London Restaurant Festival 2011

Attending the London Restaurant Awards several years ago, Evening Standard restaurant critic Fay Maschler decided it could be done better (no offence, Giles Coren). The London Restaurant Festival is the result, an altogether more celebratory and all-encompassing food affair, showcasing a huge variety of events at venues across the capital. Highlights include a food film festival, Eat Film, with restaurants to match the feature films; a tapas tour, where you can take in some of London's finest tapas restaurant alongside a glass of Rioja; The Big Quiz: Starter For Ten, where the wnners can get their hands on a Cheese and Wine Masterclass from Michelin starred Seven Park Place; the chance to dine in the presence of a top chef in a capsule on the London Eye; and a culinary carnival at legendery retailers Fortnum and Mason. Alternatively, you can climb aboard a Routemaster bus for a Gourmet Odyssey starting with a glass of Laurent-Perrier champagne at The Savoy or The Arch Bar at InterContinental London Park Lane and trying out three of London's well known restaurants with a food expert as your guide. The festival, organised with help from the people who run London Fashion Week, promises to be much more fun than an industry-only awards night. What's more, many restaurants around the city will have specially prepared menus that are available throughout the festival period. During the London Restaurant Festival, simply tell American Express what inspires you about food and they will contribute 50p to The Prince's Trust. For more information and to take part, visit amexbeinspired.com /#amexbeinspired. For full information on the festival, visit www.londonrestaurantfestival.com.