Bite into the SUSSEX & BRIGHTON food and drink Experience
BITE INTO THE SUSSEX & BRIGHTON FOOD AND DRINK EXPERIENCE WITH US
BITE Sussex is brought to you by the original team behind the renowned Brighton & Hove Food and Drink Festival. After over a decade of celebrating Sussex food and drink, we’ve re-booted the concept to ensure it's relevance for the 2020s.
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Each year we host events that bring together local hospitality business and quality food and drink producers from our region to showcase the best of Sussex to you through tours, tastings, one-off dinners and drinks promotions including our monthly BITE Sussex Meanwhile Monday pop-ups and forthcoming Regency Banquet at the stunning Royal Pavilion in September.
We're also recognising the huge contribution that both talented and young people make to our industry through the annual BITE Sussex Rising Stars Awards and Sussex Bartender of the Year competition.
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Behind-the-scenes, we also support our partner businesses with two annual trade tasting events to connect producers with buyers and work tirelessly across the year on PR opportunities and exciting regional and international collaborations. If you are a local food and drink business then GET INVOLVED and join the coalition of the Sussex food and drink willing.
We know you're overloaded with emails, so stay in the loop by following us on our social media channels:
Instagram @bitesussex
Facebook www.facebook.com/BiteSussex
Meanwhile Mondays: Thanksgiving Celebration with Momma Cherri, Monday 27 November 2023
Meanwhile Mondays: Nanima Asian Kitchen, Monday 23 October 2023
Monday 23 October 2023, 19.00
Meanwhile, 17 Jubilee Street, Brighton BN1 1GE
Advance tickets £35 via Meanwhile: www.meanwhilecafe.com/events
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’Nanima’ means ‘maternal grandmother’ in many languages of the Indian sub-continent, and it is in the spirit of passing on precious knowledge of traditional cuisine and inheriting cultural identity through the preparation and service of home-cooked food, offered with love and passion just like a maternal grandmother would make, that lies at the heart of what chef Nicky Allon and her family provide at Nanima Asian Kitchen in Kemp Town.
Nicky, who is of Punjabi-Malaysian origin, prepares a different set of a dozen or so dishes each day, from non-vegeratian specials and daily soups to many vegetarian and vegan options, all from diverse Asian culinary traditions. She is assisted by her sister, Bea, in the kitchen and her husband, Lonnie, who manages front-of-house.
Nanima Asian Kitchen is a genuine family-run, local neighbourhood independent café/restaurant, and the team are excited to bring their Asian cuisine to Meanwhile Mondays.
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Your menu includes all of the following:
Malaysian king prawn dumplings with chives & sweet chilli
Punjabi mixed vegetable pakoras with mint & tamarind
Singapore laksa with chicken & silken tofu
Keralan masala cod with casava chips & spicy shallotts
Afghani pistachio kheer with rose petal
Sri Lankan roasted semolina with prashad & walnut
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*If you require a vegetarian or gluten free meal please specify at the time of booking. We cannot guarantee the kitchen is allergen free.
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Meanwhile Mondays: Youjuice, Monday 25 September 2023
Monday 25 September 2023, 19.00
Meanwhile, 17 Jubilee Street, Brighton BN1 1GE
Advance tickets £35 via Meanwhile: www.meanwhilecafe.com/events
’Nothing added. Nothing taken away” is the mantra of chef Anita Drozd of Youjuice, located on Brunswick Street East in Hove. Producing cold press juice from her ‘garage’ kitchen and café, Anita and her team also offer a menu of wholesome soups, superfood salads, fermented foods and raw sweet treats and has gained a huge following over the years for those looking for healthy, nutritious and seriously tasty food.
For Meanwhile Mondays on Monday 25 September, Anita is serving up a mainly vegan menu of dishes showcasing the very best of what is on offer at the café. She is joined in the kitchen by long-time colleagues chefs Jeremy and Vera Ashpool, formerly of the acclaimed Jeremy’s Restaurant in Borde Hill, for what promises to be a memorable evening of food and friends.
