THE second outing of the twice-yearly Brighton and Hove Food and Drink Festival returns at the end of next month.

Festival director Nick Mosley is promising an extensive programme of events running citywide from August 24 to September 3 that celebrate the variety, quality and creativity of the city’s food and drink scene.

A new addition for 2017’s summer event is Brighton Gin Week, supported by Sussex’s Blackdown Distillery and Brighton’s Regency Tonic.

Around 30 of the city’s leading bars and restaurants will be featuring three gin-based cocktails or gin and tonics for between £5 and £7 each during the festival.

There will also be a number of other gin based events including a Gin Makers Dinner at The Salt Room, Sussex Gin Festival presented by Brighton Gin Club at Hotel du Vin, a gin and cheese at La Cave à Fromage and a late night foraging and gin masterclass hosted by the Queen Vic in Rottingdean.

The event’s International Chef Exchange is back with two guest chefs.

Craig Jones will fly over from Cap Maison in St Lucia on the return leg of an exchange that saw Michael Bremner of 64 Degrees showcase his culinary style in the Caribbean in early June.

The pair will be cooking a modern French-Creole menu in the Dome Room at Hotel du Vin on August 24, with wines sponsored by Vranken Pommery Champagne.

An exciting young chef will also travel to Brighton from the Netherlands.

Mark van Bemmel of Publique in The Hague will be partnering with Steven Edwards at Etch in Church Road, Hove.

It is the young chefs first visit to the UK and he has pledged to explore some Sussex’s finest produce and combining it with specialties from the Zuid Holland region.

Other themed dinners and events include 64 Degrees on Safari, an exotic meats beach barbecue created by the team at Michael Bremner’s new Murmur restaurant near the i360.

Curry Leaf Café’s executive chef Kanthi Thamma will host a charity Bollywood Ball banquet at Hotel du Vin, with proceeds to Whitehawk’s Crew Club youth centre.

Ridgeview Wine Estate is teaming up with top chef Matt Gillan for an event at his Pike & Pine restaurant, while Pascere’s Johnny Stafford will be working on a Sussex brunch with Court Garden Vineyard.

The ever popular Brighton Food Trail returns to the city with ten venues offering menu tasters to trail-goers on the September and the ever popular Sussex & The World Weekend will be at Hove Lawns.

For details and tickets visit brightonfoodfestival.com.