Latest news with #foodmarket
Forbes
25-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Explore London's Largest And Oldest Food Market With A Superstar Chef And Guide, Plus Where To Stay
This traditional food market is a popular tourist attraction in London. Located in the center of London, Borough Market, with 1,000 years of history, is London's oldest and most famous food market. Currently in the same location that it has been since 1756, the market, which is well known for its produce and street food, is an independent institution ran by a charitable trust, protecting not only its legacy, but also, how it evolves in the future. Open six days a week, Borough Market has three key areas: Three Crown Square, for larger stalls; Green Market, for petite artisan traders; and Borough Market Kitchen, for street food to fill your belly. And, if you don't find what you're hankering for, there are plenty of restaurants, pubs, and boutiques that surround the market on all sides. Visitors can get an exclusive guided tour through the market on select dates, a unique experience and one you're not soon to forget. And how does a food expert and chef get the exclusive opportunity to lead tours in London's most celebrated and historic food market? To start, it might help to write several cookbooks and know film director, Stanley Kubrick. Exploring the market with a professional chef, guide, and author provides valuable context to what you're seeing and tasting. Food expert, Celia Brooks is a professional chef and author and she founded the very first tasting tour of Borough Market over two decades ago. 'I fell into food by accident,' says Brooks. 'I first came to London seeking a career as a theatre director. After working for a couple of years, I discovered cooking for the first time and how creative it was. I got hired as a private chef, before I really knew what I was doing, by artist Christiane Kubrick, the wife of film director Stanley Kubrick. They took me under their wing and allowed me to develop my skills in their kitchen, cooking for family and people working in film, including a few big stars.' It wasn't long before Brooks began writing cookbooks and showing the world how to make her recipes on television. Then the food tours came. 'I founded my food tour company, Gastrotours, in 2001 and created the first ever Borough Market tasting tour in 2003,' says Brooks. 'Later I was granted a license by Borough Market as the only person allowed to run food tours there, so that has been my main focus for the last 20-odd years. There is now only one other tour operator licensed to run tours there besides myself. It's an incredible gig.' Spend an afternoon here—you won't regret it. Brooks' Anglophilia began at an early age because her family lived in England for a year while her father, an academic, was on sabbatical. 'I visited London when I was 14 years old and spent time wandering around the city on my own at that very impressionable age,' says Brooks. 'One day in Portobello Market, I had an epiphany and realized London was the coolest place on Earth and it was where I belonged. So, I made it my mission to move here. I dropped myself off after college and got on with it.' Brooks has lived in London for 36 counting. The Kubricks' lent Brooks money so she could self-publish her first cookbook, Vegetarian Foodscape, in 1998. 'That got my foot in the door and my first internationally published book, New Vegetarian, came out in 2001, published by Ryland, Peters & Small,' Brooks says. 'It became a bestseller. I've written a total of nine books, published in ten different languages. My most recent book, SuperVeg - The Joy and Power of the 25 Healthiest Vegetables on the Planet, is my homage to my favorite veggies. This is my true passion and specialist subject.' Borough Market in London is a top thing to do in the city. And what does Brooks love best about taking visitors through the market? 'Borough Market is like an onion—it has so many layers and it's my job to unravel them and reveal its thrilling secrets,' says Brooks. I love watching people's faces light up when they taste these incredible products.' Sharing the market's history is also important. 'There is a fascinating story about the history of Borough Market and it's so much fun blowing people's minds with the stories about its past and present,' says Brooks. 'Borough Market has such an exciting vibe, and I do my best to maximize that for people. People come away from the experience of my tours with such joy and with their expectations exceeded—that's a wonderful feeling for me.' Borough Market is Brooks' favorite playground and classroom. 'The range of foods is staggering and so widely varied, and the quality is exceptional,' Brooks says. 