Vivid Fire Kitchen Is Back for 2026 With Over 60 Chefs, a New Waterfront Home and a Huge Open-Flame Lineup
One of Vivid Sydney's most popular food events is getting a lit upgrade for 2026.
Vivid Fire Kitchen is moving to the waterfront at Barangaroo Reserve and bringing its biggest lineup yet along for the ride. Running nightly from May 22–June 13, the free-entry food hub is expanding with more than 60 chefs, new stages and a format designed to keep you coming back (and eating) night after night.
At the centre of it all is the brand-new Fire Pit, an open, interactive cooking arena where some of Australia's top cooking names will rotate across the festival. Expect the likes of Mark Best (Infinity by Mark Best), Annita Potter (Viand), Ben Devlin (Pipit), Mindy Woods (Karkalla), Jean-Paul El Tom (Baba's Place) and Sharon Salloum (Almond Bar) cooking over flame, whipping up one-off dishes you can only try on the night.
The move to Barangaroo Reserve isn't just a change of scenery, it means more space, more programming and a far more immersive setup. You'll be able to wander between fire stations, watch chefs up close and snack your way through exclusive dishes as they come off the coals.
Beyond the flames, 2026 also introduces the Food for Thought stage, a new talks and demo series featuring some of the country's biggest food voices. Expect appearances from names like Luke Mangan, Julie Goodwin, Adriano Zumbo, and Emelia Jackson, alongside themed nights that dig into everything from NSW produce to First Nations food culture.
There's also a tighter weekly rhythm this year. Early-week sessions spotlight local wine and produce, Wednesdays are dedicated to Indigenous cooking via the National Indigenous Culinary Institute, and the June long weekend brings a full dessert takeover, with Zumbo, Jackson and Donato Toce serving up limited-edition sweets.
The drinks lineup is kicking off, too. Sommelier showdowns, winemaker-led tastings and Sunday Sessions curated by Stefano Catino, bringing a cocktail-focused close to each week.
Food-wise, expect a stacked vendor lineup spanning Filipino barbecue from Hoy Pinoy, low-and-slow meats from Burn City Smokers and Italian bites via Bianco Group and Antico Pizza Sandwiches. Dessert heavy-hitters like Gelato Messina and KOI Dessert Bar are also in the mix.
All of it unfolds under Vivid's signature light installations meaning you can graze your way through fire-cooked dishes while surrounded by glowing artworks across the harbourfront.
If past years are anything to go by, you'll want to arrive hungry (and probably more than once).
Vivid Fire Kitchen will run nightly from 22 May to 13 June, 6-11pm. Entry is free. Check out the full line up here.
Imagery: Supplied | Destination NSW
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