New chefs, hot topics, and the best of Irish food and drink announced for Bloom

From garden to plate, Bord Bia Bloom celebrates bumper food line-up for 20th year of festival

Bord Bia Bloom returns to Phoenix Park, Dublin Thursday May 28th – Monday June 1st, 2026

Bord Bia Bloom, Ireland’s leading gardening, food and sustainable living festival, celebrates its 20th year in 2026 and organisers are putting the finishing touches on its most appetising programme yet.  Bloom will showcase the very best ofI rish food and drink across the festival’s 70-acre site. From inspiring chefs and artisan makers to hands‑on discussions and sustainable food showcases, there are countless opportunities to grow, taste and learn at this year’s event.

Food Highlights at Bloom 2026

 The Dunnes Stores Quality Kitchen Stage will play host to some of Ireland’s top chefs and cooks. Among those showcasing the best of Irish, seasonal produce across 25 live cookery demonstrations will be chefs Eva Pau, Donal Skehan, Neven Maguire, Rory O’Connell, Catherine Fulvio, Shane Smith, Aisling Larkin, Edward Hayden, and Brian McDermott. New for this year; Donal Skehan will be joined by special guests chefs Sham Hanifa (The Cottage restaurant), and Rupa Dewan (Jaipur Restaurants) to cook up exciting dishes with bold flavours. Chef Trisha Lewis will return at the helm of the Seafood Kitchen, sharing tasty seafood recipes for all to enjoy, and will be joined by a special guest (to be revealed!).

The Sustainable Living Stage, sponsored by Certa, returns with a packed programme hosted by journalists Jo Linehan, Caroline Hennessy, Aoife Carrigy, and Suzanne Campbell with plenty of lively sessions that explore Ireland’s journey toward a sustainable food future. Highlights include a panel discussion on Hot School Lunches hosted by GIY Ireland, featuring Ruth Hegarty (Policy expert) and Michelle Darmody (food literacy and education expert); talks on foraging for wild Irish foods with Feebee Foran (Forager.ie), and how to fuel the whole family with Aileen Cox-Blundell (best-selling author and Registered Nutritionist). Attendees can also hear from growers and producers at the heart of Ireland’s veg sector, learn how to navigate food choices with GIY Ireland’s Mick Kelly and build strong communities through food with Food Cloud.

The bustling Food Village and Bloom Inn will again be home to +100 of Ireland’s finest artisan food and drink producers. From farmhouse cheese to blueberry wine, there will be an opportunity to sample some newly launched products with something to suit every taste. Between demos, journalist Helen Carroll will again host short interviews and talks on the Dunnes Stores Quality Kitchen stage with leading craft producers exhibiting in the Food Village, spotlighting local, quality ingredients and the people behind them.

Growing inspiration

At the Horticulture is Life exhibit in the Food Village, Bord Bia, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, and Teagasc will demonstrate how each of the agencies works to support the Irish horticultural industry and growers to deliver top quality, local, sustainable produce and plants. Horticulture is Life is located next to the Eat Well Garden which will showcase a range of fruit, vegetable and amenity plants. Here attendees can participate in regular walk ‘n’ talk sessions to learn about a range of topics, from organic production to managing key pests. In addition, a series of ‘Polytunnel Talks’ will take place over the five days of Bloom covering all aspects of kitchen gardening. Chefs Kwanghi Chan, Maria Harte, Jeeny Maltese and presenters Colm O’Driscoll and Kitty Scully (RTÉ 1’s Home Grown) are among the line-up.

Also new this year is Bord Bia’s Make your Mark feature, which will celebrate the very best of Ireland’s fresh horticultural produce. Bord Bia quality assured clients will have the opportunity to showcase their seasonal produce on the Make Your Mark stand, offering attendees the chance to discover the quality, innovation and sustainability of the sector

Located beside the Picnic Area, the Meaghers 360° Wellness village is a key destination for attendees interested in the relationship between food, nutrition and long‑term health. The new area will host keynote talks and expert‑led panel discussions with leading Irish voices including Miriam Hussey, Oonagh O’Hagan, Clare McKenna and respected medical specialists.

Dining at Bloom

There is much to tantalise tastebuds at this year’s festival, with three indoor restaurants (Garden View restaurant, Country Crest restaurant, Seafood Terrace) and three outdoor catering areas on offer, including BBQ Bliss, and the Picnic Area. All vendors will be serving Bord Bia Quality Assured produce which guarantees that foods have been produced to the highest quality and sustainability standards.

‘A Taste of Bloom, curated by Neven Maguire’ is returning to this year’s festival in the flagship Garden View Restaurant, featuring a three-course menu showcasing some of the finest ingredients from quality Irish producers. Much of the produce selected will be on display in the Food Village at Bloom, providing attendees with an opportunity to meet the producers after their meal and purchase ingredients to enjoy at home. The ‘Taste of Bloom’ package is available to purchase on Ticketmaster.

Tickets

Bord Bia Bloom will take place in the Phoenix Park, Dublin from Thursday, May 28th to Monday, June 1st from 9am-6pm each day. Head to bordbiabloom.com to book your tickets and start planning your visit.

Tickets are priced at €35 per adult, €30 for concessions (plus booking fee). Up to two children aged 16 and under can enter for free with every adult ticket (additional child tickets €5 (plus booking fee)) making Bloom a great day out for all the family.