What's on

We’ve got loads happening across Easter weekend, it’s the perfect plan for families, friends, and anyone who just fancies a proper day out.

Expect live music, celebrity chef demos, hands-on cooking classes (for kids and grown-ups), and plenty to eat, drink, and explore as you go.

Chef Demos

Cheris Finden

Cherish Finden is a highly decorated pastry chef, best known for her role as a formidable judge on Channel 4’s Bake Off: The Professionals. Cherish’s style of patisserie marries food with art, pushing the boundaries of what can be achieved with a dessert. Her attention to detail is famously second to none.
With over 25 years of international experience, Cherish has earned a plethora of awards over the course of her career. Most notably, she won the prestigious Top London Afternoon Tea Award at Tea Guild Awards, as well as Pastry Chef of the Year at the Craft Guild of Chefs Awards. In her earlier years, Cherish led the Singapore pastry team to win the 2000 IKA Culinary Olympics. In 2015, she received the Macallan Lifetime Achievement.
Professionally, Cherish was the Executive Pastry Chef at the Langham, followed by the Pan Pacific Hotel in London, where she opened her first patisserie, SHIOK!

And she has most recently been announced the new judge for The Celebrity Great British Bake Off for 2026.

Matty Edgell

2023 Great British Bake Off Winner.
Matty Edgell is the PE teacher-turned-baker who won The Great British Bake Off in 2023 on Channel 4, a win built on calm technique, classic flavours, and turning pressure into performance. In the final, he sealed the title with a three-tier, buttercream-covered celebration cake showstopper, inspired by his first-ever bake and praised by the judges for how good it tasted. Away from the tent, his background in Sports Coaching, Physical Education and secondary teaching shapes his style: clear, practical, and genuinely helpful, the kind of baker who explains why something works, not just what to do. Now he’s built a big online audience by sharing approachable recipes, tips and technique-led content and his Chef Demo brings exactly that energy: confident baking, smart shortcuts, and plenty you’ll want to try at home

Jon Watts

Jon left school at 16 feeling lost and unsure of his future. He got caught up with the wrong crowd and at 18, he was sentenced to six and a half years in a young offenders’ institute. During his time in custody, with support, he transformed his mindset and discovered cooking through the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. He became the first person in custody to achieve Bronze, Silver and Gold, receiving his Gold Award at Buckingham Palace from HRH The Duke of Edinburgh just two weeks before his release.
Whilst in the institute, Jon discovered his love of cooking and after gaining professional cookery qualifications, Jon joined Jamie Oliver’s restaurant Group, where his passion for cooking truly ignited. He spent five years honing his skills, often working unpaid shifts in top restaurants on his days off, to learn as much as possible.

In 2015, Jon went self-employed, launching his food truck Jon’s Street Food in St Albans. This led to opportunities including cooking for celebrities, national advertising campaigns, large catering jobs , and a contract cooking in the X Factor house in 2016.
When the pandemic hit in 2020 and work disappeared, Jon adapted by sharing recipes online, quickly building a large following.

With growing media attention, Jon began speaking in schools, prisons and businesses, sharing his story to inspire others. He has featured multiple times as a guest chef on ITV’s This Morning and appeared on BBC’s Saturday Kitchen.
Jon released his debut cookbook Watts Cooking in October 2023 and following its success, he signed with Bloomsbury Publishing. His second book, Speedy Weeknight Meals, was published in August 2024 and became a Sunday Times bestseller.
In August 2025, his third cookbook, Speedy Comfort, was released and also became an instant Sunday Times bestseller.

Brin Pirathapan

Brin Pirathapan is a fresh and exciting voice in British food, known for his bold, inventive cooking that draws on his Tamil Sri Lankan heritage and UK upbringing. Since winning MasterChef in 2024, Brin has been captivating audiences with his vibrant, flavour-driven dishes. Brin’s debut cookbook “Elevate” is due to be published in April 2026 and encapsulates Brin’s passion for elevating classic recipes: turning basic ingredients into exciting dishes. Brin is passionate about making flavourful cooking accessible, with warmth, humour and heart...and he’s just getting started.

