Book This: Meatopia London 2021By Elliot Mitchell
Meatopia London is one of the city’s best-known food festivals; a legendary summit for food and fire-cooking lovers. Having had an enforced year off due to the pandemic, the festival returns to its historic home at Tobacco Dock for its eighth year on 3rd, 4th and 5th September 2021, celebrating incredible culinary talent from all corners of the UK.
Meatopia 2021: The Line-Up
This year’s bill features an almighty line-up of the best in the business. Good news: Niklas Ekstedt will be returning to the grill. The Swedish chef uses Scandanavian techniques to give food a truly unique character – one you can’t miss.
Appearing at Meatopia for the very first time is Sarit Packer & Itamar Srulovich of Middle Eastern institution Honey & Co. Honey & Co’s newest cookbook is a bible for BBQ lovers, and the pair will undoubtedly serve up their invaluable knowledge at Meatopia. Another expert in her field, Melissa Thompson AKA Fowl Mouths Food develops barbeque recipes and showcases grilling techniques. Last year she secured a column in BBC Good Food magazine highlighting food from all over the globe and makes her Meatopia debut this year.
Having previously appeared at Meatopia, it’s about time Big Has stepped up to the plate. Having spent years honing his craft in some of London’s top restaurants, no-nonsense Has is known for his back-garden BBQ Sunday Sessions. The YouTube series has become widely popular with food enthusiasts and his authority on fire cooking is canonised in each issue of barbeque magazine, Pit.
Another BBQ expert is Bristol-based Genevieve Taylor, with an impressive 11 cookbooks under her belt and also making her Meatopia debut in September. Genevieve has a love of simple, beautiful food and is on a mission to encourage more outdoor cooking. Richard Turner is what some may call an over-achiever of the restaurant-world. Championing the finest quality, responsibility-reared meat, Richard is Head Chef at UK institution, Hawksmoor, co-author of several cookbooks, including Pitt Cue Co. and is also Director at renowned Turner & George butchers and founding father at Meatopia festival.
Meatopia: Entertainment
As always, the extensive Meatopia London menu will be set to a soundtrack of music from live bands, DJs and musicians performing on multiple stages and bandstands. On Saturday and Sunday, The Cutting Room stage will also play host to a packed programme of talks and demos from chefs, producers, craftspeople and talent.
Meatopia: How it Works
Admission is ticketed and pre-booked, and the menu is carefully curated over the year in partnership with the chefs. Each day of the festival 25-40 chefs create one exquisite bespoke dish each, and cook it right in front of you over live fire. Dishes are all priced the same and are purchased using Meatopia’s own currency – Meatbucks, which are purchased before the festival with your tickets, or from the roving MeatBuckaneers.
Tickets start at £22.50. Buy here.
