A line-up of Edinburgh chefs will take part in live cookery demonstrations at the first Leith Food Festival, which takes place at Leith Links from 30 to 31 May.
Organisers say the event is focused on supporting local producers, performers and creatives by giving them a platform in one of Edinburgh’s best-known community spaces.
Created and hosted by Barry Bryson from Michelin-featured Barry Fish, the chef demo theatre will feature nine chefs across the two-day event, with each taking part in a 45-minute live cookery session.
Barry will be joined by Dan Ashmore from The Roxburgh, Sarah George from The Palmerston, Tomás Gourlay from Cardinal, Theo Pantazis from Krema, Sharif Gergis from Mirin, former Fhior chef Scott Smith, Pedro Barreira from The Lighthouse Restaurant onboard Fingal, and MasterChef Quarter Finalist 2025 Molly Pennington.
The demonstrations will cover a range of dishes and styles, from Scottish beef, shellfish and fish to Scottish Asian fusion, Greek baking, classic pastry and gut health recipes. The indoor cookery theatre will seat up to 150 people and is expected to be one of the main attractions at the festival.
Chef Barry Bryson said, “I’m really excited to be creating and hosting the chef demo theatre at the first ever Leith Food Festival and doing my bit to promote our local Edinburgh neighbourhood as the capital’s leading food and drink destination.
“I’m really excited to be teaming up with some of my own chef friends and other well-known names from the city’s culinary scene to cook up a storm with some fresh, seasonal and tasty dishes people can easily make at home.
“Above all, we want to make it fun, interactive and accessible for everyone.”
Former chef patron of Edinburgh’s Fhior, Scott Smith, added, “I’m delighted to be involved in the first Leith Food Festival. Leith has such a strong, vibrant food and drink community, so this feels like a long time coming. I’m looking forward to bringing my style of cooking to the stage and sharing a bit of what I do.”
Theo Pantazis from Krema Bakehouse and Krema The Kitchen Project commented, “I’m incredibly excited to be part of the very first Leith Food Festival, especially alongside such a talented lineup of chefs. Leith has such a vibrant food scene and this is a fantastic opportunity to showcase the amazing offerings and creativity the area has become known for.”
Sharif Gergis from Mirin added, “I’m really looking forward to being part of the Leith Food Festival. It’s a great opportunity to hang out with like-minded chefs and connect with people who genuinely care about food and where it comes from. Events like this have a strong sense of community, and that’s something I value hugely.
“I’m especially excited to showcase the kind of cooking we do at Mirin — taking exceptional produce and pushing it in bold, flavour-driven directions. It should be a lot of fun.”
The family-friendly Leith Food Festival will also feature global street food, independent drinks, live music, arts as well as charitable partnerships.