'Everyone in the London food world knows that Borough Market is the place to go for the very best ingredients. Plus, the people working there—the producers and the traders and traders' staff—they're all so passionate about what they do. They're warm, vibrant individuals who are not just there to sell you something—they love to engage and talk about the origins of their products and how to use them.' Exploring the market with a professional chef, guide, and author provides valuable context to what you're seeing and tasting. Fresh tomato varieties on display for sale in Borough Market, London. And what are the top three best stalls to visit while at Borough Market, according to Brooks? Pâté Moi: Flip Dunning has been selling her incredible vegetarian mushroom pâté at Borough Market for over 20 years. It's wonderful slathered on bread but is also a versatile cooking ingredient and turns into an incredible sauce when melted into cooked pasta. I love that Flip sells just that one product with pride and joy. Trethowan Brothers: These guys make proper English cheeses in Somerset, including one of the very best cheddars called Pitchfork, using raw cow's milk. They also sell other fine English artisan cheese such as Stichelton, a raw milk blue cheese—that one is probably my favorite cheese of all time. I love the stories behind the making of these wonderful traditional products. These cheeses have ancient origins but nearly disappeared from existence in the war-torn 20th century but happily they have made a comeback thanks to producers like these and markets like Borough. Oliveology: Marianna imports the finest Greek products, including honey, olive oil, cheeses, wines, nuts and pulses. I will only buy my dried oregano from here—it's the best! They have the most delicious unpasteurized olives that retain the maximum flavor and nutrition. It's fun to have people taste these unusual olives for the first time - I've seen many an olive-hater get converted. The sign for one of the entrances to Borough Market, near London Bridge. It is one of the largest and oldest food markets in London. Private tours can be booked by contacting Brooks directly at celia@ In addition to private tours, Brooks runs public tours on Friday mornings for up to 12 people, which anybody can join. Advance booking is required, and these do sell out quite quickly. Visit her website for more information: For a truly special experience, enjoy tea service at the hotel. For a historic hotel, which originally opened in 1922 by King George V and Queen Mary, within walking distance to much of what London has to offer, look no further than London Marriott Hotel County Hall. Renovated in 2024, this luxury hotel is dreamily situated on London's South Bank. Lucky lodgers enjoy stunning views of not only the River Thames, but also, London Eye, Big Ben and Houses of Parliament. With top notch dining experiences at Gillray's Steakhouse, gin tastings at Gillray's Bar (choose from over 100 gins), and a Big Ben-inspired afternoon tea at The Library, you will find it easy to whittle away the day here in style. The concierge team can curate an itinerary to meet your needs throughout your stay including food tours with Celia Brooks. For onsite entertainment, London County Hall is the magical setting for Agatha Christie's Witness for the Prosecution play, a must-do activity for while you're staying at London Marriott Hotel County Hall. You won't believe your eyes and ears after seeing this well crafted and staged production. 'I'm happy to recommend the hotel as it's not too far away and the walk from there is probably the best walk in London for sightseeing!' says Brooks.
South China Morning Post
19-05-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Pickle your fancy? From Pamela Anderson to Harry Styles, and from Jimmy John's and Zabar's, to Hobbs Pickles and Amo Ago, these celebrities and businesses have a thing for preserved cukes
A woman sheepishly approaches the counter at Hobbs Pickles in Vancouver's Granville Island Public Market. 'I just finished the container of honey mustard pickles and need to buy another one to take home,' she says. Half an hour earlier the customer had bought two plastic containers of pickles, and while walking through the market – which is full of food stalls, from fresh fruit to savoury pies and chocolates – she had inadvertently finished one and needed to replenish her supply. Advertisement Owner Chris Hobson hears things like this all the time. Kosher Dill Chips are just one of the many varieties made by Hobbs Pickles in Vancouver. Photo: Handout 'People ask us, 'Am I going to be OK if I eat the whole container?' And we say, 'We're not doctors, but a lot of people do eat the whole container and they'll bring the empty one back to us.'' Hobson adds that one pickle fiend is the English singer-songwriter Harry Styles , who bought the shop's entire stock of sweet pickles one day last December. When Hobson launched the business in 2017, all the pickles were snapped up in two days. 'I thought, 'This is something that no one else is doing,' and we had this ability to connect with so many different people. A lot of food groups don't have the same kind of history that pickles do,' he explains.
