The self-styled three-day “Gastro-Glastonbury”, Foodies Festival, is returning to Preston Park for the May Day bank holiday, 3rd-5th May. The line-up has been freshly announced and is packed full of celebs and experts from the world of food, as well as a nostalgic line-up of live acts on the main stage.
An integral part of the event is the live demonstration theatres where attendees get the chance to inhale the real-life aromas of cookery from star chefs, and even sample some of the results. Chefs announced so far include: Great British Bake Off winner, Matty Edgell, MasterChef champions, Chariya Khattiyot, Tom Rhodes and Dhruv Baker, MasterChef: The Professionals winner, Steven Edwards and 2024 finalist, Ritchie Stainsby, television personality and Michelin starred chef, Atul Kochhar, and Channel 4 bread expert, Jack Sturgess.
Some of the most acclaimed chefs of the local scene are also represented. Will Dennard and Jack Southern from Med, named Best Local Restaurant in the South East will be there. As will head chef of Burnt Orange, Peter Dantanus, head chef of The Jolly Tanners, Mark Charker, Chef-Patron Johnny Stanford, from Tern in Worthing, Head Chef, Oscar Kirkpatrick, from Riddle and Finns and Chef-Patron, Lee Parsons, from The Parsons Table, Arundel.
Headlining the music stage will be the kind of high calibre acts you’d expect from the UK’s biggest touring food festival: perennial pop rock outfit Scouting For Girls, The Wanted 2.0 (presenting the next chapter in the history of the million-selling chart-toppers) and pop alumnus Pixie Lott.
There’s a jam-packed schedule in the interactive live theatres. In the Chefs Theatre, celebrities will create their signature dishes and share new tips and tricks, whilst in the Cake & Desserts Theatre, patisserie chefs and star bakers whip up showstoppers and offer tempting sweet treats. In the Kids Cookery School, Foodies SuperChefs make cooking fun, helping younger guests to prepare delicious food which they can take away and enjoy.
Masterclasses in the Drinks Theatre include tutored champagne, beer, cider, cocktail and wine tasting with experts including BBC and ITV presenters, Tom Surgey and Joe Wadsack. There will also be plenty of foodie wares to browse in the Shopping Village with artisan markets and the Feasting Tent where delicacies from around the world can be sampled.
Preston Park, Brighton
3rd, 4th, 5th May 2025
Earlybird tickets from £6 (child) and £21 (adult). Under 6 go free. Buy tickets here.
