ORGANISERS of this year’s Malton Food Lovers Festival say this year’s line-up is the best yet.

More than a dozen of Yorkshire’s finest foodie talent will be joining star culinary names at the annual festival in May.

Michelin-star names such as Andrew Pern, from the Star Inn at Harome, and James Mackenzie, of the Pipe and Glass, will feature, along with seafood emporium owner Jonathan Batchelor, tutors from Betty’s Cookery School, cider-making monks from Ampleforth Abbey, Masterchef finalist Sara Danesin and chefs Steph Moon, from Rudding Park, Tim Bilton, of The Spiced Pear, and Simon Crannage, from Swinton Park.

Festival director Tom Naylor Leyland said: “We were christened Yorkshire’s Food Capital by the great chef Antonio Carluccio and this year’s festival line-up certainly confirms that.

“Our Yorkshire talent will join an amazing roll call, including Levi Roots, Valentine Warner, Prue Leith and William Sitwell and I believe that this line-up is the best yet.”

The two-day festival offers demonstrations, talks, tastings, book signings, family and children’s activities, a drop-in restaurant and a beer festival, plus a range of entertainment on the Saturday evening.

Mitchell Cleland, from Ampleforth Abbey, said: “We have taken part in the Malton Food Lovers Festival for a number of years and are delighted to have a more prominent presence this year.

“The festival has enabled us to bring our produce to a targeted market with an interest in food provenance.

“We are very much looking forward to giving a talk about the history of Ampleforth Abbey Cider and how our award-winning produce is made.”

The festival, takes place on Saturday and Sunday, May 23 and 24 and attracts more than 20,000 visitors.

This year, local community groups and kitchen table start-up businesses are invited to “set up stall” in a community kitchen, in Finkle Street, and show what is great about Malton and Norton.

Also new this year will be the night market and festival party, featuring Levi Roots and his band among the live music performers.

Access to the festival is free, however chef demonstrations, cookery lessons in Malton Cookery School and other special events are ticketed so visit maltonyorkshire.co.uk to ensure your place and keep updated on events.

Tickets can be bought without a booking fee for all events, apart from the cookery school, from Malton Relish in the Market Place.