What’s on

Saturday 11^th August 11am-8pm
Sunday 12^th August 11am-6pm

Two days of fishy fun, delicious food and drink stalls from local artisan producers. With demonstration kitchens to feed your culinary curiosity, a special area for little ones, plus our live music stage to keep the party going.

The New Forest is blessed with some of finest artisan producers and eateries in the country and the Lymington Seafood Festival is excited to be bringing you some of the best.

With over 80 food and drink stalls, all offering something a little different you can ‘graze’ your way around, sampling lots of little fishy delights.

Meat eaters, vegetarians and those with a sweet tooth need not panic either as we’ll be making sure everyone is catered for!

The region’s leading chefs will be showing their skills in our demo kitchen and we’ve some great bands already signed up. All set with stunning view across the Solent. What better way to spend the weekend?

View stallholders

Live Music

Keeping you entertained throughout the festival are a host of great bands and artists, playing music across a range of genres. Check out who’ll be on the stage!

The FB Pocket Orchestra

The Pocket Orchestra performs contemporary slant on popular acoustic music from the late 19th and early 20th Centuries. This trio has a style all of their own, performing in some of the coolest venues across the UK with a mix of blues, ‘rag time’ tunes that’s just perfect to enjoy in the August sunshine.

Zac and the Zeros

Locally based this 60’s Rock n Roll tribute band are a firm favourite in Lymington. They also play pop, soul and motown and are sure to get you up dancing! Join them at 1.45pm on Saturday 12th

Lucas Raye

Lucas is a locally based musician, singer and songwriter who writes, records and produces his own music and performs all over the UK. He has appeared on various FM radio stations, played at numerous festivals, hundreds of events and performed thousands of gigs.

Lucas uses a loop pedal, drum sampler and acoustic guitar to build up a full live sound without relying on prerecorded material. The sound is incredible – you should come and have a listen!

The Ed Martin Duo

Born out of a passion to entertain, The Ed Martin Duo was formed in the summer of 2013. They play forgotten gems, putting their own spin on the tunes. From Marvin to Mumford, Will I Am to Womack they’ll be sure to keep your feet tapping through the festival!

Kev Jackson

We’re delighted to have this super-talented solo-artist joining us for the Festival weekend. With a perfect blend of covers, old and new, and across a wide range of genres, it’s no wonder he’s in demand at leading venues across the south coast. Sit back, fill your glass and enjoy! Find him on Instagram below:

The Blue Tides

Could you get a more perfect name for a seafood festival? The Blue Tides are a seven-piece band who explore the borderline between jazz, rock and reggae. Their sound is a luminous combination of flute, saxes, brass, guitar, bass and drums.

Cafe Mondial

Music that transports you from Paris to the Mississippi Delta, and from Bolivia back to Scotland this 3 piece will keep your toes tapping!

Cooking Up a Storm….

We are really excited about welcoming some of the region’s best chefs who will be in the Fisher & Paykel demonstration kitchen or you can try a Broil King seafood BBQ masterclass with chef, author and broadcaster Richard Fox.

See the festival recipes

Matt Tomkinson

Head Chef
Montagu Arms

Matthew Tomkinson’s elegant and highly accomplished food has earnt him a Roux Scholarship, as well Michelin stars at the last two establishments he has headed. Utilising the remarkable bounty of the New Forest and Dorset coast, his imaginative menus are widely acclaimed as is the warmth and hospitality in which they are served.

Garry Eveleigh

The Wild Cook

Lymington born and bred, Garry’s enthusiasm for the outdoor life and passion for cooking has given him a vast knowledge of seasonal wild produce; where to find it, how to pick it and how to cook it. From fishing and foraging to cooking, Garry is the ‘go to’ expert and now shares his experience and knowledge through his series of Wildcook books.

Gary Moreton-Jones

Chef Patron
The Fisherman’s Kitchen

Gary grew up in bournemouth next to the sea – spending summer nights fishing off purbeck and Poole quay. As he started his career as a chef he traveled around the country working in Michelin star establishments from north Wales to Kenmare on the southern Irish coast line. Gary is chef owner at the fisherman’s kitchen in southsea – a restaurant born out of a need to modernise the local fish and chip shop using fresh local and seasonal ingredients to cater for modern day tastes and expectations , combined with the love of great quality fish and chips.

Toby Bradley-Watson

Chef

Currently on a 6 month break in the UK following his role as Rick Stein’s Head Chef for the Bannisters Hotel Group in Australia. Bannisters was awarded a chef’s hat, the Australian equivalent of a Michelin star. Having worked with some of the best chefs across Europe including Rick Stein, Pierre Koffmann, Richard Corrigan and Tom Kitchen, Toby brings a wealth of knowledge and passion for seafood that is second to none. We look forward to Toby’s oyster masterclass as well as other seafood dishes!

