AT this time of year we at Visit Malton CIC are busy putting the final plans in place for this year’s Malton Food Lovers Festival, and boy do we have a show for you.

Better than ever, this year we have even more varied stalls from Yorkshire’s finest food producers, lots more excitement and our best chef line up ever.

This year marks our 10th festival. It seems crazy that it’s been 10 years since we started, but there we are, and to mark this special occasion we have Yorkshire’s very best chefs appearing. In fact, it will be Michelin star madness in Malton over the weekend of Saturday, May 26 and Sunday, May 27.

As well as our local Michelin stars Andrew Pern (The Star Inn) and James Mackenzie (The Pipe & Glass), we are very excited to announce that the one and only Tommy Banks (The Black Swan) will be coming.

His restaurant was recently voted the very best in the world, and as if that was not enough a fourth Michelin star is coming too. The irrepressible man of the moment, the legend and the hair – Michael O’Hare will be here in Malton.

Another piece of good news this year. All the chef demonstrations with our amazing chefs will be completely free. They will taking place outside in the Market Place on a new covered main stage area which will resemble TV’s Saturday Kitchen/Sunday Brunch with chatting and cooking in a much more informal and inclusive way. As well as cooking live on stage and chatting with our other festival guests, the Michelin star chefs will also be book signing.

With four of Yorkshire’s best Michelin star chefs in Malton in May, wouldn’t it be amazing if we could get a royal flush and get the others here too. If anyone can mention it to The Box Tree in Ilkley and The Yorke Arms in Pateley Bridge, Visit Malton would be eternally grateful.

But the festival is not just about amazing Michelin star chefs. The produce stalls will be heaving this year more than ever. With 160-plus specialist food stalls to choose from, Malton really will be the best place to try new products and chat with the amazing producers who, (along with the chefs), have truly transformed Yorkshire into a global culinary giant.

We will have an even greater variety of the UK’s best street food vendors, including a number of award winners. There will be a new pop-up picnic area with seaside deck chairs, as well as a new indoor market in the Milton Rooms.

Taverners’ Yard is another new area; it will be packed with all our famous drinks suppliers, offering gin, whisky, vodka, beer and wine, all bottled to take home. At the Talbot a new garden area at the front will be offering guests a stylish drink (in the sun hopefully) and there are many new surprises in Talbot Yard and all across town.

And if you can’t wait until then make sure you get to our wonderful monthly food market on Saturday, April 14. Spring is here and with chef demonstrations, live music, stalls and street food it will be a mini food fest all on its own.

For further details, go to visitmalton.com