Marylebone Food Festival 2023: Cavita among big names to cook at celebrated charity launch

The Marylebone Food Festival is returning for another year this April, with tickets for its opening night charity dinner set to go on sale in late March.

The festival, which promises a series of tastings, supper clubs, masterclasses and more at restaurants across the area, will run from April 25-30.

Things will begin with a seven-course, wine-paired dinner on the 25, in aid of The Food Chain, a community cafe that delivers meals and teaches cookery to those with HIV. As with previous years — which have sold out in a matter of hours — the night will be held in St Mary’s Church in Wyndham Place with chefs from the local area helping. Restaurants contributing to this year’s dinner include Cavita, Ottolenghi, Cavita, La Fromagerie, T by Tamara, The Italian Greyhound and The Cavendish.

The evening will be hosted by Jay Rayner, the restaurant critic for the Observer, who will also perform on the piano.

Following the charity bash, and for the rest of the week, the food festival will host a series of events, pop-ups, tastings and more throughout Marylebone, alongside a variety of special menus in restaurants in the neighbourhood in an effort to raise further funds. Details are at present scarce but are expected to come out over the coming weeks. The festival hopes to exceed the £12,000 raised in 2022 to support the work of The Food Chain.

Speaking on behalf of the festival, Rebecca Eckles said: “We’re thrilled to bring Marylebone Food Festival back and we expect it to be better than ever. Our launch line-up is already looking fantastic and we are planning some other really exciting hero events throughout the six-day festival from safari suppers and food tours to masterclasses and tastings — there’s going to be plenty to choose from! We’re also on track to beat the £12,000 we raised for our charity partner, The Food Chain which is a very worthy London charity supporting people living with HIV.”

Tickets for both the dinner and the festival at large go on sale on March 21.

To stay up to date with the latest announcements, follow the festival on Instagram or visit its website.