Jaydon and Brendon Manders

Meet the brothers behind Lumberjaxe: Brendon Manders and Jaydon Manders, a Birmingham-born duo turning proper family BBQ memories into big, punchy seasonings and sauces. Inspired by their grandad’s brick-built BBQ in Birmingham, their range is made without added colours or preservatives, just all-natural flavour built for fire cooking. They hit the national spotlight on Dragons' Den in February 2025, landing a £90k investment for 20% from guest Dragon Emma Grede. Now stocked nationwide including Selfridges and Ocado, they’re bringing the heat to our Chef Demo stage with bold techniques, big flavour, and BBQ inspiration you’ll actually want to try at home

Paul Askew

Paul Askew is one of Liverpool’s key culinary leaders, Chef Patron of The Art School, which he opened in September 2014 and has spent over a decade building into one of the city’s best-known fine-dining rooms. The restaurant has been Michelin Guide–listed/recommended from 2014 to the present and has held two AA Rosettes throughout that period, reflecting the consistency and standards he’s relentless about.

What sets Paul apart is that he’s not just focused on his own pass. He’s a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Culinary Arts and Joint Chairman for the North of England, actively pushing for stronger culinary culture and progression routes outside London. In March 2025, he was intronised as President of Disciples Escoffier UK (having become a Disciple in March 2023), with a clear agenda: modernise, widen representation, and help bring through the next generation via mentoring and opportunities like exchanges and competitions.

Paul’s also delivered at major national moments, including cooking for the G7 delegation (December 2021) and high-profile cultural events in the city, while continuing to invest in Liverpool’s food scene. Alongside his son, Harry Askew, he co-opened Barnacle in December 2021, a modern brasserie that nods to Liverpool’s maritime story and champions seasonal produce and local suppliers.

Aiden Byrne

Aiden is one of the North’s standout chefs - Liverpool-born and properly obsessed with standards. His career took him from early hotel kitchens into serious fine dining, and by just 22 he’d already made history by winning a Michelin star at Adlards in Norwich. From working in top kitchens including Pied à Terre and The Commons, Aiden then became a key name in Manchester’s modern food scene with Manchester House (built alongside Tim Bacon). Most recently, Aiden and his wife Sarah opened LI~LY Restaurant by Aiden Byrne,in Knutsford, Cheshire an intimate tasting-menu restaurant that’s already been listed in the MICHELIN Guide (UK, 2025) ⭐️

Expect a Chef Demo that’s sharp, seasonal, and no-nonsense: big skill, calm confidence, and dishes that show exactly why he’s still shaping the North’s food story.

Neil Aitken

Head Chef at The Forge Restaurant Chester, bringing serious pedigree and a very clear style: flavour-first food that looks as good as it eats. Originally from Edinburgh and now based in Chester, Neil joined the team after eight years at The Chester Grosvenor, where he rose to Sous Chef in Arkle. His experience also includes working in Michelin-star kitchens across the UK, including Midsummer House. At The Forge, the cooking is built around live fire: meat, fish and seasonal vegetables are cooked over open flames in the open kitchen, giving guests a front-row view of the craft, the heat, and the theatre behind every plate.

Babna Patisserie

Babna is the creative force behind Manchester’s renowned Babna’s Patisserie, which she founded in 2019. Since then, she has helped elevate the local culinary scene with distinctive, innovative desserts inspired by flavours from around the world. Her work has earned praise from both customers and critics, as well as recognition at respected dessert competitions supporting local businesses.
With a special passion for French patisserie, Babna regularly travels to France to immerse herself in its rich pastry culture. There, she learns from leading chefs and participates in masterclasses in Paris, continually refining her craft. Her mission is to demystify French desserts and make them accessible to everyday home bakers.
Drawing on expertise gained from Parisian masters, Babna shares her love of elegant, flavourful desserts through creations that are both refined and achievable. She invites everyone to join her in a sweet revolution, championing her motto: “Patisserie desserts made easy!”

