I'm coming back to my hometown to redefine what festival food is - MasterChef's Oli Martin on Lytham Festival

Oli Martin, MasterChef: The Professionals finalist and the acclaimed chef behind Aven Restaurant and Foray Catering, is returning to his hometown to take charge of the VIP food offering — putting a bold new twist on what festival food can be using local ingredients and local suppliers.

Rather than replicating restaurant dining, Oli and his team will be reimagining classic festival favourites — elevating familiar dishes with exceptional ingredients, careful technique, and a level of detail not usually seen on the festival circuit.

“To cook in Lytham and be part of something as iconic as the festival is really special,” says Oli. “We’re not trying to serve fine dining under a marquee — we’re taking the food people know and love and giving it a proper lift. It’s still festival food, just with a bit more magic and paying homage to local produce.”

This collaboration is part of Oli’s wider work with Collective Events — a specialist culinary events company focused on creating memorable foodie events in unexpected spaces using locally sourced ingredients from local suppliers and producers.

With a growing reputation for creative events and private dinners, Collective Events brings a fresh perspective to pop up events and collaborations. And with Oli at the helm for Lytham Festival’s VIP Garden, guests can expect a food offering that’s rooted in quality, fun, and a genuine passion for feeding people well.

Lytham Festival 2025 kicks off on Thursday, with headline act Stevie Wonder. It runs till Sunday, with others stars including Alanis Morisette, Justin Timberlake, Simple Minds, and Texas who will be joined by a raft of support artists Corinne Bailey Rae, Train, Jess Glynne, Liz Phair, Lottery Winners, Dagny, Ctrl, and Cast.