Big names announced for Electric Picnic's Theatre of Food

Another day, another Electric Picnic announcement and the latest will get all you foodies very excited. The festival in Stradbally has just announced its line up for the Theatre of Food with cocktail shows, BBQ masterclasses and baking demos from a Michelin star chef all included. 

Neven Maguire of MacNean Restaurant will take to the main stage cooking up a storm before delighting us with a live DJ set of his favourite tracks, alongside Ireland’s newest viral sensation Marcus O’Laoire.  Jonny Murphy, aka The Hungry Hooker, will be alongside Michelin starred Galway chef JP McMahon, and The Cupcake Bloke aka Graham Herterich to showcase the best of baking across the isle of Ireland. Bakeoff!A host of Ireland’s culinary extraordinaries will be cooking and exhibiting across the Theatre’s three stages, celebrating all things food, barbecue, and drinks. Sunday morning’s feel-great Theatre of Food Brunch will return once more, in support of Irish Cancer Society & Cancer Care West.

Forget the GAA and the Hurling, as the biggest grudge match of the year returns to the Picnic with the Toasted Sandwich-off. The reigning Champions Arán Bakery from Kilkenny will face the newest exciting competitor in the game, Ryan Lally & Grá Pizza representing the Lily Whites of Kildare. Theatre of Food will host a celebration of the incredible Paddystinian culture which has been created in Ireland with Cafe Izz, One Plate for Palestine, and more. Expect flavours and stories and drama to celebrate this beautiful culture at its finest. 

What is Electric Picnic without the Picnic? Liam Finnegan and his team from the iconic Ashford Castle will showcase the best ways to up your picnic game, whilst Great British menu stars Lir Seafood will teach us the ways to get the best out of our wonderful seafood culture, two crews at the top of their game.

Plus, for the first time we introduce the Theatre of Food Pub Quiz! Come and test your knowledge against your fellow Picnickers to see if you know your food and join in on the conversations around using Food as Medicine, what tools make a restaurant run smoothly featuring hi-fi hero Toby Hatchet, and so much more! In the Drinks Theatre, curated and presented by leading Irish drinks writer Aoife Carrigy, we take a deep dive into Irish drink culture and its amazing producers, importers and promoters. Kildare’s very own Judith and Susan Boyle will kick the weekend off with a Punches and Cups Cocktail show, before we travel back in time with historians Christina Wade and Donal Fallon to the precursors to the Irish pub. Come taste delicious pours to showcase solidarity with One Plate for Palestine, Kicky’s, All Apologies and more. 

Not in the mood for hooch? Rethink alcohol free drinks with Santina Kennedy of Leath Lán, Hytropics and friends. Oisin Davis returns with a Poitin Party not to be missed! Wine Lab and Sip Wines will highlight eco-friendly packaging innovations, and we’ll explore local food and drinks pairings with Carlingford Oysters, Ól Irish Cocktails, and Brigid and Kate O’Hora. Come learn how an apple gives us so much more than just cider with Killahora Orchards, Orr Apple Brandy, Tipperary Boutique Distillery, Boann Distillery and friends.

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Can coffee and wine be friends? Eist Espresso Bar, Julie Murray and Gavin Watchorn will show that they are, whilst Mo Chara and Valentia Island Vermouth will help you improve your Margarita (and Marguerite game).Mixologist Ariel Sanecki of Pig’s Lane will share some of the Kingdom of Kerry legends that inspired his latest cocktails menu, and Shane Murphy and David Whelehan will bring the best of organic and natural wines to the Drinks Theatre. Why would you want to be anywhere else?!

On the Theatre of Food Garden Stage, expect the best barbecue bites all weekend long from Smokin’ Soul hero honchos Pat and Jim. Across the weekend, guest chefs will deliver the most mouth-watering tastes, including Sham Hanifa, author of the Blasta Book Agak Agak; Ireland’s Chinese food champion Kwanghi Chan; Lily Ramirez, the ultimate authority on Mexican cuisine in Ireland, and there will be echt gaucho Argentinian delights from Killarney’s Tango Street Food. The Garden Stage will have Filipino tastes from Alex O’Neil and Richie Castillo aka Bahay, and barbecue masterclasses from John Relihan from Pitt Bros, and John Whelan of the Devils Menu. You won’t want to leave the Garden Stage all weekend!