Davina Tibbetts

Home Economist

Davina is multi disciplined freelance home economist with an insatiable curiosity about food, and a passion for local and seasonal ingredients. She has had a varied career in the food industry, education, communication and marketing.
She works with a multitude of chefs, producers and food writers as well as with global cookware giant Le Creuset UK.

Alex Aitken

Chef Patron
The Jetty

A trawler man turned award-winning chef, Harbour Hotels’ Chef Patron Alex Aitken has an incomparable passion and respect for seafood; keeping things simple, with dishes that allow the flavour to shine through. Following 25 yrs cooking within the New Forest, including running his own Michelin-starred restaurant, Le Poussin in Brockenhurst, Alex joined the Harbour Hotels Group in 2010 to head up its Jetty restaurant concept. With the flagship Jetty restaurant in Mudeford, Dorset, having established itself as the country’s number one seafood restaurant (recently awarded the coveted title of the ‘UK’s best seafood restaurant’) The Jetty concept now stretches from Devon to Sussex, landing in Southampton this year.

Jennifer Williams

Chef
Hampshire

Jennifer is a multi-disciplined chef, wild forager and founder of the successful award winning Hampshire-based Naked Jam.

Jennifer is dedicated to producing unique jams and preserves to the highest quality where flavours of the fruit are the most important ingredient, creating bespoke tastes and blends for renowned 5 Star national hotels and retail establishments such as the Captains Club Hotel Christchurch John Lewis Partnership, Chewton Glen and The Exclusive Hotel group.

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As well as being a producer Jennifer is a renound course tutor sharing her knowledge and expertise delivering cookery courses at the above establishments and throughout the UK and abroad. Be it indoors or out on wild food foraging tours in and around the UK

Christian Rivron

Chef
Granary Kitchen

Having spent many years working and training in a variety of different, leading establishments including country parks, hotels, and restaurants in Lymington and along the south coast, Christian now shares his passion through private dining and cooking courses for food lovers wanting a different, more intimate experience.

Dan Hymas

Owner
Coral Bay Seafoods

Dan from locally based Coral Bay Seafoods will be sharing his extensive knowledge of all things fishy and giving a masterclass on fish filleting and preparation. You can also find him every Saturday at the Lymington Charter Market.

Luke Matthews

Executive Head Chef
Chewton Glen

Luke Matthews has been Executive Head Chef since 2003. Regional ingredients, inspiring new flavours, and a focus on sublime, contemporary cuisine is the order of the day at Chewton Glen. Luke makes regular appearances at cookery demonstrations and exhibitions and has also appeared on the BBC’s popular ‘Saturday Kitchen” with his good friend and former Chewton Glen colleague, James Martin.

Matt Budden

Head Chef
Stanwell House Hotel

Matt brings with over ten years’ experience as an Executive Chef, he started his training in several Michelin starred country house hotels and used this grounding to travel extensively and further his culinary knowledge he has experience around the world working in first class kitchens in Australia, New Zealand and Vietnam.

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He has headed up many prestigious kitchen brigades achieving 2AA rosettes and being Michelin recommended for the last 10 years most recently at the time Rhinefield House Hotel, Lord March on the Goodwood Estate, Bournemouth Highcliff Marriott Hotel, Highcliff Grill, Executive Chef at the Hilton Bournemouth and the Schpoons & Forx and currently heading up the team at Stanwell House.

Matt’s passion is for simple, modern British cuisine using the best produce sourced from produce from local farmers and fishermen. He can be seen demonstrating at local food festivals all over the south coast showcasing the amazing products that our county has to offer.

Kerry Witt

Chocolate by Miss Witt

One of the most exciting pastry chefs in the south, Chocolate by Miss Witt continues to scoop awards for her innovative and daring creations. Having worked with Alex Aitken at his Michelin star restaurant ‘Le Poussin’ and at the Bluebird, Chelsea, she started out on her own in 2012. Creating award winning delights such as blackcurrant & star anise or orange marmalade & Glenfiddich Whisky with chocolate. Can seafood and chocolate really work together? Miss Witt may have the answer!

Richard Fox

Chef, Author, Broadcaster

Richard Fox is an award winning writer, cook book author and chef presenter. Writing credits include two published books, The BBC Good Food Magazine, The Daily Mail, Channel 4, Easy Jet in-flight magazine, and many more international and UK publications. Join Richard at one of the Broil King Masterclass sessions running throughout the day and cook along with this exhuberent barbecue chef. These sessions are fun, informative and inspiring- and you’ll be sure to have something very tasty to eat at the end!