Arab News
14-05-2025
- Business
- Arab News
Saudi Food Show drives innovation, strategic growth to accelerate thriving market
RIYADH: The Saudi Food Show 2025 at the Riyadh Front Exhibition and Conference Center from May 12–14 transformed the space into a vibrant hub as thousands explored, tested and experienced cutting-edge products and innovations. The event was designed to showcase and elevate the nation's billion-dollar food market. Among those to gather were top business leaders and buyers from around the world who joined experts in the capital to embrace new opportunities and fuel the country's food sector. At a time where the Kingdom's F&B market is projected to reach $24.29 billion by the end of this year, Fawaz Shakaa, CEO of Farm Dairy Company and board member of the Jordan Chamber of Industry, said that he was seeing the benefits of participation. 'Consumption patterns in the country are clearly evolving, as more consumers show a growing preference for international products. At the same time, the Kingdom is growing rapidly and is attracting different tourists from around the world, making it a key market. As such, the Saudi Food Show allows us to network and do business with one another, benefitting both Saudi and Jordan,' he said. Bandar Okrin, CEO of Saudi-born Kinza, said that consumers were at the forefront of its strategy. 'We focus more on the consumer's preferences as we believe they are key to success in the future. We are placing more emphasis on utilising Saudi ingredients in our products, which is a top priority, while empowering local talent to grow our brand and contribute to the Vision 2030 strategy.' Guadalupe Miranda, CEO of Mexico's iAURA, said that they engaged with more than 100 potential buyers, generating significant interest in its portfolio of products, and confirmed they will return next year after being impressed with the scale of the event. He said: 'We have already decided that we will return every year as we have seen strong interest from businesses in our chickpeas, which are exclusively produced in Mexico. This is no surprise as it is widely used for hummus — one of the most popular dishes in this region.' At the Saudi Food Summit, the audience gained a fascinating insight into the trends and growth opportunities in the retail sector from expert speakers in the public and private sectors. Justin Emmanuel Steinbach, CEO of IFFCO Professional, Manuel Garabato, marketing director of Global Emerging Markets, General Mills, Bobby Rajendran, CEO of Tamimi Markets, and Jens Sievert, director — international design and branding — Daymon, spoke about why organizations needed to embrace AI in their day-to-day operations, explaining how it could speed up experimentation, simulation and decision-making. The interactive Top Table Saudi continued with both Saudi and international chefs delivering engaging masterclasses, and showcased signature dishes while providing a glimpse into the future of gastronomy. Top Chef Middle East participant and esteemed Saudi cuisine ambassador, Areej Al-Shareef, was among the highly influential culinary experts present, captivating the crowds with her expertise and showcasing the rich, authentic flavours of the Kingdom. 'Cooking is my passion, I don't really focus too much on recipes and I try to give the real flavour but with a different kick,' she said. 'There are so many fresh ingredients in Saudi Arabia which I use, and people will now know which they can put in their dishes.' Another chef, Azzam Al-Sowayan, sous chef at the Fairmont Riyadh, said: 'Saudi cuisine has incredibly rich and abundant ingredients. Blending global cuisine with Saudi flavours may seem easy to attempt but can be challenging to perfect. My advice for anyone wanting to become a chef is that patience and endurance are key to overcoming the challenges that go side-by-side to becoming a successful chef.' Matthews Matthew, managing director of Matt Media LLC and editor of Food Business Gulf & Middle East, Gulf Agriculture, and Livestock and Poultry Middle East Magazine told Arab News: 'Saudi Food 2025, the region's premier F&B exhibition, was an exceptional platform for networking and relationship-building. We connected directly with industry leaders, including manufacturers, suppliers, distributors and decision-makers. It also strengthened our media partnerships, enabling us to build collaborations with event organizers.' The winners of the Saudi Food Excellence Awards were also announced. Euroaliment Proveedor Alimantos Calidad took the best gourmet product prize for their Pons Janiroc Lecciana Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Neon Sanayi Ve Gida won best coffee innovation for their Turkish Coffee Mocha with Orange Essence. Best Innovative Packaging went to Le Bonheur for their set of three pralines featuring a musical barrel organ. Coppola Foods won best food innovation for their Fabulous Organic Hazelnut and Cocoa Spread. Best Saudi-made went to Gandour's Tamria cakes, crafted using premium dates sourced exclusively from Saudi farmers. Spice Affair/Nutrivilla Foods Inc. was named winner of best health product for their Golden Booster Latte & Smoothie Mix, while Parmafood Group won best plant-based product for their cashew 'Tina' plant-based ricotta cheese alternative. Best dairy product went to Gundogdu for their Poucheese Bohca Peyniri. Best beverage product was awarded to Habso Drinks for their Black Seed Sparkling Infusion; and best snack product went to Nestle for their Fitness Fiber no-added-sugar cereal bar. The food show, which ended on Wednesday, was inaugurated on Monday by Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah, supervisor-general of KSrelief, who was accompanied by Majed bin Rafid Al-Argoubi, CEO of the Saudi Authority for Industrial Cities and Technology Zones, or MODON, as they toured the exhibition. Speaking at the food summit, Al-Argoubi said that the Kingdom's efforts to localize the food industry and ensure food security reflected its commitment to contributing to global food security by empowering research, development and innovation, and strengthening supply chains — positioning Saudi Arabia as a vital partner in securing food for the world. He added that the number of food manufacturing facilities within MODON's cities has surpassed 1,400 factories, contributing to the creation of more than 90,000 jobs. The food show, held in partnership with MODON, has attracted more than 1,300 exhibitors from around the world. The first day saw the signing of several food industry and logistics contracts exceeding SR600 million ($160 million), with Kudu and Yousef Abdul Latif Jameel Group among the organizations to put pen to paper.
