This traditional food market is a popular tourist attraction in London.<\/p>\n
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Located in the center of London, Borough Market<\/a>, with 1,000 years of history, is London\u2019s oldest and most famous food market. Currently in the same location that it has been since 1756, the market, which is well known for its produce and street food, is an independent institution ran by a charitable trust, protecting not only its legacy, but also, how it evolves in the future.<\/p>\n Open six days a week, Borough Market has three key areas: Three Crown Square, for larger stalls; Green Market, for petite artisan traders; and Borough Market Kitchen, for street food to fill your belly. And, if you don\u2019t find what you\u2019re hankering for, there are plenty of restaurants, pubs, and boutiques that surround the market on all sides. Visitors can get an exclusive guided tour through the market on select dates, a unique experience and one you\u2019re not soon to forget.<\/p>\n And how does a food expert and chef get the exclusive opportunity to lead tours in London\u2019s most celebrated and historic food market? To start, it might help to write several cookbooks and know film director, Stanley Kubrick.<\/p>\n From Kitchen to Page to Market: An Epicurean Life in Full Flavor<\/p>\n Exploring the market with a professional chef, guide, and author provides valuable context to what you’re seeing and tasting.<\/p>\n Borough Market, Celia Brooks <\/p>\n Food expert, Celia Brooks<\/a> is a professional chef and author and she founded the very first tasting tour of Borough Market over two decades ago. \u201cI fell into food by accident,\u201d says Brooks. \u201cI first came to London seeking a career as a theatre director. After working for a couple of years, I discovered cooking for the first time and how creative it was. I got hired as a private chef, before I really knew what I was doing, by artist Christiane Kubrick, the wife of film director Stanley Kubrick. They took me under their wing and allowed me to develop my skills in their kitchen, cooking for family and people working in film, including a few big stars.\u201d<\/p>\n It wasn\u2019t long before Brooks began writing cookbooks and showing the world how to make her recipes on television. Then the food tours came.<\/p>\n \u201cI founded my food tour company, Gastrotours<\/a>, in 2001 and created the first ever Borough Market tasting tour in 2003,\u201d says Brooks. \u201cLater I was granted a license by Borough Market as the only person allowed to run food tours there, so that has been my main focus for the last 20-odd years. There is now only one other tour operator licensed to run tours there besides myself. It\u2019s an incredible gig.\u201d<\/p>\n Crafting Flavor: A Culinary Visionary\u2019s Big Wave<\/p>\n Spend an afternoon here\u2014you won’t regret it.<\/p>\n getty<\/p>\n Brooks\u2019 Anglophilia began at an early age because her family lived in England for a year while her father, an academic, was on sabbatical. \u201cI visited London when I was 14 years old and spent time wandering around the city on my own at that very impressionable age,\u201d says Brooks. \u201cOne day in Portobello Market, I had an epiphany and realized London was the coolest place on Earth and it was where I belonged. So, I made it my mission to move here. I dropped myself off after college and got on with it.\u201d<\/p>\n Brooks has lived in London for 36 years…and counting.<\/p>\n The Kubricks\u2019 lent Brooks money so she could self-publish her first cookbook, Vegetarian Foodscape, in 1998. \u201cThat got my foot in the door and my first internationally published book, New Vegetarian, came out in 2001, published by Ryland, Peters & Small,\u201d Brooks says. \u201cIt became a bestseller. I’ve written a total of nine books, published in ten different languages. My most recent book, SuperVeg – The Joy and Power of the 25 Healthiest Vegetables on the Planet, is my homage to my favorite veggies. This is my true passion and specialist subject.\u201d<\/p>\n The Taste Maker: Where Food Meets Story<\/p>\n Borough Market in London is a top thing to do in the city.<\/p>\n getty<\/p>\n And what does Brooks love best about taking visitors through the market? \u201cBorough Market is like an onion\u2014it has so many layers and it’s my job to unravel them and reveal its thrilling secrets,\u201d says Brooks. I love watching people’s faces light up when they taste these incredible products.