A POPULAR food festival is set to welcome back big names in the culinary world to wow the crowds in the cookery theatre.

The Malton Food Lovers Festival, on Saturday, May 28 and Sunday, May 29, has also announced the backing of a number of Yorkshire businesses, including main sponsor Inntravel, which will be be supporting the cookery theatre in the Milton Rooms.

The theatre will welcome a line-up of both celebrity chefs and Yorkshire’s finest talent over the weekend, including Rosemary Shrager, Steph Moon and James Mackenzie.

New to the 2016 festival is Yorkshire food group Cranswick Plc who are sponsoring the Open Stage through their Malton-based handcrafted pastry brand Yorkshire Baker and will be serving up all butter pastry sausage rolls and pies.

Tom Naylor-Leyland, festival director, said: “The annual Food Lovers Festival is one of the north’s biggest and most reputable food festivals, attracting thousands of visitors to our picturesque market town.

"We have big ambitions to support and grow the reputation of Malton as Yorkshire’s Food Capital, inspiring even more people to visit Malton, attracting top names in the food world and creating further sponsorship opportunities."

The festival is free to enter with both free and ticketed events. Day tickets are £5 before the event or £10 on the day and include free parking and access to the Inntravel Cookery Theatre. Visit www.maltonyorkshire.co.uk.