Foodies are in for a treat as Aberdeen Restaurant Week introduces food tours and cookery classes to the popular event for the first time.
Alongside the now established set price menus for lunch and dinner, diners will be able to have their own gastronomic adventure and enjoy Aberdeen in a new way on an exclusive street food experience tour with operational partner Grampian Escapes and Tours.
Running from Wednesday February 26 to Sunday March 1 during Aberdeen Restaurant Week, participants will be able to experience some of the exciting new foodie choices on offer in the city centre and discover a bit about Aberdeen's food history along the way. In addition, the tours will offer a chance to meet the heroes behind the chosen eateries, finding out a little bit more about them and their food inspirations.
Starting at the Pigs Wings and moving on to LatinWay and Tango Turtle before rounding things off at Mackie’s of Scotland, the tour includes all food and soft drinks.
For those keen to learn how to create meals and snacks from around the world, Aberdeen Restaurant Week organisers Aberdeen Inspired have also introduced cookery classes to the event for the first time. Whether you want to create your own Thai dish, perfect guacamole or learn how to cook an Indian dish or that perfect pasta dinner, this will be the ideal opportunity to do just that with cookery classes available at Chaophraya, Revolucion de Cuba, Namaste Delhi or Pasta at Aberdeen Indoor Market.
Kate Timperley, Aberdeen Inspired senior project manager, said: “We are delighted to introduce food tours and cookery classes to our offering for Aberdeen Restaurant Week this year, which will offer a unique opportunity to experience a range of fantastic eateries in the city centre. We want to encourage residents and visitors alike to explore Aberdeen in a new and fun way through these interactive events.
“From fusion to Latin American and Caribbean, there will be plenty to tempt the tastebuds and we would urge people to book as soon as possible as we think the events will prove popular with Aberdeen foodies. This tour is of course an additional offering to our popular set price menu for Aberdeen Restaurant Week, designed to encourage visitors and residents alike to support our local businesses and try something new or revisit a firm favourite. We can’t wait to let everyone know the full line-up for Aberdeen Restaurant Week so watch this space.”
Jacqueline van den Akker, of Grampian Escapes and Tours, said: “I am thrilled to work with Aberdeen Inspired during the next Aberdeen Restaurant Week. The city has been developing a great range of culinary choices with restaurants, pubs and cafes offering tastes from all over the world.
“In places like Edinburgh, Glasgow, Belfast and Bristol to name but a few, food tours have been running for years and I am excited to work with venues in Aberdeen and offer the first street food tour in the city. We aren’t tourists in our own city often enough and forget to look around us. Now is a perfect chance to do just that.”
Francesco Di Nicola, of Pasta, said: “During the pasta class you will master the art of creating hand-crafted pasta from simple ingredients like flour and eggs and recreate traditional cuts such as spaghetti, tagliatelle and pappardelle. It will be a hands-on experience that will give you a new skill to share with family and friends.
“We started with the classes a month ago and we are extremely impressed with the response we had so far. We are very happy to have Aberdeen Restaurant Week customers taking part in this and of course we are excited to deliver the coolest class in town.”
Street food tours will run on Wednesday February 26 and Thursday February 27 from 6pm, and Friday February 28, Saturday February 29 and Sunday March 1 from 1.30pm.
Aberdeen Restaurant Week is taking place from February 24 to March 1.
Food tours are priced at £34 per person. All bookings must be made online in advance of the tour. Cookery classes are priced individually and will run at various dates and times throughout Aberdeen Restaurant Week. For more information and to book your places please visit aberdeenrestaurantweek.com.