Food festival known as ‘world’s best BBQ’ is coming to Scotland – here’s when

Meatopia, built around “sustainability, top-quality ingredients, and unforgettable flavours”, was founded in the US by the late American writer Josh Ozersky.

Pictured: The Meatopia food festival will take place in Glasgow next year (Image: Supplied) The concept was brought to the UK in 2013 by Mat Kemp, Richard Turner and James George, and soon found its place in London’s culinary calendar.

Read more: 

Creative Director Mat Kemp believes Glasgow is the “perfect next step” for the food and fire cooking festival.

He said: “Our festival is all about world-class chefs creating one dish each, with knowledge and influence from global fire-cooking culture, but using the best locally-sourced ingredients – and Scotland’s larder is a dream come true for any cook.

“They will have so much to play with.”

Pictured: Chefs from across the world will gather in Glasgow for the event (Image: Supplied) For the past 12 years, some of the biggest names in cooking (including Yotam Ottolenghi, the pioneer of “nose-to-tail” dining, Fergus Henderson, and Scotland’s youngest Michelin-starred chef, Sam Yorke of Heron) have gathered at Tobacco Dock in London to “cook to their hearts’ content”, using nothing but sustainable wood, charcoal, and responsibly sourced, quality meat, fish, and vegetables.

Over the course of the year, chefs hold multiple tasting sessions, refining each dish before unveiling their creations to the public during the festival.

Pictured: The festival has been described as the ‘world’s best BBQ’ (Image: Supplied) “The success of Meatopia has been overwhelming,” Kemp continued.

“It sells out every year because it really is a one-of-a-kind experience, founded to champion the use of naturally raised and produced, ethically sourced meat and fish and vegetables, cooked using only fire or smoke.

“It really is the world’s best BBQ.

“Since taking Meatopia to Dublin in 2017, 18 and 19 we’ve been looking up and down the UK for a place to take it next, and Glasgow was the perfect fit. 

“This is about hero-ing hands-on cooks, age-old techniques and natural food, and Glasgow has that in abundance.

“It has such an incredible food scene. As much as anything else, I wanted Meatopia to be in Glasgow to give me an excuse to explore it more.”

A limited run of early bird tickets for Meatopia Glasgow are available now.

For more information, visit www.meatopia.co.uk.