THOUSANDS of visitors enjoyed three days of free culinary capers and one red-hot chilli showdown as part of Woking Food and Drink Festival 2019.

Foodies from across the region turned out in vast numbers to enjoy a large helping of celebrity and local chef demos, expert talks, pop-up dining experiences and a fantastic assortment of food and drink stalls, all served with a side of street entertainment and live music.

Located in Jubilee Square, the professional demo theatre hosted a smorgasbord of top culinary experts, including Sabrina Ghayour, TV presenter and author; Martha Collison, Great British Bake Off quarter finalist and food writer; Laurence Henry, MasterChef: The Professionals 2018 winner; and Chris Bavin, co-presenter of BBC’s Eat Well for Less.

As well as the alluring pull of the Michelin star heavyweights and celebrity chefs, the Hot Pods chilli eating competition drew the crowds, with three finalists making it through to the tenth and final round, eating the world’s hottest chilli (the Carolina Reaper), before a tie breaker of six random chillies.

Cllr Colin Kemp, Woking Borough Council’s portfolio holder for leisure and culture, said: “It was fantastic to see Woking town centre buzzing with visitors of all ages enjoying the chef demos, free activities and talks, street entertainment and live music, as well as the selection of cuisine available from across the world.

For the full story and special picture feature, get the 5 September edition of the News & Mail