Aikens, Carluccio, Locatelli and Roux Confirmed for Taste of London 2006 Taste of London, 15 to 18 June Tom Aikens, Antonio Carluccio, Giorgio Locatelli, and Michel Roux Jr are just some of the world-famous chefs now confirmed for the prestigious Taste of London 2006 Sponsored by British Airways - London's top outdoor food and drink festival, taking place in Regent's Park from 15 to 18 June. Visitors to Taste of London will be able to sample exemplary cuisine from some of the UK's most famous restaurants, at a fraction of the normal price. Around 40 restaurants will participate this year, preparing and serving a selection of sample size signature dishes for visitors to enjoy, including: " Al Duca - opened by leading restaurateurs Claudio Pulze and Raj Sharma in 1999, this renowned St. James' restaurant serves modern Italian cuisine and focuses heavily on using simple, fresh ingredients to create traditional dishes with a striking new twist. " Tom Aikens - the eponymous Chelsea-based restaurant of the highly-lauded chef, who, at 26, became the youngest ever chef to win two Michelin stars. " Awana - drawing inspiration from the traditional teak houses of South East Asia with cooking rooted in authentic Malay cuisine serving classic dishes. " Bank - the lively yet stylish urban brasserie, which is situated in Aldwych at the heart of theatre-land, serving modern twists on classic cuisine. " Benares - inspired by the holy city of Benares, on the banks of the river Ganges, Atul Kochhar's restaurant offers a gastronomic journey that redefines perceptions of Indian food. " Boxwood Café - Gordon Ramsay oversees this relaxed restaurant in the prestigious five-star Berkeley Hotel focusing on seasonal British food imaginatively cooked by head chef Stuart Gillies. " Canteen - Canteen is committed to providing honest food, nationally sourced, skillfully prepared and reasonably priced. All dishes are cooked to order and the menu changes seasonally to accommodate the best and freshest national produce. " Carluccio's - the master of authentic Italian cuisine runs a series of informal eateries across the South-East serving authentic regional Italian dishes made with the very finest ingredients. " Cinnamon Club - an up-market Indian restaurant in a converted library in Westminster, whose renowned chef, Vivek Singh offers contemporary, innovative Indian cuisine. " Club Gascon - Toulouse-born Pascal Aussignac is executive chef at this Michelin-starred restaurant in Clerkenwell specialising in the gastronomy of south-west France. " Cocooon - this award winning restaurant serves the finest sushi and pan-Asian dishes in a glamorous setting. The cuisine is inspired by the food halls of Asia and presented in an exciting environment on Regent Street. " Fifteen - Jamie Oliver's famous Hoxton restaurant, which provides world-class culinary training to disadvantaged local youths, serves up delicious modern British food with a strong Italian influence. " Fino - wonderfully modern interpretations of traditional Spanish cuisine, primarily tapas dishes, are served up in this stylish West End restaurant. " The Greenhouse - an elegant Michelin starred Mayfair restaurant, where a unique, highly creative, contemporary European cuisine emerges from a classical French background. " Hush - sophisticated restaurant tucked away in the heart of Mayfair serving traditional brasserie food with a large terraced area perfect for al fresco dining in summer months. " Imli - launched by the team behind Michelin-starred Indian restaurant Tamarind, Soho-based Imli offers a casual, but sophisticated dining experience, with innovative Indian cooking that is both accessible and affordable. " Imperial City - with Ken Hom as chef consultant, this impressive, City based restaurant specialises in traditional and progressive Chinese cuisine with the accent on seafood, and was a finalist in Restaurant magazine's Best Dishes Awards 2005, Oriental section. " Inn the Park - excellent modern British cuisine in a wonderful setting in the heart of St. James Park. Winner of a Time Out Eating & Drinking Award 2006. " Kensington Place - a stylish West London brasserie that has been at the forefront of the current simple food renaissance, offering seriously good food with a strong French flavour. " Le Gavroche - Michel Roux's fabulous French restaurant has two Michelin stars and has been a leading light of the London restaurant scene - under his famous gourmet family's guidance - for 40 years. " Mango Tree - this Belgravia based Thai