Brian Mellor

Chef Brian Mellor is a chef-educator through and through, a mentor who’s spent years building confidence in young talent and helping shape the next generation of North West chefs. He’s an Ambassador for Cheshire College South & West, sharing real industry insight with students as they step into professional kitchens.

He’s also the founder and chair of Young North West Chef of the Year, a long-running regional competition (originally launched in the early 2000s) that’s become a proper springboard for emerging chefs, giving them a platform, feedback from respected judges, and a network that can change careers.

Beyond the industry, Brian’s big on making great food feel achievable for everyone. Through Harthill Cookery School and his online teaching, he brings a professional chef’s guidance into home kitchens with practical, confidence-building cooking that’s focused on skills you’ll actually use.

Harry Elliott

Chef Harry Elliott has taken the reins of the kitchen at Oddfellows, creating modern, relaxed menus that are accessible to all and packed with seasonal produce and bold, comforting flavours.

Harry spent several years at Chester Racecourse, working with the brilliant team there to deliver high-quality event food, a time he looks back on with huge affection.

Now leading the kitchen at Oddfellows, Harry strives for excellence across his seasonal Afternoon Tea, Parlour, Breakfast and Brunch menus. His Sunday Roast has quickly become a firm favourite, featuring melt-in-the-mouth beef from award-winning local butcher David Joinson.

Daniel Ap Geraint

Daniel Ap Geraint is the driving force behind The Gunroom Restaurant at the 5* Plas Dinas Country House in Caernarfon, the former home of Lord Snowdon, and one of the most exciting chefs to come out of North Wales in recent years.

Daniel joined The Gunroom in **2018** and has steadily built it into a true foodie destination, drawing diners from across the UK and overseas. Under his leadership, the restaurant was added to the **MICHELIN Guide in 2022**, and the team is now working towards their **first MICHELIN Star** and **third rosette** the kind of recognition that demands consistency, patience, and absolute attention to detail.

That consistency is reflected in the wider team Daniel has helped shape around him, working alongside a strong line-up of chefs and building a kitchen culture that’s focused, ambitious, and proud of where it comes from.

The restaurant’s reputation has also been backed up with major awards. In **2025**, The Gunroom was named **“Best Place to Eat” in Wales by Visit Wales**, a huge moment for North Wales dining. Its wine programme has become a serious part of the experience too, earning an **AA 2024 Notable Wine List Award** and the **overall AA Wine List Award Wales 2024/25**. In **2023**, the team even planted their own vineyard and have since built one of the **largest known collections of Welsh wine**, showing the same long-game thinking that runs through Daniel’s food.

Seasonality and locality aren’t buzzwords in Daniel’s kitchen, they’re the whole point. He’s obsessed with provenance, championing independent Welsh producers, and building menus around what’s genuinely at its best. The team forage, source locally farmed meats, and have developed a kitchen garden to feed into the ever-evolving monthly menu. Even the detail goes deep: they use vine cuttings from their own vineyard (including Gwinllan Conwy vines and cuttings) to smoke butter, because for Daniel, flavour is in the craft.

In **2025**, Daniel stepped into the national spotlight as a competitor on **Great British Menu** during its 20th anniversary year. He won the **Wales region week**, then went on to place **2nd in the starter final** and **joint 3rd in the mains**, holding his own among the very best in the country — and doing it with the kind of calm that makes you trust the chef behind the pass.

Daniel’s story starts in **Prestatyn**, North Wales, surrounded by passionate cooks and strong food memories — especially his **Nain**, who still influences the food he creates today. Torn between performance and the kitchen, he studied **Music and Drama** at A level and later **Music, Theatre and Media** at university, all while the pull of food never really left. After gaining experience in respected kitchens near Llandudno, he became a Head Chef in Caernarfon at just **23**, then at **27** opened his own restaurant, which was soon recognised by both the **MICHELIN Guide** and the **Good Food Guide**.

