeared - apologies for any duplication)

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That burger was a joke! Tasteless and smothered in something akin to Lidl's BBQ sauce too. Launceston Place's risotto was crunchy, clearly undercooked. The pig's head at Arbutus wasn't too bad but I've had far better but Pascal Proyart's dishes were fine. I can't think of anything else particularly, although I did eat at quite a few stands. After a while it all becomes a bit of a blur of paper plates and expensive dishes gone in two bites.

If the majority of dishes served aren't up to much it does rather call into question the validity and point of the whole exercise. I think it's all a jolly day out for sponsors and their clients, I don't think Joe Public gets a very good deal.

S

[sunbeam]

To say that the food should be cheaper would not help the situation at all.

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It would help visitors afford to be able to eat it.

S

[algy]

I don't think Joe Public gets a very good deal.

since when did anyone care about Joe Public?

[Roger le goéland]

To say that the food should be cheaper would not help the situation at all.

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It would help visitors afford to be able to eat it.

S

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I wouldn't mind paying restaurant prices for restaurant-quality food. Can't afford to sample Le Gavroche, L'Atelier, Sumosan, Rhodes etc. in a week by dining there, but it would have been nice to actually sample at least good quality food from all of these and more.

As it stands it's like a BBQ party with loads of free booze and Boris Johnson to open it.

Wonder why GR didn't have a stand this year?

[chrisp]

To say that the food should be cheaper would not help the situation at all.

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It would help visitors afford to be able to eat it.

S

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I wouldn't mind paying restaurant prices for restaurant-quality food. Can't afford to sample Le Gavroche, L'Atelier, Sumosan, Rhodes etc. in a week by dining there, but it would have been nice to actually sample at least good quality food from all of these and more.

As it stands it's like a BBQ party with loads of free booze and Boris Johnson to open it.

Wonder why GR didn't have a stand this year?

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Maybe because Marcus Wareing did

I went on Saturday evening and really enjoyed it. AND I payed for my own ticket. Had a few little bits from the restaurant stalls, the highlight being Gary Rhodes' brilliant white tomato soup. It is a bit pricey I suppose but it's London innit. There's also plenty of free stuff if you stick your neck out a bit (sausage rolls, mmm).

Full report here. I am definitely going next year - maybe the next 12 months will give me time to find some friends who work for BA...

[tony h]

agree - it can be an expensive night out (went Friday evening) but I reckon I saved a fortune. For instance Benares chicken tikka was almost indistinguishable from supermarket versions – so that’s £100+ I saved form not going there. Then again one of our friends managed to get stuffed and pissed on freebies – she gave her crowns away. Oh, the gift of the gab.

The lowest of the low point was Gary Rhodes doing the hard sell on white tomato soup – one of the worst things I’ve ever tasted. Can’t think of any suitable non-libellous description (sorry- meant to post a warning). The best dish I tried was scallops w lentils & chilli from Theo Randall - sublime. Michel Roux stood next his book stall not talking to anyone. Oh, and Ramsay seems to be coming to Camden – Angela Hartnett’s got a new place near Parkway/Albany – maybe the one that looks abandoned/half-done. So – hurrah for Camden, I think…

[sunbeam]

I went on Saturday evening and really enjoyed it. AND I payed for my own ticket. Had a few little bits from the restaurant stalls, the highlight being Gary Rhodes' brilliant white tomato soup. It is a bit pricey I suppose but it's London innit. There's also plenty of free stuff if you stick your neck out a bit (sausage rolls, mmm).

Full report here. I am definitely going next year - maybe the next 12 months will give me time to find some friends who work for BA...

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I dont know about 'plenty' of free stuff, although props to the Welsh stand for their contribution to the poor of the parish.

