Food and Drink / Food & Drink News / Loyd Grossman to be Patron of Taste Lancashire 08

Loyd Grossman to be Patron of Taste Lancashire 08

Loyd Grossman OBE, former host of BBC TV's Masterchef and more recently the inspiration for a successful range of cooking sauces, has agreed to become Patron of Taste Lancashire 08, Lancashire's forthcoming food and drink year.

Lancashire has decided to focus on its strong food and drink offer to mark Liverpool's European Capital of Culture celebrations in 2008. Loyd's support is fitting as he is also Deputy Chair of the Liverpool Culture Company and Chair of Culture Northwest.

Taste Lancashire 08, co-ordinated by Lancashire and Blackpool Tourist Board and supported by the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA), will include food festivals, promotions by producers and retailers, competitions, celebrity recipes, information on local foods and drinks, a host of special shortbreak offers aimed at visitors, wider promotion of the tourist board's Taste Lancashire assessment scheme for eateries and the championing of young chef skills.

A campaign website www.tastelancashire08.com has already been set up and is being developed.

The year will also see joint activity between Lancashire and Liverpool with Liverpool eateries offering Lancashire foods and Liverpool producers attending Lancashire events including food markets.

Loyd Grossman said: "I am pleased to lend my support to Lancashire's food and drink year. Good ingredients make for good cooking and Lancashire has many examples of fine food and drink including cheese, potted shrimps, meats, salads and local ales. These will the form the basis for what should be an exciting and excellent year ahead."

Mike Wilkinson, chief executive of Lancashire and Blackpool Tourist Board said: "We are delighted that Loyd will be our Patron. We have already been working with Loyd to highlight the importance of Lancashire's culture and our distinctive food and drink is clearly one of our cultural strengths and deserves greater national and international attention."

The NWDA is working with the region's five tourist boards to ensure that the whole region benefits from Liverpool's year as Capital of Culture. Peter Mearns, director of marketing and communications at the NWDA added: "It is great news that Loyd has agreed to be Patron of Lancashire's Year of Food and Drink. The county has a great reputation for top quality food and drink, and next year's Taste celebrations will undoubtedly highlight this strength. With the support and commitment of so many organisations and individuals, Lancashire is certainly set to benefit from the legacy of Liverpool 2008."

Loyd will be launching Taste Lancashire 08 in October. Details of the launch event will be publicised soon.