SOME of the region’s best chefs will share their culinary expertise in a host of free cooking demonstrations at this year’s Bolton Food and Drink Festival.

Aiden Byrne, of Manchester House restaurant, will join Andrew Nutter, Sean Wilson, Aazam Ahmad and Jackie Kearney for a weekend fit for foodies from Friday, August 22 to Monday, August 25.

Free demonstrations will take place over the four-day festival at the newly refurbished Bolton Market on Ashburner Street and in the Market Place Shopping Centre chef marquee, as one of this year’s main sponsors.

The regional chef demonstrations will complement shows in the main marquee on Victoria Square by festival headliners Michael Caines, Gino D’Campo, John Torode and James Martin.

Accomplished chef Aiden Byrne was head chef at The Grill at The London Dorchester from late 2006.

He was previously Tom Aiken’s head chef at his Chelsea restaurant and has worked with several other high-profile chefs such as Paul Rankin and David Adlard.

As well as his work in the kitchen he has made numerous TV appearances, including MasterChef, Great British Menu and Restaurant Wars, which featured his current restaurant Manchester House.

Aged 22 he became the youngest chef ever to win a Michelin star.

Aiden will be at the Market Place Shopping Centre chef marquee on Sunday, August 24, at noon and at 2pm.

Jackie Kearney was a MasterChef finalist in 2011 and is passionate about Asian street food. She has built a business creating street food up and down the country with The Hungry Gecko brand.

She will return to Bolton as a guest chef in the regional chef marquee on Saturday, August 23, at 4pm.

Also returning to the festival will be Coronation Street actor turned chef, Sean Wilson, who is also a successful cheese maker.

Sean has cooked in many Michelin-starred restaurants and will be sharing his expertise with festival-goers on Saturday, August 23, at Bolton Market at 10am and 2pm, then at Market Place Shopping Centre’s regional chef marquee at noon.

Sean is also providing the cheese course at this year’s Gala Dinner at The Holiday Inn on Friday, August 22.

Festival partners Marriott will be hosting two free demonstrations in the regional chef marquee on Sunday, August 24, featuring some of their top chefs including John Wilkinson, head chef at Worsley Park Marriott Hotel and Country Club; and Tom Gardner, executive head chef at Renaissance City Centre Hotel Manchester. The Marriott chefs are also cooking the fish course at the gala dinner.

Nikki Wilson-Cook, Centre Manager of Market Place Shopping Centre, added: “With the number of visitors who came to the festival last year it is clear there is a thirst for quality food and drink in the town and we look forward to hosting many of the top names in the regional chef marquee at Market Place Shopping Centre across the four days.”

A full schedule and further informationis available on our website boltonfoodanddrinkfestival.com.