It’s Festival Season Soon – The end of May sees one of my favourite festivals: Foodies. This year it’s at Syon Park again and runs from 23 to 25 May inclusive.
Here’s what you could be enjoying and/or eating your way through:
Marking over two decades as the UK’s largest and longest-running touring food, drink and music festival, this special anniversary year brings together new attractions, headline music acts, star chefs and bakers, alongside a strong showcase of local culinary and musical talent – all set within the stunning surroundings of Syon Park.
From live cooking demonstrations and artisan markets to hands-on activities and plenty of space to relax, Foodies Festival is designed to be enjoyed by everyone – including four-legged friends.
There’s a line-up of TV celebrity chefs and music stars, including Scouting For Girls, Boyzone and Westlife supergroup Boyzlife, and Pop Idol star Gareth Gates, with the hit show ‘Boyband in the Park’.
There will be live cooking demonstrations from an extensive menu of top chefs. Featuring MasterChef and Bake-Off champions, Great British Menu winners, judges and TV guest chefs, and highly-rated Michelin-starred and AA Rosette-awarded chefs.
Star names cooking live include: MasterChef 2025 Champion Harry Maguire and finalists Sophie Surgue and Claire Syrenne, MasterChef champions Dhruv Baker and Thomas Frake, celebrity chef and TV personality Atul Kochhar, Great British Menu Champion of Champions, Amber Francis, Royal cake maker and author Mich Turner MBE, ITV’s The Heat star, Tom Lodge, and Great British Bake Off 2025 stars Hassan Islam and Jessika Trassel.
Representing the best of London and surrounding regions, renowned chefs and bakers will also appear, including: TV regular and Chef Patron, Kenny Atkinson, from Michelin-starred House of Tides, MasterChef: The Professionals star and Chef Patron, Elena Frattura, from Rottura, and Rakesh Ravindran Nair and Hart Nagaraj from The Cinnamon Club.
Foodies Festival isn’t just about the food – there’s also a stellar music line-up that will have visitors dancing as they dine. Featuring festival favourites Scouting for Girls delivering their many top 40 hits, Boyzone and Westlife supergroup Boyzlife, with founding members Keith Duffy and Brian McFadden performing their vast catalogue of No 1’s with a live band, plus Pop Idol star and heart-throb Gareth Gates, and his ‘Boyband in the Park’ show, covering the biggest boyband hits from the 90s and 00s.
Throughout each weekend, local and touring bands and artists will perform. Visitors will enjoy jam-packed schedules in the interactive live theatres. In the Chefs Theatre, celebrities will create their signature dishes and share new tips and tricks, cooking mouth-watering dishes and showing off the very best of locally sourced produce, whilst in the Cake & Desserts Theatre, patisserie chefs and star bakers whip up showstoppers and offer tempting sweet treats. For the hot-headed, Foodies’ legendary chilli-eating competition expands, adding a new level of heat with the Ultimate Hot Wings Challenge!
Masterclasses in the Drinks Theatre include tutored sessions on Champagne, Beer, Cider, Cocktails, and Wine, featuring presentations from experts from ITV, BBC, and Channel 4.
Children too, will enjoy a packed itinerary with both educational and fun activities. Younger guests can enjoy the Kids Cookery School sessions, where they can prepare delicious food to eat or take home. The brand-new Foodies Treasure Hunt Trail will keep the little ones busy, following clues and uncovering hidden secrets across the entire festival. Afterwards, they can visit the fairground and games area in the Kids Zone.
Visitors can browse the latest food trends in the Shopping Village, meet local producers and sample a variety of delicious goods 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.
Tickets available at www.foodiesfestival.com
DISCOUNT CODE : For a special discount enter code FF30 for 30% discount on tickets!
The Seasoned Gastronome