Phuket, 5 September, 2016 – The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) in collaboration with Phuket City is organising the Phuket Tasty Fest 2016 to celebrate the delicious and internationally renowned tastes of the island province and other food, fish, drinks and desserts from around Thailand.
Visitors to the festival, which takes place from 9-11 September (coinciding with the Andaman Hotelier and Tourism Fair 2016), will be able to taste and learn about unique Thai dishes and explore the cultural melting pot of Phuket. The festival takes place from 16:00 to 22:00 Hrs along Thalang Road in Phuket Town.
Ms. Anoma Vongyai, Director of the TAT Phuket Office said, “Phuket has always attracted people, from Hokkien Chinese tin miners, to Malay Muslims, Hindus and Christians, and they’ve brought their different recipes and cooking styles with them, meaning the island’s culinary culture is unique in Thailand.
“We want to preserve these dishes and share them with the world, while promoting the high quality of Thai ingredients and the skills of our talented chefs,” she said.
Because so many people have settled in Phuket over the centuries, bringing their own traditions and dishes, the island’s food is distinct from the rest of Thailand and boasts flavours and dishes that cannot be found anywhere else.
This is why last year, UNESCO declared Phuket to be one of its “Gastronomy Cities” as a way of celebrating and protecting Phuket’s unique dishes. There are only 18 “Gastronomy Cities” across the world and Phuket is the first place in ASEAN to receive this accolade.
As well as local Phuket dishes, the Phuket Tasty Fest 2016, will give visitors the chance to taste a wide range of Thai food and drinks from all regions of the kingdom.
There will be cooking demonstrations from well-known chefs and a celebrity cooking competition in a “Tasty All Star” event. There will also be snacks and food stalls selling treats, as well as entertainment and concerts from famous singers taking place for all three days of the festival.
To make the festival easier for food lovers to navigate, it will be divided into zones with different dishes and produce.
To try the amazing local fusion food, head to the “Tasty Local Food” zone, which is a showcase for the local Phuket dishes and ingredients that led to the island being named a Gastronomy City.
To see and sample some of the region’s abundant fresh fish and other seafood, visitors should head to the “Tasty Seafood” zone.
Meanwhile, some of Thailand’s biggest names in food and restaurants will be showing off their creations as well as competing in the “Tasty All Star” zone.
The “Tasty Sweet” zone, with a wide range of drinks and desserts can provide a sweet ending to any trip to the festival.
The Phuket Tasty Fest 2016 coincides with the Andaman Hotelier and Tourism Fair 2016, which will be held on Limelight Avenue, also from 9-11 September. The Tourism Fair will feature seminars on marketing, branding, and service designs from hospitality experts. But there will also be fun demonstrations of arts; such as, flower displays and ice-carving, as well as the chance to take up promotional offers on plane tickets and hotel packages.
Mr Anoma said, “The Tourism Fair highlights Phuket’s unparalleled position as a world tourism destination, and we welcome people to join. And whether you’re in Phuket for a meeting or pleasure, don’t forget to treat yourself at the food festival.
“It is a celebration of the melting pot that is modern Phuket and will be a fun event for foodies and families, so if people want to try something unique they should treat their taste buds to a trip to Phuket,” Ms. Anoma concluded.
