Huge food festival coming to Tunbridge Wells with celebrity guests

It is the first time the three-day Tunbridge Wells Foodies Festival has been held in the town and it will feature top chefs, tasty food and drink, and a live music stage. It will have MasterChef champions, Michelin-starred and top local chefs cooking their signature summer recipes in front of the crowds.

And there is a spectacular line-up of chefs from leading restaurants in and around Tunbridge Wells which is sure to pull in the punters. Foodies Festival - dubbed 'Gastro-Glastonbury' - said it's "the UK’s biggest touring celebrity food and music festival series" and it holds 14 of these events around the country.

It is being held at Dunorlan Park and has a "vast array of culinary activities". There will be Great British Bake Off stars sharing their baking hints and tips live on stage and demonstrating easy-to-make recipes. And the TV chef battles and silent disco are also promised.

Read more: Organiser of Tunbridge Wells Live at The Pantiles explains reasons behind new controls

Read more: Tunbridge Wells drivers frustrated by A264 Pembury Road roadwork delays

Along with the chefs and baking 'theatres', there is firepit cooking, an artisan market, a shopping village, street food, a cook school, a healthy living section, a feasting tent, children's cookery, a drinks theatre featuring wine, beer and cocktails, and a VIP tent.

The festival will take place on Friday, July 5 to Sunday, July 7 and the musical line-up on the respective days is Symphonic Ibiza, Peter Andre and Sister Sledge. Peter Andre is also featuring in the cooking demonstrations, along with local and national chefs.

The line-up of local chefs is thrilling and will give an insight into the powerhouses behind some of the area's leading eating places. There will be many of the area's most-highly acclaimed Michelin and multi-award-winning chefs including: chef-patron Allister Barsby, from Michelin-starred Hide and Fox, Saltwood; head chef Patrick Hill, from 3AA Rosette awarded Thackeray’s, Tunbridge Wells; and head chef Alex Yates from 2AA Rosette awarded Bowley's at the Plough, Trottiscliffe.

There will also be chef-patron Will Devlin from Michelin Green star awarded The Small Holding, Kilndown; head chef Mark Charker from 2AA Rosette awarded The Bell in Ticehurst; and chef-patron Adam Turley from Michelin recommended The Old Bank, Westerham.

Patrick Hill from Thackeray's in Tunbridge Wells said: "I'm really looking forward to demonstrating in the Chefs Theatre at Foodies Festival this year. After cooking live at the Maidstone event last year and then getting invited to do a demo in their new location, and my home town of Tunbridge Wells, I couldn’t say no. I’ll be showcasing one or two dishes from our menu at Thackeray’s."

Twice Michelin-starred TV celebrity chef Atul Kochhar, who has just opened a restaurant called Essence on The Pantiles in Tunbridge Wells will also be there as one of the stars of the festival.

Other guests are MasterChef champion, Dhruv Baker; MasterChef: The Professionals champion, Alex Webb; Kent-based MasterChef semi-finalist, James Skelton; Kent-based Great British Menu 2024 star, Joe Hill; ITV This Morning celebrtiy chef Omar Allibho; BBC Radio 4 presenter Susie Warran-Smith; ITV This Morning wine expert Joe Wadsack; and TV chef, author and cookery school owner Nigel Brown.

A short guide to ticket prices

To give you a rough idea about advance ticket prices: adult ticket for Saturday, from 11am to 9pm is £21; a family ticket (two adults, two children) is £46; a VIP ticket is £52; and VIP family ticket is £120.

Headline act times are: Friday from 6pm; Saturday and Sunday from 5pm. An advance adult three-day ticket is £42 and an adult VIP three day is £124.

About Foodies Festival

Foodies Festival was launched in Edinburgh in 2005 and is described as a "celebration of quality local food and drink". It has 14 festivals around the country.

Organisers encourage local artisan producers, local street food traders and local food and drink producers to take part.

In the Cake and Bake Theatre, local bakers join Bake Off winners and finalists to bake and make sweet treats. In the Drinks Theatre wine, champagne, beer, cider and other drinks experts hold tutored tastings every hour.

The Kids Cookery theatre gives children a chance to taste new flavours and learn basic cooking skills. There is also the Cookery School which teaches authentic recipes in hands-on sessions. You can also learn more about Firepit Cooking from specialists.

The Musicians Against Homelessness live music stage sees well known artists perform throughout the event with money raised donated to Crisis.

All you need to know about the festival and how to book tickets here.

Find out more about things to do in Tunbridge Wells in Kent with our free What’s On email HERE.