Dartmouth Food Festival is having to postpone some outdoor events due to Storm Austen

Dartmouth Food Festival will be three days of "extraordinary food, world-class chefs, and the finest produce from Devon’s coast and countryside" - but events on the Friday have had to be scaled back due to the yellow weather warning for high winds. 

Dartmouth Food Festival (23–25 October 2026) is well-known as one of the most prestigious food festivals in the country and is always credited with an unrivalled line up of chef talent and a feast of entertainment.

This year, the first day may be a little less than perfect, with outdoor events on the Friday night needing to be postponed until the Saturday morning. 

Suzie Sutton, Co-chair, Dartmouth Food Festival said: "Due to the current forecast and an amber weather warning as Storm Austen approaches the Southwest on Thursday evening, the Directors of Dartmouth Food Festival have, after careful consideration, made the decision to postpone some elements of the Festival on Friday until Saturday morning.

"To clarify this means that all outdoor events and exhibitors trading under canvas on Friday will be cancelled. Normal business will resume on Saturday morning.

"We are pleased to confirm events taking place at the Flavel, Dartmouth Yacht Club, The Sail Loft, Browns Hotel, and the Flavel Church will continue as planned.

"This is a decision we have not taken lightly. However the safety and wellbeing of everyone involved in the Food Festival - our visitors, exhibitors, volunteers, presenters and event teams, is our highest priority.

"We thank everyone for their understanding and support, and look forward to seeing you over the weekend."

Check to see if the event you were looking forward to is still going ahead here: www.dartmouthfoodfestival.com/fridayevents - there are still a couple of spaces for ticketed events. 

The weekend will continue on Saturday morning, continuing to build on more than two decades of culinary excellence, the chefs’ favourite foodie destination is set to welcome an exciting line-up of chefs including: Henry Harris (his London restaurant, Bouchon Racine was recently voted UK restaurant of the year), Richard Bertinet,
Cherie Denham and Mark Hix.

Flying the flag for local talent are Festival Patron Mitch Tonks, Nathan Outlaw, and Jane Baxter.

The not-for-profit festival is run entirely by volunteers and is free for visitors, meaning they can fully explore its unique three day programme which takes place right across the Devon town on the River Dart. The festival has always been focused on educating and inspiring its visitors and creating an independent event that supports its community sustainably so it can continue well into the future.

These are the chef demos going ahead on Saturday and Sunday - all of these are free to attend: 

Saturday Chef Demos:

10am: Orlando Murrin (Cookery & Crime Writer – and Festival Ambassador)
11am: Richard Bertinet (Bertinet Kitchen Cookery School)
12pm: Jane Baxter (Chef & Author) and Kate Jenkins (Chef)
1pm: Richard Hunt (Noss On Dart Hotel) – with Angus Lugsdin Drinks
2pm: Angela Hartnett (Murano) and Neil Borthwick (The French House)  
3pn: Holly & David Jones  (Manna from Devon)
4pm: Cherie Denham (Chef & Author)
 

Sunday Chef Demos:

10am: Children’s Chef Demo with David Jones (Manna From Devon Cooking School)
11am: Colin Wheeler (lead chef and co-owner of Ground Up Cookery School)
12.15pm: Mitch Tonks (Rockfish and The Seahorse – and festival patron) and Mark Hix (chef, restaurateur and food writer)
1.45pm: Masaki Sugisaki (chef-owner of Dinings SW3)
3pm: Chefs Mash Up! Last demo with a selection of chefs and ingredients!

Festival Ambassador Orlando Murrin, explains: “The Dartmouth Food Festival has come a long way since its early days, when a handful of local producers and volunteers came together in the Market Square. Today, it is a thriving celebration of food and drink from the South West that brings the whole town to life and welcomes more than 20,000 visitors annually, whilst staying true to the community spirit on which it was built.”

To celebrate its 20th anniversary in 2024, the Festival team created a limited-edition cookbook. The Dartmouth Food Festival Cookbook: A Celebration of Food, Friendship & Feasting features recipes from top chefs who have been part of the festival over the years including Matt Tebbutt, Richard Bertinet, Romy Gill, and Nick Evans, as well as a host of local food heroes including producers and restaurateurs.

The 60 recipes are accompanied by stunning photography from Nick Hook Photography. The book is available to order from the Festival website here priced £25, and will be available to purchase at the festival, too.

Finally, Festival Patron Mitch Tonks shares what continues to make Dartmouth Food Festival one of the South West’s most anticipated food events: “Dartmouth is always a fantastic place to visit, but during the food festival the whole town comes alive.

"The festival is a celebration not only of great food and drink, but of the people who make it possible from renowned chefs and talented producers to our dedicated volunteers and organisers. Together, they create an atmosphere that is uniquely Dartmouth and keeps visitors returning year after year. We’re looking forward to welcoming everyone back in 2026 for another unforgettable festival."