restaurant offers exquisite Thai cuisine by Executive Chef Mark Read. " Mela - this Soho-based restaurant offers top quality Indian cuisine and was named Moet and Chandon's Indian Restaurant of the Year at the ITV London Restaurant Awards 2005. " Menu at The Connaught - Gordon Ramsay's protégée Angela Hartnett offers stunning Michelin starred modern Mediterranean cuisine in the world-famous dining rooms of the deluxe, five-star Connaught Hotel in Mayfair. " Momo - London's most famous Moroccan restaurant, owned by Mohammed Ourad, this is an exotic souk of a restaurant in central Soho serving deliciously authentic North African cuisine. " Nahm - The Halkin, Belgravia's exclusive boutique hotel, houses this Thai restaurant - the first ever Thai restaurant in Europe to receive a Michelin star, thanks to the mouth-watering cuisine of executive chef David Thompson. " Notting Grill - Anthony Worrall Thompson's west London restaurant represents the celebrity chef's conscious move away from overly complicated cooking to simple, robust dishes that rely on the highest quality of ingredients. " Pearl - Executive Chef Jun Tanaka creates classic French cuisine with modern and light touches in stunning surroundings. " Pied a Terre - Executive chef Shane Osborn creates outstanding modern French cuisine in this two Michelin-starred restaurant " Randall & Aubin - a champagne and oyster bar situated in a former butchers shop in central Soho, specialising in all kinds of innovative seafood dishes. " Refettorio - Giorgio Locatelli consults at this incredibly stylish restaurant in the Blackfriars-based Crowne Plaza Hotel specialisling in meticulously-sourced plates of Italian cheeses and charcuterie. " Roka - executive chef and proprietor Rainer Becker, the brains behind the renowned Knightsbridge restaurant Zuma, provides modern interpretations of traditional Japanese food, cooked mainly on an open 'Robata' grill. " Savoy Grill - another protégé of Gordon Ramsay, executive chef Marcus Wareing cooks up seriously glamorous, Michelin-starred modern European cuisine in this London landmark, where Church was once a regular. " Smiths of Smithfield - beautifully simple food made from the very finest ingredients is served up under the direction of Australian owner-chef John Torode in the historic Smithfield Market, London's only working meat market. " Umu - the only UK restaurant serving traditional Kyoto cuisine from Japan, a luxuriously austere kind of cooking focusing on seafood and featuring a unique eight-course Kaiseki tasting menu. Its Michelin-starred cuisine is unlike anything else around. " Villandry - modern European cuisine and delectable comfort food are the hallmarks of this Marylebone restaurant, where executive chef David Rood prides himself on the superb quality of his ingredients. " Wright Brothers - an exciting seafood restaurant located in a hugely atmospheric building next to Borough Market that specialises in rare and renowned oyster varieties from around the British coast. " Yauatcha - this Michelin starred gorgeous Soho tea-house and dazzling dim sum restaurant is the brainchild of renowned restaurateur Alan Yau. " Zafferano - Michelin-starred Belgravia restaurant offering superb Italian cuisine cooked by much-lauded chef Any Needham. " Zaika - offering refined yet creative Indian dishes with a contemporary western twist, this Kensington-based restaurant is the ultimate example of eastern culinary sophistication. " Zilli Fish - fantastic Italian fish and shellfish-based cuisine from celebrity chef Aldo Zilli, whose unique interpretations of classic regional seafood dishes are legendary. " Zuma - modern Japanese cuisine at its very finest, offering a contemporary twist on the traditional Japanese izakaya style of informal, shared eating from this Knightsbridge star. Taste of London 2006 will also feature a Chefs Theatre, Cookery School, Wine and Spirit Academy and a Speciality Beer Academy. Approximately 120 exhibitors will be offering truly dedicated foodies the opportunity to buy to take home an incredible range of speciality produce, drinks and luxury dining and lifestyle related products. Sitting comfortably between Ascot and Wimbledon in London's social calendar, Taste of London is touted as 'the new Henley' for London's discerning socialites. Tickets will be on sale early in March 2006 ready for the event being held from 15th - 18th June in Regents Park with the aim of attracting 35, 000 visitors. TICKET HOTLINE: 08701283622 www.tasteoflondon.co.uk         top