A renowned celebrity chef, a TV wine expert, a BBC Masterchef winner and a respected hospitality guru will be among the VIPs at the 45th Lakes Hospitality Show when it makes a welcome return in March 2022 - after a three-year absence.

New dates of Wednesday 9 and Thursday 10 March 2022 have been confirmed for Cumbria’s longest-running show of its kind, as it heads back to the Junction 36 Rural Auction Centre with a firm focus on seizing new opportunities for businesses to thrive.

Organised by the Lakes Hospitality Association (LHA) in conjunction with Cumbria Tourism, the free two-day event will feature multi-Michelin star and AA-Rosette-winning chef, author and restaurateur Jean-Christophe Novelli – known to millions for his TV appearances on shows including Hell’s Kitchen and Culinary Genius.

Other special guests during the two-day event will include South Cumbria-based Masterchef winner Irini Tzortzoglou, alongside TV wine expert Joe Wadsack and hospitality guru Andrew Coy.

Best known for his expertise on wine, Joe is also a wine columnist for The Sunday Express and has judged a variety of international wine competitions. Meanwhile, Andrew Coy is proprietor at Simply Banqueting and works with a range of hotels, venues, villas and private houses; he will bring personal tales of his 50+ years working in the hospitality trade, putting a focus on first-class customer service.

The 2022 event is extra special as it marks the show’s 45th anniversary, after being delayed by the pandemic. It will also include more than 130 stands spanning tourist attractions, food and drink suppliers and support services such as IT technology and catering equipment - from not just Cumbria, but across the North of England.

All four special guests will be holding masterclasses across both days on their specialist areas for food, beverage and service. They’ll also be available on a number of exhibition stands to answer questions and speak directly to businesses.

Cumbrian hotelier James Tasker is Director of the Lakes Hospitality Trade Show. He says “After a tough couple of years, it’s fantastic to be back and confirming the return of the Lakes Hospitality Trade Show. That includes a great line up of VIP masterclasses with a firm focus on helping businesses improve efficiency and profitability, stay ahead of key trends and find solutions to industry-wide challenges like recruitment and retention.

“Over more than four decades, our event has always allowed those involved in the tourism and hospitality industry to come together and it will be great to be back face-to-face and stronger than ever! Due to pent-up demand, the Marquee for 2022 has already been further extended and almost all stands are now booked.

"Exhibitors have clearly reinforced the value of the show by holding their stands since before the pandemic and we are also dealing with a flood of new enquiries too.”