The stage brings together some of the region’s most exciting culinary talent.
Food lovers across Staffordshire are being invited to a weekend of live cooking, tasting and demonstration as the Festival Flavour Stage returns to the Lichfield Food and Drink Festival from Saturday 29 to Monday 31 August 2026.
Now an established highlight of the festival calendar, the stage brings together some of the region’s most exciting culinary talent for a packed programme of demonstrations, all staged at The Hub at St Mary’s in the heart of the city.
Leading the bill across all three days is television chef and author Rosemary Shrager, whose decades of experience in professional kitchens and on our screens have made her one of the most recognised names in British food. Her appearances on the Festival Flavour Stage are expected to be the highlight of the weekend, and organisers are urging early arrival to secure a good spot.
Joining her on Sunday is Liam Dillon of The Boat in Lichfield, the city’s own Michelin starred chef, who will bring his fine dining expertise to the stage in a demonstration not to be missed by anyone with a serious interest in food.
The programme is not all about the stove. Saturday will see Peter Bridgwater lead a wine tasting demonstration with 1485 Wines, while Monday brings free cocktail demonstrations from Hannah Green of Tipples and Tonics.
The Festival Flavour Stage is proud to be hosted once again at The Hub at St Mary’s, and organisers have thanked the venue for opening its doors to the festival for another year. Behind the scenes, the professional kitchen powering every demonstration has been generously provided by Ian and the team at Leafbone, without whom the live cooking programme simply would not be possible.
The Festival Flavour Stage is delighted to recognise Hutchings Civils and Hire Ltd as headline sponsor of this year’s programme. Their support as our Golden Hive partner has been central to bringing a line up of this calibre to Lichfield, and organisers have extended their thanks for the company’s continued backing of the festival.
It is not too late for local businesses to get involved. A small number of sponsorship packages remain available ahead of the festival, offering brand visibility, hospitality and direct engagement with festival goers. Businesses interested in finding out more can contact Hunnypot Cottage Events directly on 07815 445 430 or hello@hunnypotcottageevents.co.uk
Tickets for each demonstration are priced at £5, with children’s tickets available for £1. Babes in arms do not require a ticket. Tickets can be bought on the door, subject to availability, or booked in advance online by visiting TheHubStMarys.co.uk