Bolton Food and Drink Festival's highlights and best bits

Bolton Food and Drink Festival was back for its 18th year with celebrity chefs, musicians, entertainment and, of course, food and drink aplenty.

A mainstay in the town's calendar, the festival has run from Friday all the way through to today, Monday, as young and old, new and returning faces alike, hit the town to sample the fare.

Kicking off on Friday, the festival got off to a great start, with cooking demonstrations from the likes of celebrity chef Michael Caines and local stars such as Alain Job of Nkono in Bolton Market. 

Gok Wan appeared at the festival (Image: Henry Lisowski)

There was also live music, with a soundtrack from local bands such as The Shed Project and singer Cash Wallwork - who was on this year's Britain's Got Talent.

On Saturday, superstar chef, television stylist and DJ Gok Wan hit Bolton, charming the audiences at his Chinese cookery demonstrations and painting the town red with his high octane DJ set at The Afterparty in The Albert Halls. 

Gok spoke to The Bolton News about his cooking demo, which saw him whip up black bean tofu and egg fried rice. He said: "I'm not really that much into what I would call posh food. I like good, home cooked, basic food, and black bean has been around for 2,200 years. 

"It's steeped in history, and we order it from a takeaway or a restaurant and we don't know its history. It's quite nice to give it centre stage and let it become the superstar, which it should be. 

"It's my first time at the food festival, I've been here before but not for the food festival."

The day also saw plenty of other musical acts, children's entertainment and even a brass band parading through the town centre.

Yesterday, the festival saw Nisha Katona, owner of Mowgli Street Food, proud Lancastrian and Great British Menu presenter, grace the stage.

Cheeky pint (Image: Henry Lisowski)

She taught three classes over the course of the day, showing the admiring crowds her secrets to Indian cuisine. 

Nisha, who cooked chicken korma and chicken jalfrezi with rice, said: "I'm a Lancashire lass, so this is my neck of the woods. I used to be a child protection barrister and this is where I used to do a lot of my work. 

"I was at Bolton Crown Court a lot. I'm very, very fond of Bolton for that reason, it was like a big day out, Bolton was bright lights, big city for me. 

"Ormskirk (where she is from) is like a little village isn't it, so Bolton was where it was all happening. 

"This is my first time, because I had to move to The Wirral, which is the butt end of nowhere. I have so little free time now, which is very sad, so it's very nice to come here in the capacity of being useful to the festival."

As well as the roster of music and entertainment, guests had their martinis shaken, not stirred, as they attended the James Bond-themed Live and let Dine experience at The Albert Bar on Sunday evening.

A dish from Chaat Walas (Image: Newsquest)

Today will see the event draw to a close, but the event isn't over yet, as festival favourite James Martin gives his fun and informative cookery demos.

There will also be plenty of food stalls, musical performances and entertainment to take in and cap off the bank holiday weekend.

Leader of Bolton Council, Cllr Nick Peel, said: "It's Britain's biggest food and drink festival, it will do well because it puts the the town on the map.

"It brings business and helps existing business. We are doing everything we can to improve the vitality of Bolton town centre."

The Mayor of Bolton, Cllr Mohammed Ayub, said: "It is my first time I've been involved in the festival myself.

"I've been out and had a look around the stalls. It was nice, very nice to see so many people around and people having a nice time.

"I think it is very good for Bolton."