“Since childhood, stories with depictions of food in them have held a special place in my heart. I remember, when I could barely read, in a story whose name I’ve long forgotten, being strangely drawn to an illustration of a bearded man walking through the woods with a bundle stick over his shoulder. In the bundle were food and drink. The only lasting memory of that tale? The curious combination of his provisions⸺cake and beer.

I recall indulging in Enid Blyton’s The Famous Five series, as well as Roald Dahl’s Danny the Champion of the World, and being enchanted by the food the characters so often ate. I even loved the Lord of the Rings trilogy for the special relationship Tolkien’s hobbits had with all things edible.

But it was only when reading Haruki Murakami’s Norwegian Wood, and dashing into a variety of restaurants with Toru (his protagonist) and Midori, or sitting at the sanitarium with Toru, Reiko and Naoko, partaking in the many meals they enjoyed, that I resigned myself to starting a book and food festival one day. And so here it is, aptly named The Book Food Festival.”