A FORTNIGHT-LONG festival of fine dining with Michelin-starred chefs is returning to East Lancashire's culinary hot spot.

After a two-year wait Northcote, in Langho, is bringing back its gourmet festival Obsession.

The festival, in January 2022, will see 16 world-class chefs, who hold 15 Michelin stars between them, travel from all four corners of the country to cook at the Lancashire hotel and restaurant.

Executive chef at Northcote, Lisa Goodwin-Allen said: “Obsession 22 is particularly special.

“After having to cancel this year’s festival due to the pandemic and with the hospitality industry taking such a hit, we’re all ready to put on a show of culinary brilliance.

“This year it was only right to bring all corners of Britain and Ireland together, focusing on the incredible talent that we have on our shores, but still with an injection of different styles of cooking, different regional ingredients and different flavours.

“We have some great emerging chefs like Alex Bond, and much-loved household names, as well as some of the UK’s best female chefs, joining us.”

The 14-day event was launched in 2001 as a celebration of great food, wine and a meeting of friends.

The line-up will include Tom Kerridge from The Hand and Flowers in Marlow who holds two Michelin stars; celebrity chef and TV presenter James Martin; and Matt Abe, who holds three stars and works in a Gordon Ramsay restaurant in London; among many more.

Also cooking in the kitchen will be Simon Rogan and Tom Barnes who manage L’Enclume in Cartmel, holding two stars between them The final day, on Sunday, February 6, will see three chefs in the kitchen, Lisa, who holds one Michelin star; Monica Galetti who heads up Mere in London; and Nieves Barragan Mohacho, who has one Michelin star and runs Sabor, also in London.

Tickets for Obsession 22 go on sale on September 28 and are priced at £160 per person, including a Louis Roederer Champagne and canapé reception, five course menu, coffee and petit fours.