Starter sharing platter:
Kale Chips / Selection of Flex Crackers / Raw Pizza / Spiced Cashew Cheese / Salsa / Kimchi
Intermediate course:
Tuna Tataki Salad* / Mango & Cucumber / Spinach / Sesame
or Vegan option: King Oyster Tataki / Sweetcorn / Black Rice & Almond Salad / Chive & Taragon
Main course:
Beetroot & Dill Pearl Barley Risotto / Miso Glazed Aubergine /
Pomegranate Seeds / Pickled Golden Beet/Red Sorrel
Dessert:
Vegetarian: Sticky Toffee Pudding* / Bake Chai Apple / Coconut Yogurt / Toasted Pistachio
or Vegan option: Bake Chai Apple / Coconut Yogurt / Blackberry Sauce / Turmeric & Maple Granola / Pistachio
*All dishes are vegan and gluten free with the exception of the Tuna Tataki Salad and the Sticky Toffee Pudding. Please specify at the time of booking if you want a 100% vegan meal. We cannot guarantee the kitchen is allergen free.
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Regency Banquet @ The Royal Pavilion, Brighton, Saturday 30 September 2023
Saturday 30 September 2023, 18.30
The Royal Pavilion, Brighton BN1 1EE
Advance tickets £150 via Chef Simon Mckenzie: https://www.chefsimonmckenzie.com/events-menu
We invite you to enjoy a Regency Banquet in the spectacular surrounds of the Banqueting Room at The Royal Pavilion, Brighton.
Presented by a brigade of talented local chefs – Simon Mckenzie, Julien Plummart, Seb Cole and Sabu Joseph – , vintner Henry Butler and Brighton-based drink producers, this one-off five course fine dining evening on Saturday 30 September 2023 will intrigue and delight your senses with five courses of Regency-inspired dishes matched with drinks typical of the early 1800s.
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Click here for a comprehensive PDF about the event, including our sumptuous menu and to discover more here about The Royal Pavilion’s most famous chef – Antonin Carême – and the Regency cuisine that has inspired us.
On the night, we will be holding a silent auction fundraiser in aid The Royal Pavilion & Museums Trust featuring exclusive hospitality, food and drink experiences.
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Meanwhile Mondays: Pulpo Negro, Monday 7 August 2023
Monday 7 August 2023, 19.00
Meanwhile, 17 Jubilee Street, Brighton BN1 1GE
Advance tickets £35 via Meanwhile: www.meanwhilecafe.com/events
Founded by Marie-Lou and Andres Alemany with a vision of serving cuisine from all corners of the Spanish peninsula, Pulpo Negro in Arlesford near Winchester offers the finest Spanish and British ingredients, prepared with love, cooked with passion and served with confidence.
The team are proud to have held a Michelin bib gourmand since 2014 and can’t wait to bring their food to Brighton for this one-off Meanwhile Mondays pop-up in August.
The menu includes all of the following dishes:
Vermouth, gordal olive, orange
Payoyo cheese croqueta, pickled walnut purée
Catalan tomato bread
Salt cod esqueixada, Navarra chickpeas, empeltre olives
Iberico pork ribs, sobrasada glaze
BBQ peaches, east India Sherry jelly, Catalan almonds
Advance tickets £35. Please note, due to the nature of this event we can accommodate vegetarian diners and a gluten-free NGI option if notified in advance at time of booking. We cannot guarantee the kitchen is allergen free.
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Meanwhile Mondays: Boho Gelato X Meanwhile 'Frozen Supper', Monday 12 June 2023
Monday 12 June 2023, 19.00
Meanwhile, 17 Jubilee Street, Brighton BN1 1GE
Advance tickets £35 via Meanwhile: www.meanwhilecafe.com/events
Presented by BITE Sussex in conjunction with Meanwhile, these monthly £35 pocket-friendly pop-up events will feature a varied line-up of guest local and national chefs and culinary styles.
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Our third guest chef is Brighton ice cream maestro Seb Cole of Boho Gelato presenting a 'frozen supper' in collaboration with Meanwhile's head chef Ian Aungier. Suffice to say tickets for this experimental supper are flying out of the door!
