live demonstrations
& foodie talks

Illustration of light blue fork and knife overlapping.

Step into the tent at Willow Walk for a feast of inspiration!

Join us for a packed schedule of live cooking demonstrations and engaging foodie talks from top chefs, local legends, and culinary creatives. Whether you're a seasoned home cook or just love good food, there’s something for everyone. All events are completely free—just drop in and enjoy the delicious fun!

A woman in a chef's uniform with a headset explains food options to a group of people in the food festival marquee.

Schedule

10:00 - 10:30 Secrets of Sardinian Cookery with Lovitaly

10:40 - 11:10 How to Create the Perfect Cheese and Charcuterie Sharing Board with Wimborne’s Renoufs

11:20 - 11:50 Seed to Plate with Pete Miles of Dorset Oysters

12:00 - 12:45 Tricks with Tortilla with Colm McKavanagh and Salamander Cookshop

13:15 - 14:15 Fishy Business with Colin Nash from The Colin Nash Restaurant

14:20 - 15:20 Secrets to Perfect Choux Pastry with Maggie Richardson

15:30 Wimborne’s Great Choc Bake Off

Timings are subject to change, Check the Dacombes Food Festival Theatre on Willow Walk on the day.

Cake Competition

Want to get involved? Why not enter our cake competition, open to all adults with two junior categories for 7–11 years and 12–16 years.

How to find us

The live demonstration tent will be at Willow Walk (behind Waitrose) in Wimborne.

 

Meet the experts

Chef Colin Nash wearing a white chef's coat, he is resting his arms on a wooden table and looking directly into the camera with a slight smile.

Colin Nash

13:15 - 14:15

Acclaimed Dorset chef Colin Nash will be a headliner at the 2026 Wimborne Food Festival, leading a live cookery demonstration in the Festival Food Theatre Marquee. A true maestro of culinary art, Colin brings more than three decades of experience from the kitchens of renowned restaurants including his own restaurant – The Colin Nash Restaurant at The Retreat, near Christchurch.

Photo © Colin Nash

Maggie Richardson stands at a demo kitchen counter speaking to an audience. She is wearing a headset microphone and gesturing with her hands.

Maggie the seaside baker

14:20 - 15:20

From the bake off tent to the Wimborne Food Festival Tent! Festival‑goers will also be treated to a live demonstration as Maggie reveals her secrets to perfect choux pastry, offering tips techniques and the kind of practical know‑how that made her a fan favourite.

Two women smiling at the camera while leaning at a wooden table with two glasses of red wine, a bottle of wine, and a cheese and fruit platter in front of them.

Renoufs

10:40 – 11:10

Join Front of House Manager Sali Pike and Supervisor Ellie Snook from the Wimborne team to learn 'How to Create the Perfect Cheese and Charcuterie Sharing Board', a fascinating glimpse into how award-winning Renoufs crafts its beautifully balanced grazing boards, perfectly paired with meats and wines.

Photo © BBPR

Two women in a cafe, one holding a bowl of tomato soup with basil and the other carrying a tray of biscotti. Behind them is a chalkboard wall with decorative drawings.

LovItaly

10:00 – 10:30

Bringing the flavours of Sardinia to Wimborne! Cristina Cavalleri of LovItaly will be sharing the family recipes close to her heart, including a perfect tomato sauce and classic amaretti biscuits, made alongside LovItaly's talented pastry chef Sarah Read.

Photo © Wimborne BID

Pete Miles, wearing a black T-shirt, standing outdoors and smiling. In the background, there are other people, greenery, and wooden structures.

Pete Miles

11:20 – 11:50

Meet Pete Miles, owner of Dorset Oysters. His talk, ‘Dorset Oysters- Seed to Plate’ will lift the lid on the journey of an oyster - from its beginnings as a seed in the nutrient-rich waters of Poole Harbour to the moment it’s shucked, cooked and enjoyed.

Photo © Pete Miles

Colm McKavanagh

12:00 – 12:45

Wimborne chef Colm McKavanagh is teaming up with award-winning Salamander Cookshop to present Tricks with Tortilla. He will show how to make a classic Tortilla Española, served with sheep’s cheese, aioli and roast pepper purée. The demonstration will also feature state-of-the-art cookware selected by Salamander Cookshop, including the Circulon Halo sauté pan.

Photo © Salamander Cookshop

Looking for food stalls?

See our list of traders
Food demonstration under a large outdoor tent with an audience seated on wooden chairs, with the chef preparing food at a counter.
A group of people sitting on wooden chairs in a marquee watching Maggie Richardson speaking on stage at the Wimborne Food Festival; two dogs are in the foreground.