Edinburgh International Book Festival 2026: Food highlights
There are plenty of events for foodies this year
There’s no need to take a packed lunch to this year’s Edinburgh International Book Festival.
They’ll be serving up a smorgasbord of food-related events, as part of their annual Table Talks happenings, most of which take place at the glorious Elliott’s Studio (21 Sciennes Road, Edinburgh), including the listings below. At some of these, you might get a little taster and a drinkie. At others, there’s a full feast.
One of the most anticipated in this category is Have Lunch with Santiago Lastra (22 August, 1pm-4pm, £100). The Michelin-starred author of Mexican Soul and owner of KOL restaurant in London will be bringing along some flavours that have been inspired by his Puerto Morelos upbringing. Expect lots of courses, paired wine and a welcome drink.
It seems only fair to mention the event with Jess Elliott Dennison, since she’s the owner of Elliott’s, has written various cookbooks and does a mean flourless chocolate cake. Have Lunch with Jess Elliott Dennison (28 August, 1pm-4pm, £100) will showcase dishes from her newest book, Vegetable Recipes, along with paired wines and a welcome drink. There may be crispy fennel and lemon bhajis, or courgette and ricotta lasagna. You shall have your five-a-day.
We also like the sound of Have Lunch with Ben Lippett (15 August, 1pm-4pm, £100), where they’ve promised a multi-course meal, a welcome drink and paired wine, all courtesy of the internet star and author of How I Cook. We don’t know exactly what he’s making at this event, but we think the mussel tagliatelle on his website sounds like a winner.
Another proper feed consisting of multi-courses and the matched drinkies is available the next day at Have Lunch with Gurdeep Loyal (16 August, 1pm-4pm, £100). As Loyal is a travel and food writer, who’s written Flavour Heroes, expect some unusual and eye-opening combinations, like spicy harissa lasagne or a sundae with chilli oil.
There are more exciting tongue-tingling sensations in Five Tastes: A Table Talk with Fuchsia Dunlop (27 August, 7pm-8.30pm, £35). We’re big fans of her memoir Shark’s Fin and Sichuan Pepper, which was published way back in 2008, but, at this event, she’ll be discussing her latest cookbook, Five Tastes, and how to create dishes with salty-sweet balance.
If you fancy something purely sugary, like a little chunk of tablet after a meal, then sign up for Baking and the Meaning of Life: A Table Talk with Helen Goh (20 August, 1pm-2.30pm, £35). Goh, who was an Ottlenghi pastry chef for a decade, will have the oven on, so you can try a bit of one of the creations that featured in her own book, which reveals how her kitchen craft can provoke true bliss. The price includes a welcome drink. No wafer thin mint required.
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