With every organiser claiming theirs is “not just the average street food event”, and everyone hyping pretty much everything, it’s difficult to decide where to put your weekend pennies. We can’t eat all of it.
We – the scoffers – must use this surge to shape the future of street food in the city. Market forces are great, until a few years down the line everyone notices that prices have crept up and no one – neither the consumers nor the producers – is doing well out of the situation.
So: ask questions, tweet organisers, make demands, play the field and don’t be afraid to criticise.
In this spirit we speak to Manga Singh from Taste & Liquor, who are tomorrow launching their weekly Street Food Market on Birmingham’s Southside.
BN: There’s been about four new weekly or regular events launched this summer. Is demand consistently high enough for them all to survive in harmony?
MS: People will always be into food and drinks and there are always more and more restaurants opening in the city, so more food events can only be a good thing.
BN: Why should people go to Taste & Liquor over other street food things that are going on this weekend or others?
MS: We are completely different from the others. We are a boutique market offering food made by chefs, not just vendors; cocktail classes; Birmingham’s first ping-pong club; a food bank and fIlm club – so that makes us stand out from the rest.
BN: Can you give any details of what’s going to be on the menu?
MS: All I can say is some of the amazing dishes you will sample at the launch this Saturday are by resident chefs who are still currently working in Michelin Starred Restaurants. Taste & Liquor stand proud to present something unique to Birmingham’s Street Food community.
BN: How affordable will it be for people? A lot of people feel like prices have been going up and if you went to every street food event you’d have no money left.
MS: We are aiming on keeping the dishes around £5 so they are still value for money. As we pointed out, many of these ingredients are fresh and cooked on site and are also seasonal so there will always be slightly higher than being purchased frozen or pre-cooked.
Taste & Liquor’s Global Food Festival & Pop-up Street Market kicks off on Saturday 30th May at 12-6pm and will appear weekly at its home on Lower Essex Street, B5 6RD. Entry is £1. For more information visit their website or Twitter.
