MASTERCHEF presenter John Torode and Merseyside chef Simon Rimmer will join the line-up for this year’s Liverpool Food and Drink Festival, the Daily Post can exclusively reveal.

As well as appearing at the festival, Australian John and Birkenhead-born Simon, host of BBC2 show Something For The Weekend, will both take a tour of the Sefton Park site, meeting exhibitors and fans.

Rimmer said: “I am really looking forward to taking part in this year’s festival because I think the event magnifies just how much Liverpool has become a fantastic food and drink hotspot.

“The city has a lot to offer when it comes to eating out and there is a real diversity among the bars, restaurants, hotels and producers which are currently out there.

“Although I will be doing cookery demonstrations on the day, I hope I can find some time to try all of the different types of food on offer and to meet the chefs and restaurateurs I have continued to admire over the years. They are the ones who have really helped to put Liverpool on the culinary map.”

Now in its fourth year, the Liverpool Food and Drink Festival celebrates the city’s excellent food and drink offer, from high-end restaurants and quirky cafes to local producers and talented chefs.

The festival marketplace in Sefton Park will showcase local producers selling the best regional food and drink to take home or eat on site, including cupcakes, bread, honey, olives and cheeses.

There will also be an interactive Chop ‘n’ Chat with organic specialist Riverford Home Delivery.