About

Foodies Festival, known as Gastro-Glastonbury, will take place at Hylands Park across 3 days from 23rd - 25th June. Featuring live cooking demonstrations from top chefs drawn from the ranks of MasterChef, Great British Bake Off and Great British Menu, plus top-rated Michelin-starred and award-winning chefs. Music headliners include Sophie Ellis-Bextor with a full band performance and boyband, Five. 

MasterChef 2023 champion Chariya Khattiyot, and finalists Anurag Aggarwal and Omar Foster will be reunited for the first time to cook together in front of a live audience and speak about their incredible experience on the show. 
Other star names appearing in the live cooking theatres include: Great British Bake Off 2022 winner, Syabira Yusoff, MasterChef champions Tom Rhodes and Dhruv Baker, cookery author and Sunday Times columnist, Skye McAlpine, star of Great British Menu, Paul Croasdale, chef-patron from 3 AA Rosette awarded Flitch of Bacon, Dunmow and Sunday Times best selling author, cook and award-winning blogger, Becky Excell

Showcasing the best of Essex, many of the most highly acclaimed Michelin and multi-award-winning chefs will also appear, including: Michelin starred chef-patron, Jeff Galvin, from Michelin Bib Gourmand awarded Galvin Green Man in Chelmsford, chef-patron, Paul Wendholt, from Bib Gourmand awarded Kintsu in Colchester and head chef, Jon Hardy, from Michelin recommended Food By John Lawson, Leigh-on-Sea

New for Fridays: the festival launches ‘Cocktails, Cabaret and Cake’ – kicking off the weekend with a fun-fuelled schedule of events with a comprehensive selection of traditional and on-trend new cocktails, entertaining cabaret sessions, top tribute acts and local performers, all headlined by A Twist of ABBA. 

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, including presentations from BBC expert, Joe Wadsack, and award-winning local breweries. 

Visitors can browse the latest food trends in the Shopping Village, meet local producers in the Artisan Market and taste exotic and unusual new dishes in the Feasting Tent – which features a mouth-watering range of street food and delicacies from all four corners of the globe. Other attractions include a chilli eating competition, fairground, children’s activities, and family-friendly areas.