Beyond the bright lights, international artists and thought-provoking cultural programming, Vivid Sydney has become a highlight on the city’s calendar for its culinary pillar: Vivid Food. In 2026, the festival runs between 22 May and 13 June, with free and ticketed events — including one-off dinners from big-name chefs, collaborative menus, tasting events and immersive dining experiences — running every night and day.
Vivid Fire Kitchen
While it’s been based at The Goods Line in recent years, Vivid Fire Kitchen is relocating to the waterfront Barangaroo Reserve in 2026. The free-to-enter foodie zone will welcome more than 60 leading culinary voices over its 23 nights, with open-fire cooking demonstrations, intimate talks and tastings, plus pop-up stalls from favourite fire-cooked eateries.
Live music and DJs will soundtrack every evening, as Vivid installations including River of Fire, Molecule of Light and Mycelium Network bring the festival’s signature glow.
The Fire Pit
Offering up-close access to top chefs cooking over fire and coals, The Fire Pit is a new offering for Vivid Fire Kitchen. Guests can wander among the chefs at work over four distinct fire cooking methods, and purchase their menu items created exclusively for Vivid. Participating names include Mark Best, Ben Devlin from Pipit, David Moyle, Mindy Woods and Jean‑Paul El Tom of Baba’s Place and Corner 75.
“The Fire Pit is an opportunity to explore why cooking over flame is so special — it’s elemental, expressive and deeply connected to place,” said Mark Best. “Creating something unique for Vivid Fire Kitchen allows me to respond to the energy of the festival and the landscape that surrounds it, telling a story through flavour, heat and timing. To do that alongside so many chefs in the program, each bringing their own voice, culture and perspective, is what makes this experience truly compelling.”
Food For Thought
Influential Australian voices in food will gather nightly for talks spanning culture, creativity, sustainability and the future of food. Chefs, authors, restaurateurs, celebrity cooks and digital storytellers including Mike Bennie, Adriano Zumbo, Julie Goodwin, Costa Georgiadis, Karima Hazim, Anthony Huckstep and Tim Ross will cover themes like NSW produce, First Nations knowledge, and dedicated drinks panels. The nightly Food For Thought line-up is available on the Vivid website.
Food stalls
Local restaurants including Firepop, in-demand Greek taverna Olympic Meats and KOI Dessert Bar will be grilling, smoking, charring and burning their way through delicious menus, alongside past Vivid Fire Kitchen favourites like Filipino skewers Hoy Pinoy, Mr Spanish Churros, Burn City Smokers and Gelato Messina.
At a glance: Vivid Fire Kitchen
When: 22 May–13 June, 6pm–11pm daily
Where: Barangaroo Reserve
Cost: Free entry, demonstrations, talks and entertainment
More information: Online
Editor's picks: More 2026 Vivid Food highlights
A Shared Table With Yoyam Ottolenghi
Fan favourite Yotam Ottolenghi will return to Sydney for Vivid to host a series of long table lunches and dinners celebrating New South Wales produce in his signature style. “I’m coming back [at] such a dynamic moment in the city’s cultural calendar,” said the chef. “More than anything, it’s a fantastic opportunity to celebrate the outstanding produce and beverages of New South Wales and to share the kind of food that I love and that also tells the story of the region's creativity and generosity."
The only remaining tickets available are for Saturday 30 May lunch, from $340pp.
Regional Dinner Series
Celebrating all stretches of New South Wales, the Regional Dinner Series will see top chefs from regional restaurants collaborate with leading Sydney chefs and venues on one-night-only dinners heroing the produce of their home region. Bundjalung woman Mindy Woods of Byron Bay's Karkalla will join Sydney Opera House culinary director Danielle Alvarez at their Culture in Motion events (22 and 23 May, from $275pp), Troy Rhoades-Brown from the Hunter Valley's Muse Restaurant will join Gourmet Traveller's 2025 Chef of the Year Nik Hill at his restaurant Porcine (3 June, from $140pp), and Ben Devlin will share his favourites from The Tweed at Lennox Hastie's Firedoor (25 and 26 May, from $295pp). See more of the Regional Dinner Series events.
Wet, Cold + Delicious, The Tuna Dinner
Following a glass of Ruinart in Shell House’s Clocktower Bar, join fishmonger Narito Ishii for a traditional maguro shoten (tuna cutting) experience assisted by sushi chef Toshihiko Oe of Sushi Oe, celebrating Southern bluefin tuna season. Seafood expert John Susman will host the event, which will include a five-course dinner downstairs in the Dining Room featuring bluefin tuna, with matched wines. The event is on 3 June, and tickets are available from $295pp.
Salt & Pepper Squiz
Comedian Jennifer Wong will debut her new show, inspired by her book Chopsticks or Fork?: Recipes and Stories from Australia’s Regional Chinese Restaurants. Combining stand-up and food stories, she’ll take a look at Australia’s food culture in her signature pun-laden style, while Mary’s serves a perfectly paired menu of Chinese-Australian bar snacks. Salt & Pepper Squiz will premiere at Vivid Sydney on 11 June, and tickets are available from $69.
Aster: The Golden Age
For one of the best Vivid viewpoints in Sydney, Aster Bar at the InterContinental Sydney is serving a Hollywood glamour-themed tasting menu. Following Champagne and canapes, your night includes a main course with a paired cocktail or New South Wales wine, and a cocktail and visit from the caviar trolley to finish. The Golden Age special menu is available every night of Vivid, and tickets are available from $199pp.
See the entire Vivid Food line-up for 2026 on the Vivid Sydney website.