It's true, if you aren't with BA you're pretty much nothing at this event. All we can do is press our faces up against the window and let them toss us the odd bone

S

[Scott]

I think this year quite a lot of the old stalwarts have given it a miss. I have spoken to a couple of companies who can't justify the high prices charged to exhibit as their return on investment just doesn't warrant it. Also, they need to staff it for the four days too.

that's odd. the stands are free, they do not pay anything to exhibit.

there are (high) penalties for running out of food and other conditions, and they pay 40% royalty on sales.

it still adds up, with staff as you say and preparation etc.

but the high prices to exhibit amount to precisely £0.00

[ravelda]

I think this year quite a lot of the old stalwarts have given it a miss. I have spoken to a couple of companies who can't justify the high prices charged to exhibit as their return on investment just doesn't warrant it. Also, they need to staff it for the four days too.

that's odd. the stands are free, they do not pay anything to exhibit.

there are (high) penalties for running out of food and other conditions, and they pay 40% royalty on sales.

it still adds up, with staff as you say and preparation etc.

but the high prices to exhibit amount to precisely £0.00

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not quite true - I was on a stand that was a non-restaurant stand and the cost was £2,000 for the privilege of being there. You are correct that the restaurants don't pay for their stands, but they do have to pay for the designing and fitting out of the stand and then they have to have 850 dishes for each service or they get a big old fine, so all in all, it can be pretty pricey for them!

[tony h]

oh - kind of a shag & a pizza please type of place...

[algy]

oh - kind of a shag & a pizza please type of place...

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that type of place, but not necessarily in that order

[CheGuevara]

I think this year quite a lot of the old stalwarts have given it a miss. I have spoken to a couple of companies who can't justify the high prices charged to exhibit as their return on investment just doesn't warrant it. Also, they need to staff it for the four days too.

that's odd. the stands are free, they do not pay anything to exhibit.

there are (high) penalties for running out of food and other conditions, and they pay 40% royalty on sales.

it still adds up, with staff as you say and preparation etc.

but the high prices to exhibit amount to precisely £0.00

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not quite true - I was on a stand that was a non-restaurant stand and the cost was £2,000 for the privilege of being there. You are correct that the restaurants don't pay for their stands, but they do have to pay for the designing and fitting out of the stand and then they have to have 850 dishes for each service or they get a big old fine, so all in all, it can be pretty pricey for them!

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from customres of ours that have attended in the past - the take is excellent. they work their ass off though...it is a hell of a commitment.

-che

Edited June 24, 2008 by CheGuevara (log)

[Scott]

I think this year quite a lot of the old stalwarts have given it a miss. I have spoken to a couple of companies who can't justify the high prices charged to exhibit as their return on investment just doesn't warrant it. Also, they need to staff it for the four days too.

that's odd. the stands are free, they do not pay anything to exhibit.

there are (high) penalties for running out of food and other conditions, and they pay 40% royalty on sales.

it still adds up, with staff as you say and preparation etc.

but the high prices to exhibit amount to precisely £0.00

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not quite true - I was on a stand that was a non-restaurant stand and the cost was £2,000 for the privilege of being there. You are correct that the restaurants don't pay for their stands, but they do have to pay for the designing and fitting out of the stand and then they have to have 850 dishes for each service or they get a big old fine, so all in all, it can be pretty pricey for them!

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and rightly so, who goes for the non-restaurant stands. for them it's a trade show.

as for the restaurants... that seems to be pretty much what I said.

[chrisp]

Also - I've just had a flashback from last weekend, and I'm pretty sure I remember seeing the guy with the long curly hair who won Masterchef manning Le Gavroche's stall. Was I seeing things?

[jayrayner]

Also - I've just had a flashback from last weekend, and I'm pretty sure I remember seeing the guy with the long curly hair who won Masterchef manning Le Gavroche's stall. Was I seeing things?

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ALmost certainly not. Bumped into James Nathan at an event and he said he was considering taking a stage at Le Gavroche. I told him he'd be insane not to do it. Clearly he's not insane.

[chrisp]

Also - I've just had a flashback from last weekend, and I'm pretty sure I remember seeing the guy with the long curly hair who won Masterchef manning Le Gavroche's stall. Was I seeing things?

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ALmost certainly not. Bumped into James Nathan at an event and he said he was considering taking a stage at Le Gavroche. I told him he'd be insane not to do it. Clearly he's not insane.

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Ah, well, good for him.