A glittering gala dinner prepared by the head chefs of tomorrow and hosted by two of the UK’s best known chefs, will bring the curtain down on the UK’s first International Festival for Business (IFB 2014).

The young chefs who took part in the Battle of the North West cook off in IFB 2014’s Business of Food and Drink week will re-unite to create a sumptuous banquet in support of the Chefs Adopted Schools charity and provide a fitting culinary climax to a wonderful summer of business.

The dinner is hosted by chef, restaurateur and TV star, Simon Rimmer and is being held at the Arena & Convention Centre Liverpool on July 22nd 2014.

More than 300 guests will enjoy a very special menu with each of the courses being prepared by the teams of young student chefs, cooking under the watchful eyes of chef mentors including Paul Askew, former food & beverage director for Liverpool’s renowned London Carriage Works Restaurant & Hope Street Hotel and Chef Patron of the new Art School Restaurant.

The dinner is sponsored by the Federation of Small Businesses, one of IFB 2014’s key Content Partners.

Paul Askew, who is helping to organise the event with Mark Brown, Managing Director of events company, NW2, said:

“The gala dinner promises to be a not-to- be-missed event and the perfect finale to the International Festival for Business.

“It’s a real chance for the industry to come out in force and support young regional talent. We were delighted to be asked by the organisers of IFB 2014 to consider moving our business of food and drink gala dinner from the 11th July to showcase the skills and endeavour of these young chefs at the finale of the festival.

“It is a great honour for us and the food sector to have this opportunity and to send delegates off with a taste of what’s to come from them and Liverpool in the future.

“The scale of the event demonstrates just how the region is investing in the future by giving our students this chance. We want a gala dinner and the Battle of the North West to become annual events for the city, as well as a legacy of IFB 2014.”

Max Steinberg CBE, chair of IFB 2014, said:

“When we were planning the closing event for the festival we approached Paul Askew, one of Liverpool’s and the North West’s most respected chefs to consider delivering this as a fitting finale for what has been a tremendous June and July for the city.

“This finale is also a celebration of the series of food events that Paul has developed and we are all looking forward to what we know will be a great evening and reflecting on just how well IFB 2014 has been received by delegates from all over the region, the UK and from overseas.”

The gala dinner will also raise funds in support of the Chefs Adopt a School charity.