Mailbox delivers culinary cornucopia for foodies
Birmingham’s diverse culinary sector will be in the spotlight when one of the city’s top shopping and dining destinations stages a week-long festival.
Taste of the Mailbox, which starts on Monday (August 7), will feature a series of exclusive food and drink events, masterclasses, tastings and live demos.
Throughout the week, visitors to the Mailbox will be treated to tempting complimentary food and drink samples from a selection of tenant bars and restaurants.
One of the highlights is expected to be next Friday (August 11) with the Taste of the Mailbox Food Tour. Visitors paying £50 a ticket, 12 food lovers will be taken on the exclusive tour of what the Mailbox has to offer with an aperitif, starter, main and dessert course at Harvey Nichols, Gas Street Social, Tom’s Kitchen and Chez Mal.
On Saturday (August 12), the venue welcomes a host of experts. At 12pm and 3pm, Birmingham cook, tutor, food stylist and photographer, Lap-fai Lee will host an Asian Seafood Feast and Masterclass at the Mailbox’s kitchen showroom, Kitchen Gallery. Under the chef’s supervision, guests will be able to try their hand at a number of Asian-influenced dishes including sushi, scallops and red curry king prawns, before a seafood meal in Kitchen Gallery’s dining room.
Also appearing that day will be wine expert, Jane Parkinson. Best-known for her role on BBC1 Saturday Kitchen Live, Jane is a UK-based journalist, author and broadcaster who writes for the likes of Stylist, Telegraph, GQ, Harper’s Bazaar and Elle. She will join Harvey Nichols’ wine specialist, Siofra O’Brien, in the store’s Wine Shop to guide ticket-holders through a range of contemporary and classic wine accompanied by cheese plates.
On Sunday (August 13), Harvey Nichols is teaming up with Birmingham restaurant, The Wilderness, for a tongue-in-cheek celebration of the traditional English holiday. This one-night only collaboration will see head chef, Alex Claridge, take over the kitchen at the luxury store to create an unusual spin on British summertime.
Inspired by his own childhood holiday experiences, the evening will include a six-course dinner, while the star attraction will be The Wilderness’ customised gothic ice cream van.
Tickets are now sold out for the restaurant but bar reservations are still being taken. The bar pop-up will offer a selection of drinks matched to the dishes, as well as a menu of specially-created cocktails.
The Mailbox’s Everyman Cinema is also getting involved, staging a special screening on August 13 of cult foodie film, Chocolat, with cinemagoers paying £5 for an event which features complimentary chocolates and a mimosa.
David Pardoe, head of retail, marketing and tenant engagement at The Mailbox, said: “The Mailbox is home to a number of exciting bars and restaurants, and Taste of the Mailbox is the perfect opportunity to showcase everything we have to offer.
“From masterclasses with experts to pop-up demonstrations and complimentary food sampling, there’s something to suit everyone next week – whether you’re a novice or a self-confessed foodie.”
