The chef lineup for Stranraer Oyster Festival 2025 reads like a foodie's dream team. Saturday Kitchen's Matt Tebbutt and TV chef Rosemary Shrager are headlining what promises to be our most exciting festival to date, running from 12-14 September on Stranraer's stunning harbourside.
Matt Tebbutt will be racing from the BBC studios to the shores of Loch Ryan, bringing all that Saturday Kitchen energy to multiple events across the weekend. He's leading our new Sunday Oyster Kitchen experience and sharing the stage with festival favourite Tony Singh for what's guaranteed to be a memorable evening. But perhaps most intriguingly, he'll be settling in for a chat and a local beer in our exciting new venue, Speakers' Corner.
Rosemary Shrager brings her infectious warmth and decades of culinary expertise to the festival. Known for everything from The Real Marigold Hotel to I'm a Celebrity, she's hosting cooking demonstrations and sharing stories from her remarkable career. When Rosemary's involved, you know there'll be plenty of laughter alongside the serious cooking.
Festival Favourites Return
Tony Singh, our Chef Ambassador, returns for his fifth festival appearance. His passion for Scottish produce combined with signature spice combinations has made him synonymous with everything this festival represents. This year he's taking part in solo demonstrations and that highly anticipated evening event with Matt Tebbutt.
Julie Lin is back for her third festival, and her Malaysian-Scottish fusion approach has become part of the festival's DNA. She'll be discussing her new book 'Sama Sama' in Speakers' Corner, plus hosting her own 'Audience With' event and opening the Kitchen Marquee on the Friday evening with a cookery demo.
The local talent is equally impressive. Ryan McCutcheon brings his deep knowledge of Galloway's ingredients, while the legendary Lisi Brothers continue showcasing why local expertise matters. David Alexander represents Dunskey Estate, and Penninghame Cooking School brings their educational expertise to the mix.
Helen Cross, the Stranraer-born podcaster and cookery writer returns, and she’s teaming up with Great British Bake Off finalist Dr James Morton, as well as leading a Speakers’ Corner talk.
Introducing Speakers' Corner
The big innovation for 2025 is Speakers' Corner, our dedicated 80-capacity marquee for conversation-based events. This isn't just another cooking demonstration space, it's where the deeper stories get told. Marine scientists will explain the groundbreaking oyster restoration work happening right here in Loch Ryan. Local experts will share community gardening secrets and celebrity chefs will reveal what really drives their passion for food.
Allan Jenkins from Stranraer Development Trust explains: "Speakers' Corner is all about getting closer to the stories that make this place special. We've got world-class chefs who want to share more than just recipes, and marine scientists doing work that's genuinely changing how we think about coastal ecosystem restoration."
The Loch Ryan Story
At the heart of everything are Loch Ryan's native oysters - more than 20 million of them representing one of Europe's most important oyster beds. Protected by Royal Charter since 1701, they're real ecological heroes. The sustainable management here has become a conservation success story, with Loch Ryan oysters now being used to restore marine ecosystems across the UK and Europe.
When you enjoy these oysters at the festival, you're actively supporting centuries of sustainable practice and cutting-edge marine conservation. The native oyster season runs from September to April, making our festival perfectly timed to celebrate these remarkable shellfish.
Beyond the Kitchen Marquee
While the celebrity chefs grab the headlines, there's so much more happening. The Scottish Oyster Shucking Championships return with their blend of skill and spectacle, where the winner represents Scotland at the World Championships in Ireland. Live music fills the Entertainment Marquee – the music programme will be announced soon - and the artisan market showcases incredible local food, drink and crafts.
The nature programming includes a SCAMP (Solway Coast and Marine Project) takeover of Speakers' Corner, while community events celebrate Stranraer's inspiring regeneration story, including gardening sessions and local heritage walks.
Getting There
Stranraer Oyster Festival 2025 takes place from Friday 12th to Sunday 14th September on the town's harbourside, literally a stone's throw from the oyster beds that inspire it all. Early bird weekend tickets start at £18, with day tickets from £8. Chef demonstrations and Speakers' Corner events are ticketed separately, ranging from £5-25, with pay-what-you-can options for selected events.
The festival is family-friendly and dog-friendly, with extensive children's programming alongside the culinary highlights. Last year attracted 24,000 visitors and generated £2.5 million economic impact, proving this festival has become a major draw for food lovers across the UK.
Matt Tebbutt captures what makes this festival special: "What draws me to events like this is the opportunity to celebrate truly exceptional local produce in the place where it's grown or caught. The story of Loch Ryan's native oysters is remarkable - you've got this incredible natural resource that's been sustainably managed for centuries, and now it's the heart of a festival that's brought a whole community together."
Tickets are available now, and with this lineup, early booking is definitely recommended!
