National Geographic Traveller (UK) Food Festival
Events
The brief
National Geographic Traveller (UK) sought to meet a demand for a dynamic and immersive live food and travel experience that would deepen engagement with its UK-based audience and expand its reach through new points of contact.听
Our approach
In 2019, the National Geographic Traveller (UK) Food Festival was launched offering readers an immersive experience, showcasing some of the world's most exciting cuisines and celebrating the role food plays as a driver for travel.听
The two-day event welcomes thousands of visitors each year and brings together top chefs, authors and food writers, with live cooking demonstrations, expert-led masterclasses, tasting sessions and photography workshops at London鈥檚 Business Design Centre.听听
Since its launch, the event has been sponsored by a range of industry-leading brands, from the hospitality, travel and food and drink sectors and beyond, including Siemens, Prosecco DOC, Kenwood and Laithwaites.听听
Over the years, the event鈥檚 Main Stage has hosted demos and interviews with some of the biggest names in food, including Nadiya Hussain, Nisha Katona, John Torode, Grace Dent and, in 2025, Yotam Ottolenghi and Andi Oliver. Meanwhile, over at Speaker鈥檚 Corner, celebrated cookbook authors discuss their latest works, their motivations and their culinary passions.听听
Each year, the event also includes two Masterclass Theatres, in which chefs representing cuisines from around the world show attendees how to make some of the world鈥檚 best known or best loved dishes, while the Wine & Spirits Theatre hosts expert-led tastings covering both well-established and lesser-known wine-producing destinations.听
Meanwhile, the Exhibition Hall is replete with exhibitors offering everything from food samples and snack, souvenirs, travel inspiration and even cooking demonstrations and talks. Vibrant, atmospheric and immersive, it鈥檚 the heart of the visitor experience.听
In 2024 the event saw the introduction of the Tasting Sessions 鈥� which gave visitors a chance to learn more about ingredients such as chocolate, cheese and truffles - as well as workshops dedicated to food photography.听
Our results
The National Geographic Traveller (UK) Food Festival has gone from strength to strength for five years in a row, enhancing its offerings to the delight of culinary enthusiasts. With the introduction of immersive tasting sessions and photography workshops in 2024, the festival has proven its ability to attract the interest of attendees with an evolving and innovative programme. It provides a sought-after stage for exhibitors to showcase the intricate flavours of some of the world鈥檚 most celebrated cuisines, and many have become fixtures, including Georgia, Ecuador, Barbados and Cyprus.听
These successes have further solidified the festival鈥檚 reputation as an integral event within the food and hospitality sectors.听
鈥�Year after year, the National Geographic Traveller (UK) Food Festival creates a unique opportunity for destinations, even small ones like Grenada, to showcase their culinary profile. We see this from the number and variety of attendees, the atmosphere, the amazing event coverage and even how engaging and helpful the National Geographic Traveller (UK) Food Festival staff and management are to exhibitors like myself, from Pure Grenada.鈥� - Emil Edwards, Pure Grenada (exhibitor at the National Geographic Traveller (UK) Food Festival 2024)
鈥淥ur goal at this festival was to show our flavours through our great local cuisine. Traditional food from the four regions of Ecuador was shown to thousands of highly experienced visitors: foodies, press, potential tourists鈥� We were busier than we could possibly have imagined. It was an amazing event!鈥� - Ecuador Tourist Authority (exhibitor at the National Geographic Traveller (UK) Food Festival 2024)听
Client Testimonials
Discover the headliners
Over the years, the National Geographic Traveller (UK) Food Festival鈥檚 Main Stage has welcomed some of the most renowned names from the food world, including Nadiya Hussain, who enlightened audiences with live demonstrations and personal anecdotes in 2024, MasterChef judges John Torode MBE and Anna Haugh, and esteemed food critics and writers such as Grace Dent and Jay Rayner.听听听
The festival is set to welcome a fresh line-up of seasoned trailblazers in 2025, including Yotam Ottolenghi, Andi Oliver, Asma Khan and Karan Gokani.听
