BBQ Zone
Our BBQ Zone for 2026
Back by popular demand for 2026, we are bringing the ultimate BBQ experience to the festival with our special new BBQ zone.
Let’s talk BBQ! So this year at the Taste of East Anglia, we’ve taken a slightly different approach. Essentially this festival is all about quality, about food provenance and about being produced locally and we want to reflect that in the BBQ Zone.
Cooking on flames has become a very highlighted part of the food world over the last few years but personally we think it is often all about slabs of meat being thrown on the grill without a huge amount of thought for where that meat has actually come from. We want our BBQ Zone to be a little more thoughtful this year so it’s being run by three chefs.
Our 2026 List of BBQ CHEFS/DEMONSTATIONS
Alan Paton
Alan Paton
Alan is one of our favourite chefs in Suffolk, having been here for nearly 20 years and has worked in some of our best restaurants and hotels including Hintlesham Hall, The Swan at Lavenham, Sutherland House and at Stoke by Nayland. Alan is a specialist in pork cookery and is hosting as well as demonstrating at the BBQ Zone this year.
Primo Ceramic Grills
Primo Ceramic Grills
Discover the versatility of Primo Ceramic Grills with Debs’ live demonstrations, featuring dishes such as planked salmon and sticky toffee pudding—redefining what BBQ can be.
Stour Valley Farming
Stour Valley Farming
Regulars to Lavenham Farmers Market will know Sam Morgan's beef from Stour Valley Farming and Conservation. Raised on the banks of the Stour, Sam's grass fed cattle produce the most incredible beef cuts and are the reason why he has queues every month at the farmers market. Sam will be in the BBQ Zone this year cooking an incredible Tomahawk steak and he'll be talking about the importance of knowing where your food comes from, how it's raised and why he believes in traditional methods of farming and conservation
Debs Kibbler
Debs Kibbler
Debs is a passionate Primo Ceramic Grills ambassador with hands-on experience and a love of outdoor cooking. As a regular Primo user at home, she champions its versatility and often says, “Who needs an oven?” Debs is delighted to have been invited to the event and is proud to see Primo Ceramic Grills showcased throughout the day by the talented chefs in the BBQ Zone. A familiar face at trade shows and live events, Debs enjoys sharing tips, advice, and inspiration to help customers get the very best from their grills. Debs will be demonstrating the versatility of Primo Ceramic Grills with live demos, featuring planked salmon and classic sticky toffee pudding—redefining what BBQ can be...
Steven Sherrock
Steven Sherrock
Steve qualified as a chef in 2012 and spent years working in professional kitchens, developing a passion for bold flavours, recipe creation, and great food shared with good company. While the restaurant industry lifestyle wasn’t the right fit long term, his love for BBQ only grew stronger — especially slow-cooked meats, smoky seasonings, and creating unforgettable rubs. Inspired by family gatherings, backyard cookouts, and the memories made around the smoker, he founded Backyard Pit Rubs to share the flavours he proudly uses on his own table. Today, it’s a genuine family-run business built on bringing people together through great BBQ food.
Russ Southgate
Russ Southgate
Driven by the belief that “globally inspired food is our common ground,” Russ Southgate from Worlds Pantry has spent eight years sharing his passion for live-fire cooking. Having partnered with major brands, written for The BBQ Magazine, and demoed across the UK and Europe, he brings serious culinary credibility while keeping things wonderfully down-to-earth. Russ is looking forward to putting the featured chefs through their paces, testing their knowledge, and delivering plenty of laughs along the way.
Brad Morse
Brad Morse
Brad runs a woodland management business at Hawkins Forest focused on biodiversity and sustainability managing local woodlands and hedgerows to produce timber while improving the woodland for biodiversity. He uses wood from thinning and coppicing woodlands and hedgerows to make fully organic charcoal in a traditional ring kiln. Brad will be joining Sam Morgan during the demo to discuss his business and their sustainable farming practices.