Featuring guest chefs including actor Strictly Come Dancing Winner, Joe McFadden; Executive chef of Stein Restaurants, Jack Stein; Award-winning vegan chef and author Jackie Kearney; MasterChef 2018 contestants Anthony O'Shaughnessy & Sweta Choudhury, Chef and Author of Japaneasy, Tim Anderson, and the UK's only singing chef Jean de Rien.

"Live Latin bands and dance demos, plus gardening workshops and a vintage fair mean there's plenty of fun even if your tastes are more korma than Demon Red." The Daily Telegraph, Top 20 UK food festivals for 2018.

From 10th -12th August 2018, the UK's biggest chilli festival returns for its 23rd year. As well as chilli tasting and expert cookery demonstrations, there will be guided tours of the gardens, an outdoor cinema, champagne and cocktail bars, Latin music, flamenco dancing, face painting and a vintage funfair. West Dean's Chilli Fiesta is a family friendly festival set in the beautiful grounds of West Dean, with full camping facilities in the grounds of West Dean Estate, in the heart of the South Downs National Park. The Estate is home to West Dean College of Arts and Conservation and the glorious West Dean Gardens.

The Cookery Theatre will be hosted by Giles Thomson former Executive Head Chef of the Ritz Hotel, and Owner and Executive Chef of The Earl of March, with guest chef appearances throughout the weekend. Guests include Jack Stein, son of Rick Stein, and Executive Chef of Stein Restaurants. Jack recently opened his own cookery school, 'Cook with Jack Stein', allowing students to cook alongside him and engage with some of his latest recipes.

Scottish actor and winner of Strictly Come Dancing, Joe McFadden, will be appearing in the Chilli Fiesta's 'Ready, Steady, Cook…' with Giles Thomson, a definite highlight of the weekend. Also not to be missed is a demonstration by MasterChef 2018 contestants Anthony O'Shaughnessy and Sweta Choudhury.

The Chilli Alchemist, will be giving a talk entitled 'How to pick a hot sauce?' about what to look for, how to consider the use of a sauce, what difference certain ingredients can make, how the pH affects the sauce, and everything else you may need to know when picking your hot sauce!

Visitors can pick up new culinary skills from Jackie Kearney, award-winning author of Vegan Street Food, and My Vegan Travels (Shortlisted for Edward Stanford Travel Writing Award for Travel Cookery Book of the Year 2018), and Tim Anderson, MasterChef Winner (2011), restaurant owner, and author of Nanban and Japaneasy. Also making an appearance at the festival is the UK's only singing chef, and chef patron of Fine Dining in Worthing, Jean de Rien.

A wide range of chilli-related food stalls can be found onsite. With over 140 stalls, visitors can expect a great variety of quirky gifts available to purchase, from hot and spicy foods of the world to chilli plants, seeds and gifts. To cool down, there will be local ice cream on offer as well as a selection of bars including Champagne, Cocktails, Los Amigos, Craft cider and ales, and The potting shed, for gins and matching tonics. This is the culinary event of the year, not to be missed.

West Dean Gardens, Near Chichester, West Sussex, PO18 0RX
www.chillifiesta.co.uk #chillifiesta