in brief
Academy marks 20 years
Twenty years of educational and training achievements were celebrated at the Academy of Culinary Arts' 20th birthday dinner in London. Nearly 250 guests gathered at Bridges Wharf, Battersea, a Victorian warehouse now converted to a film studio and event location, to enjoy a meal prepared by Mustard Catering with support from students and graduates from the academy and Bournemouth & Poole College's specialised chefs' course. The menu included chilled pea soup with rosemary oil, seafood cocktail, roast rib of beef, summer pudding, and old-fashioned sherry trifle.
Bradford hosts food festival
The first Bradford Food and Drink Festival will take place from 8-17 September. Its centrepiece will be a live cookery theatre, featuring local chefs, located in a specially erected marquee outside the town hall. Other events - including a gourmet dinner, a wine and drinks tasting session and a Taste of Asia dinner - will be held during the festival at a variety of venues throughout the city. For further information call 01274 391666, visit the Web site, www.bradfordfoodfestival.co.uk, or e-mail info@bradfordfoodfestival.co.uk.
UK's first pizza and pasta show
Islington Design Centre in London will host the inaugural Pizza & Pasta Show from 15-16 October. The event will include live demonstrations of dough-making and wine and beer tastings. A mozzarella masterclass and a series of seminars on trends within the industry are also planned. For further information call 01707 661332, visit the Web site, www.dewevents.co.uk, or e-mail info@dewevents.co.uk.
Enter now for barista competition
There is still time to enter the regional heats of the Brasilia Barista of the Year 2000 competition. For the first time in its three-year history the grand final will be held in Italy. Winners of the regional finals, and their partners, will be flown to Italy for two nights, and the final will be held just south of Milan.
The winner will receive £5,000 plus the Brasilia Challenge Trophy as well as automatic entry to defend the title in the Brasilia Barista of the Year 2001 competition. For further details and an application form visit TheCaterer Web site. Deadline for entries is 15 September.
