Preview: The Scotland Food & Drink Show 2017

Expect the youngsters to come away with spook-tacular decorations for cupcakes and devilish Hallowe'en mocktails. Picture: Shutterstock

Platefuls of foodie delights will be served up at the Scotland Food & Drink Show 2017 in October. No-one will be too young – or too old – to enjoy what’s on offer at The Scotsman’s new two-day free-to-attend celebration of the best of what we eat and drink.

A lot of technical expertise will be on show which is sure to appeal to adults, but young people are definitely in the mix with activity areas designed just for them.

Children develop their sense of taste at an early age and there is nothing better than getting them helping to cook and bake from a young age.

“That was why, when we designed this show, we felt it was vital that we included exciting ways for children to be involved,” says show organiser Rebecca Thompson.

“The show is at half-term time so parents will also welcome the fact that their young ones will be entertained,” she adds, revealing that a charity has been signed up to help with the hands-on activities.

The Team Jak Foundation will be arranging activities around a Halloween theme in the Children’s zone.

So, expect the youngsters to come away with spook-tacular decorations for cupcakes, biscuits and witches’ brews and devilish Halloween mocktails.

There will also be (slightly) scary stories for the under fives.

Team Jak is the charity which provides practical and emotional support to children and young people with cancer and related illnesses, their family and friends and those bereaved.

It was founded in 2015 by Livingston teenager Jak Trueman just days before he died of a rare and aggressive form of blood cancer.

In the five months he lived with his cancer diagnosis, Jak raised nearly £100,000 for cancer charities and the Sick Kids Friends Foundation, now known as the Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity.

When Jak unveiled his plans to support other young people and their families, he envisaged creating Jak’s Den – a purpose-built place where young cancer patients, their families and friends could go to escape from the traumas of treatment in a clean and safe environment.

Jak’s Den in Livingston now offers music therapy, counselling sessions, pamper days, alternative therapies and activity days which include cake decorating, puppet making, magic shows and teen days.

Members of Jak’s Team will use their expertise from the den to organise the activities at the Scotland Food & Drink Show 2017.

It is also a chance to highlight the team’s work, which reaches far beyond the walls of the first den, with its services on offer at other Scottish hospitals and plans being drawn up for satellite dens.

Although the emphasis of the Scotland Food & Drink Show 2017 is all about enjoying food and drink, there will be chance to learn more about the industry and its career opportunities.

There will be a careers space where the foodies of the future will be able to find out about working in the industry.

Advice will be available about working in hospitality, farming and manufacturing from both colleges and training providers, as well as professionals who are forging successful careers themselves.

The Scotsman is working with sponsors and exhibitors to create a great family day out and with Lothian Buses as a partner there will be a free bus service from the city centre to the venue, the Royal Highland Centre, Ingliston.

We have teamed up with some of the Scotland’s leading growers, producers and retailers so the two-day event will see businesses – both small and large – demonstrating why they are the best.

There will be tastings and demonstrations galore – just as you would expect at any good food show, but what will make The Scotsman’s event unique will be themed areas – including the dedicated children’s area and careers’ fair.

There will also be cooking demonstrations and master classes.

Watch out for more details of the Scotland Food & Drink Show 2017 in the coming weeks.