\u201d<\/p>\n Sharing the market\u2019s history is also important. \u201cThere is a fascinating story about the history of Borough Market and it’s so much fun blowing people’s minds with the stories about its past and present,\u201d says Brooks. \u201cBorough Market has such an exciting vibe, and I do my best to maximize that for people. People come away from the experience of my tours with such joy and with their expectations exceeded\u2014that’s a wonderful feeling for me.\u201d<\/p>\n Borough Market is Brooks\u2019 favorite playground and classroom. \u201cThe range of foods is staggering and so widely varied, and the quality is exceptional,\u201d Brooks says. \u201cEveryone in the London food world knows that Borough Market is the place to go for the very best ingredients. Plus, the people working there\u2014the producers and the traders and traders\u2019 staff\u2014they\u2019re all so passionate about what they do. They\u2019re warm, vibrant individuals who are not just there to sell you something\u2014they love to engage and talk about the origins of their products and how to use them.\u201d<\/p>\n Exploring the market with a professional chef, guide, and author provides valuable context to what you’re seeing and tasting.<\/p>\n Fresh tomato varieties on display for sale in Borough Market, London.<\/p>\n getty<\/p>\n And what are the top three best stalls to visit while at Borough Market, according to Brooks?<\/p>\n P\u00e2t\u00e9 Moi: Flip Dunning has been selling her incredible vegetarian mushroom p\u00e2t\u00e9 at Borough Market for over 20 years. It’s wonderful slathered on bread but is also a versatile cooking ingredient and turns into an incredible sauce when melted into cooked pasta. I love that Flip sells just that one product with pride and joy.<\/p>\n Trethowan Brothers: These guys make proper English cheeses in Somerset, including one of the very best cheddars called Pitchfork, using raw cow’s milk. They also sell other fine English artisan cheese such as Stichelton, a raw milk blue cheese\u2014that one is probably my favorite cheese of all time. I love the stories behind the making of these wonderful traditional products. These cheeses have ancient origins but nearly disappeared from existence in the war-torn 20th century but happily they have made a comeback thanks to producers like these and markets like Borough.<\/p>\n Oliveology: Marianna imports the finest Greek products, including honey, olive oil, cheeses, wines, nuts and pulses. I will only buy my dried oregano from here\u2014it’s the best! They have the most delicious unpasteurized olives that retain the maximum flavor and nutrition. It’s fun to have people taste these unusual olives for the first time – I’ve seen many an olive-hater get converted.<\/p>\n Good to Know<\/p>\n The sign for one of the entrances to Borough Market, near London Bridge. It is one of the largest and oldest food markets in London.<\/p>\n getty<\/p>\n Private tours can be booked by contacting Brooks directly at celia@celiabrooks.com<\/a>. In addition to private tours, Brooks runs public tours on Friday mornings for up to 12 people, which anybody can join. Advance booking is required, and these do sell out quite quickly. Visit her website for more information: www.celiabrooks.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n Where to Stay<\/p>\n For a truly special experience, enjoy tea service at the hotel.<\/p>\n London Marriott Hotel County Hall <\/p>\n For a historic hotel, which originally opened in 1922 by King George V and Queen Mary, within walking distance to much of what London has to offer, look no further than London Marriott Hotel County Hall<\/a>. Renovated in 2024, this luxury hotel is dreamily situated on London\u2019s South Bank. Lucky lodgers enjoy stunning views of not only the River Thames, but also, London Eye, Big Ben and Houses of Parliament.<\/p>\n With top notch dining experiences at Gillray\u2019s Steakhouse, gin tastings at Gillray\u2019s Bar (choose from over 100 gins), and a Big Ben-inspired afternoon tea at The Library, you will find it easy to whittle away the day here in style. The concierge team can curate an itinerary to meet your needs throughout your stay including food tours with Celia Brooks.<\/p>\n