IT WAS fine dining at its very best as guests enjoyed a sumptuous seven courses at the Bolton Food and Drink Festival gala dinner.

The Magnificent Seven dinner, held at the Holiday Inn on Friday, saw celebrity chef Michael Caines joined by some of the region’s finest cooks, including Andrew Nutter, Bolton’s own Debbie Halls-Evans and former Coronation Street star Sean Wilson, to serve up a seven course taster menu.

Cllr Cliff Morris, leader of Bolton Council, said: “The Magnificent Seven Gala Dinner certainly lived up to its name, with seven sumptuous courses cooked by some of the finest chefs around. We enjoyed a marvellous meat terrine, served with ranch beans and hush puppies, by Andrew Nutter; an amazing Lake District beef fillet with ox cheek from Michael Caines and Debbie Halls-Evans’ now famous sticky toffee pudding tart to name but a few.

“Where else could you enjoy fine dining courtesy of award-winning chefs but at Bolton Food and Drink Festival? There were almost 200 diners and each course was delivered perfectly set within a relaxed yet very special atmosphere at the Holiday Inn. I think this year’s Gala Dinner will be hard to beat.”