FRENCH chef Jean-Christophe Novelli is the latest patron be revealed for Malton Food Lovers Festival on May 24 and 25.

Novelli has won many accolades, including AA Chef’s Chef Of The Year, European Chef Of The Year, finalist representing Great Britain, and the Egon Ronay Dessert of the Year.

He will be joining a line-up which already boasts BBC’s The Incredible Spice Men and Channel 4’s Michael Chiappa and her sisters. He will be headlining the Malton Cookery Theatre on Saturday, May 24, with an exclusive lesson for eight visitors. He will also be signing copies of his cookbook Simply Novelli.

Tom Naylor-Leyland, Malton Food Lovers Festival organiser, said: “It is a great tribute to Yorkshire’s exceptional food producers that such renowned chefs will be joining us to showcase and celebrate our diverse food and drink offering.

“Yorkshire’s magnificent landscape produces some of the finest food and drink in the country and we are very excited to see the creations our star chefs will be cooking up.”

The Malton Food Lovers Festival will boast a food market of more than 160 of Yorkshire’s best producers, retailers and restaurateurs, and features two days of demonstrations, tutored tastings, talks and entertainment.

Access to the festival is free, however, chef demonstrations, cookery lessons in Malton Cookery School and other special events are ticketed so visit www.maltonyorkshire.co.uk to book.

Tickets for Jean-Christophe Novelli will be available from the beginning of next month.

Organisers are recruiting further talent to feature in the festival’s line-up for 2014, so if you believe you have something special to offer, get in touch via www.maltonyorkshire.co.uk