Today, Daniel is not just building a restaurant — he’s building a legacy for North Wales food. Awards, guide recognition and TV success are all part of it, but the real story is the obsession: better ingredients, better flavour, better detail, month after month. And if you’re watching The Gunroom’s journey, it’s obvious where it’s heading.

Ellis Barrie

Chef Ellis Barrie is one of the UK’s most exciting modern chefs, known for bold, locally driven British cooking. Liverpool-born and now based in North Wales, he rose to national attention after co-founding the award-winning The Marram Grass and appearing on Great British Menu.

His food is rooted in seasonality and sustainability, working closely with local farmers, foragers and fishermen to showcase the best of Anglesey produce. Beyond the pass, Ellis is a passionate mentor and educator, sharing his skills through workshops, community events and online—helping shape the next generation of chefs while continuing to push British cuisine forward.

Felix Shore (Restaurant 209)

Felix, grew up in Whitchurch and attended Bishop Heber High School before travelling up to Scotland for University where he studied Politics. Since then he has embarked on a culinary journey that has taken him to some of the best restaurants around the World.

From working at the renowned O'Connell Street Bistro in New Zealand under the guidance of Mark Southon, to his time spent in the UK at the Michelin-recommended Docket No33, where Stuart, the owner, invested an immeasurable amount of time in his development. This invaluable mentorship shaped Felix's approach to cooking and solidified his dedication to technique, product knowledge, and seasonality.

Felix's thirst for knowledge and learning different techniques took him to Copenhagen. From there, he travelled to Oslo to stage at the renowned Kontrast and on to Sweden at Restaurant Frantzen.

Continuing his quest for culinary excellence, Felix briefly returned to the UK to be part of the opening team at a Mike Robinson restaurant, which specialised in cooking meat and game over open flames.

Still eager for new experiences and cultural influences, he accepted a position at Restaurant Natura in Helsinki, Finland where Felix embraced the opportunity to learn from their farm-to-table practices and navigate the unique challenges of shorter seasons and a potholed supply chain.

After his time in Finland, Felix returned full circle, working once again with Stuart as the restaurant experienced tremendous growth.

He later further honed his skills as the acting head chef at a previous restaurant, gaining invaluable experience in managing larger teams, understanding the business side of running a restaurant within a hotel, and navigating the complexities of management.

Having lived in New Zealand for the past 18 months, Felix brings with him a wealth of knowledge, experiences, and a genuine love for the culinary craft.

With his unwavering commitment to technique, product quality, and seasonality, Felix aspires to create dishes that not only delight the palate but also reflect his dedication to the science of cooking.

Ben Finchett

Ben Finchett is Executive Head Chef at Chester Zoo, with over 30 years of experience in the hospitality industry. During his career he has worked under Simon Radley at The Chester Grosvenor and led the kitchen at one of Marco Pierre White’s restaurants.

Over the past eight years, Ben has helped shape the zoo’s food offering, playing a key role in opening the award-winning Oakfield pub and the events venue The Square. Passionate about seasonal cooking, Ben works closely with outstanding local suppliers and champions fresh, locally sourced produce.

For his demonstration at the Chester Food and Drink Festival, Ben will be showcasing ingredients grown in Chester Zoo’s own kitchen garden, highlighting how simple, seasonal produce can be turned into vibrant, flavour-led dishes.

Cooking Classes

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We have both Adult cooking classes and Kids cooking classes and they are FREE! Once you book your tickets, book classes through your confirmtaion email.

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Kids Zone and Fun Fair

We wanted to make your weekend as fun as possible and that means keeping the kids properly entertained too. We’ve got plenty of fun dotted around the site so the little ones are buzzing .