So year 4 has now been and gone and we soaked up record breaking Bank Holiday temperatures for Hythe’s biggest foodie event ever, with the widest collection of international cuisine in one place bringing you to the Green in your thousands. And what a year it was.
After the crazy, freak storm of last year’s Bank Holiday weekend, we were all understandably anxious about a repeat of those weather conditions but….in positive anticipation, we danced to the sun gods and oh boy did they listen. Wall to wall, beaming sunshine with barely a cloud in the sky gave us the beyond perfect setting to introduce our new venue and the vibe was set. Marquees pitched, stalls mapped out and the exhibitors arrived to a sea of excited faces as the We Love Hythe Life Food Fest team ‘meeted and greeted’ the vehicles, jam packed with the finest and tastiest of ingredients, all of which would soon be chopped, cooked and wrapped: the feast of the town for next three days! Fast forward 24 hours and event day was finally upon us. Hythe’s sizeable, picture postcard Green gradually started to fill with the sights and sounds of cooking – the gentle bubbling of oils, the sprinkling of spices and pretty soon, we had the aromas of the beginnings of a journey of world gastronomy, with every turn enticing the taste buds with new smells and scents of cultural favour. Tens of thousands of you turned out from far and wide to bask in the sunshine, devour the plethora of tasty treats and to soak up the backdrop of the sounds of Kent’s best musicians. We were spoilt for choice with culinary delights ranging from British to Belgian and Moroccan to Madagascan, with every pocket of the globe scattered in between. Sweet or savoury, there was something to put a smile on even the fussiest of faces and each day ended with happy, sun-kissed visitors disappearing home to ponder their favourites and plan out their next visit.
As well as the food, entertainment was provided by the bucket load; the little ones wiling away the afternoon with bouncy castles, crazy golf and supersizes slides. The adults sipped cocktails, supped ales, and sat back on hay bales to immerse themselves in Hythe’s summer soundtrack, signalling the last blowout of the summer season. We grooved to soul and funk, swayed to reggae and sang along to rock and pop classics, something for everyone. For those of you who were looking for a little more than just a quick hunger fix, you weren’t disappointed, with the mastery of the chef’s theatre to entertain, teach and impress with some of Kent’s top cooking/culinary talent. You came, you listened, you sampled and took home new-found skills, ready to transfer to the kitchens of budding and aspiring novice chefs. From how to cook brisket to juicy perfection to learning the art of Indian spice, the knowledge was vast and the samples were out of this world and a treat to the culinary palette. Our artisan produce workshops filled the marquee to capacity with gin lovers delighting in the crafty creations of a local distillery and the more traditional ale fans lapping up the creative process from grain to glass; proving a real treat for the inquisitive guest. So we now raise a glass to you, the people who travelled far and wide, and of course to all of our local regulars, helping us put Hythe on the map. Thank you so much for attending and supporting Hythe Life as we simply couldn’t do it without you. We look forward to allocating our profits to our chosen worthy causes in and around Hythe, you have all made a difference.
