Bluewater Shopping Centre is gearing up to tantalize the tastebuds of food enthusiasts with its first-ever Scrumptious Food Festival. Scheduled for the bank holiday weekend from Saturday, May 25, to Monday, May 27, the festival is poised to become one of the largest food events in the region, showcasing an impressive array of artisan stalls, street food vendors, and a stellar line-up of celebrity chefs.
Set outside the centre’s village in a sprawling 12,000-square-foot marquee space, guests can explore a diverse selection of street food offerings and artisanal products. The festival is set to elevate the culinary landscape of Kent, offering a unique blend of local flavours and international cuisines.
The event’s highlight will be the “Big Cookery Stage,” where renowned celebrity chefs will conduct cooking demonstrations, sharing their expertise and passion for food with festival attendees. The announced line-up includes household names such as British chef and TV personality Rosemary Shrager, Kent-based Great British Bake Off (GBBO) 2020 finalist Laura Adlington, and ITV Lorraine’s ‘Cake Club Queen’ Suzy Pelta.
Adding to the excitement, GBBO 2023’s fan-favourite Saku Chandrasekara, cookbook author and GBBO 2014 star Chetna Makan, GBBO 2021 finalist Chigs Parmar, and GBBO 2021 semi-finalist and ‘German Baking’ author Jurgen Krauss will also grace the festival with their presence.
James Waugh, Centre Director at Bluewater, expressed enthusiasm about the festival’s debut: “We have already seen huge interest in our debut food festival… We are excited to host a range of talented chefs and bakers here at Bluewater and can’t wait to learn from the professionals.”
The festival will feature an eclectic mix of street food vendors, including the Kent-based Whitstable Oyster Trading Company and Pakistani street eats from Baba Dhaba, promising a culinary journey around the world for attendees.
Lotte Duncan, co-founder of Scrumptious Food Festivals, shared her excitement: “We are delighted to announce the first celebrity stars for the first ever Scrumptious Bluewater Food Festival… We’ve worked with these pros numerous times before so we can assure festival-goers that they’re in for some thrilling demonstrations.”
As preparations for the festival continue, the organizers are still accepting applications from artisan traders looking to participate in this historic event, although the street food market is now at capacity. Independent businesses specializing in homewares or gifts are encouraged to apply through Humble Country.
The Scrumptious Bluewater Food Festival promises to be a memorable event, offering something for everyone from food aficionados to casual diners seeking to experience new flavours and learn from culinary masters.
