Specially curated events will see a stellar line-up, including chefs Heston Blumenthal, Yotam Ottolenghi, Nigella Lawson and Nadiya Hussain, hold talks, tastings and workshops at the library over the two months.
Highlights include:
- ‘An Equal Slice? Grace Dent and Jack Monroe in Conversation’ The Guardian restaurant critic Grace Dent and food writer Jack Monroe discuss food poverty and food inequality in Britain
- ‘Taste: How Does It Work?’ Chef Yotam Ottolenghi questions how we learn to taste, what influences taste, and the role upbringing, genes and gut microbes play in shaping how we take pleasure in food.
- ‘Unwrapping the Packaging Problem’ A look at packaging materials and methods, and what routes forward there for society and science
- ‘Cake Decorating with Le Cordon Bleu’ Classic cake decorating methods with chefs from Le Cordon Bleu
- ‘Planted: Chantelle Nicholson’ A talk, demonstration and tasting session with plant-based chef, Chantelle Nicholson.
- ‘How To Farm (And Eat) For A Better World’ Food journalist Dan Saladino chairs a panel of producers to ask what action we can take to feed the planet sustainably.
Polly Russell, British Library curator for contemporary politics and public life, commented: “Whether it is handwritten manuscripts of printed cookery books, letters and diaries revealing the intimate details of eating habits or in-depth oral histories of food producers, food is present in the British Library’s collections and I am thrilled the Library will be hosting its second Food Season this spring.
Supported by KitchenAid, marketing manager Helen Simpson added: "This year marks the 100th anniversary of (KitchenAid’s) stand mixer, which has brought generations of families together in the kitchen to make memories that will last a lifetime.
“What better time for us to support the great British Library Food Season and share our passion for good food and cooking with the Library’s visitors and international online audience."
Tickets go on sale 8 March via https://www.bl.uk/events/food-season.