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Meanwhile Mondays: Arrisy Kitchen 'A Mediterranean Journey', Monday 10 July 2023
Monday 10 July 2023, 19.00
Meanwhile, 17 Jubilee Street, Brighton BN1 1GE
Advance tickets £35 via Meanwhile: www.meanwhilecafe.com/events
“Our menu is inspired by our travels around France, Italy, Greece and Spain”, said Isy. “We’re very excited to showcase the Mediterranean food we love to cook and eat, through our usual informal, relaxed sharing plates”.
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Sussex Bartender of the Year 2023
Finals: Monday 5 June 2023, 14.00-17.00
Shelterhall, Kings Road Arches, Shelter Hall, Brighton BN1 1NB
Free entry
Bite Sussex and Mixology School present the annual Sussex Bartender of the Year competition. Professional bartenders from across East and West Sussex and the City of Brighton & Hove are invited to apply for a competition box and create a unique sustainable Sussex themed cocktail using locally produced spirits.
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The finals are open to bartenders and the public – join us at Shelterhall on Monday 5 June and cheer on your favourite shaker 'n' maker!
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Meanwhile Mondays launch 3 April with Chef Simon Mckenzie
Monday 3 April 2023, 19.00
Meanwhile, 17 Jubilee Street, Brighton BN1 1GE
Advance tickets £35 via Meanwhile: www.meanwhilecafe.com/events
Presented by BITE Sussex in conjunction with Meanwhile, the monthly £35 pocket-friendly pop-up events will feature a varied line-up of guest chefs and culinary styles including Angelica Food’s Maria Chilton and Jimmy Gray (formerly of Jeremy’s Restaurant), and Meanwhile’s head chef Ian Aungier working alongside Boho Gelato’s Seb Cole on an off-the-wall frozen supper.
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The first guest chef on the evening of Monday 3 April is Simon Mckenzie who’s spent the past 30 years working in leading restaurant and hotel kitchens across the UK. Simon will be presenting his five course tasting menu for and astounding £35.
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Toy Box: a one-off experiential dining experience at Brighton Toy & Model Museum with Isaac At, Brighton Gin, Madame Jennifer Distillery & Slake Spirits
Sunday 30 April 2023, 15.00-17.00
Brighton Toy & Model Museum, 52-55 Trafalgar St, Brighton BN1 4EB
Advance tickets £55 via Isaac At: http://sevn.ly/x6VA4rqi
Enjoy five quirky snacks inspired by toys from the museum collection and retro sweets created by the Isaac At team, alongside three cocktails created by local distilleries. This is a never-to-be-repeated food and drink experience to raise funds for the museum's Trafalgar Street Regeneration Project.
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Meanwhile Mondays: Monday 15 May
Maria Chilton & Jimmy Gray of Angelica Food
Monday 3 April 2023, 19.00
Meanwhile, 17 Jubilee Street, Brighton BN1 1GE
Advance tickets £35 via Meanwhile: www.meanwhilecafe.com/events
Details coming soon
Sussex Bartender of the Year Competition 2023
Finals will be held Monday 5 June 2023
Shelter Hall, Kings Road, Brighton
Free entry – booking recommended
Join us for the finals of our annual Sussex Bartender of the Year Competition, hosted in conjunction with our friends at Mixology Group and BITE Sussex spirit partners.
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In advance of the event, Sussex bartenders are invited to create a bespoke cocktail using locally made and sourced products before the finalists go head-to-head before our panel of expert judges and you!
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More details will be posted here shortly.
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Free entry
Brighton Cocktail Weekender 2023
Date to be confirmed
Various venues in Brighton & Hove and surrounding area
Free entry – booking recommended
Brighton's Finest will be shaking and making promotional cocktails packed with Sussex deliciousness for a long weekend in November (dates to be confirmed). Enjoy discounted drinks and masterclasses with local spirit makers and mixologists.
BITE Sussex Rising Stars Awards 2023
Date to be confirmed
Central Brighton location
Our annual awards celebrating the contribution young people make to the hospitality, food and drink industry of Sussex.