Sydney’s celebration of lights and culture makes its return for 2024. Following the success of last year’s addition of a food pillar to the Vivid festival, the Southern Hemisphere’s largest multi-artform event is bringing it back for Vivid 2024. With this year’s theme of ‘humanity,’ the festival will explore the intricacies of light, music, ideas, and food across 23 nights from May 24 to June 15.

This year’s Vivid Food program, spanning Vivid Residence, Vivid Chef Series, Vivid Fire Kitchen, as well as collaborations between international and local talent, promises diverse and innovative menus celebrating global cultures and shared culinary heritage.

Vivid Residence

Latin America’s Best Female Chef 2022, Manoella Buffara of Manu Restaurant in Brazil, renowned for her commitment to sustainability, will take over Peter Conistis’ waterside venue, Ploós. Buffara’s residency at Vivid Sydney Light Walk offers a unique fine dining experience integrating local produce with social and environmental responsibility. Buffara and her team will curate two menus, a nine-course dinner, and a seven-course lunch.

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Vivid Chef Series

Some of Sydney’s best restaurants, including Fred’s, AALIA, and The Charles Brasserie & Bar, will host exclusive events featuring collaborations with Michelin-starred chefs like Max Coen, Sally Abé, and Ivan Brehm. 

The Charles Brasserie & Bar x Sally Abé
Sally Abé of The Pem in London will be reuniting with Billy Hannigan of the Charles Brasserie & Bar for three unmissable lunches and dinners. The menu will merge Hannigan’s European-inspired cooking style with Abe’s passion for nostalgic British cuisine. Joining them in the kitchen will be head pastry chef Rhiann Mead, who will add her sweet and innovative flair to the evening.

Aalia x Ivan Brehm
Ivan Brehm of Michelin-starred Singapore restaurant, Nouri and Paul Farag of Aalia will collaborate on two exclusive dinners that celebrate global food traditions. The dinners will blend Farag’s expertise in Middle Eastern cuisine with Brehm’s celebration of global food traditions, for a menu that honours diversity of cultures paying tribute to the richness of culinary heritage.

Fred’s x Max Coen
Max Coen of London Michelin-starred Dorian and Ben Greeno of Paddington restaurant, Fred’s will unite for four exclusive dinners that fuse the chefs’ cooking philosophies. Coen’s focus on ingredient-focussed wood-fired cooking will meet Greeno’s farm-to-table approach and hyper-seasonal cooking.

Vivid Fire Kitchen

Returning to the Vivid Food program, the Vivid Fire Kitchen takes centre stage on the Vivid Sydney Light Walk, featuring world-class pitmasters and local talent like food icon Christine Manfield and Firedoor’s Lennox Hastie. From afar the Vivid Fire Kitchen will also include Texas’ Jess Pryles; Michelin-starred Swedish chef Niklas Ekstedt; LA’s Shalamar Lane and more. Cooking demonstrations and fiery feasts can all be found at The Goods Line. Admission to Vivid Fire Kitchen events is free for all to attend.

Don’t miss your chance to be part of Vivid Sydney 2024, the Southern Hemisphere’s leading multi-artform festival, running from May 24 to June 15, 2024. Vivid Fire Kitchen events, taking place at The Goods Line in Ultimo, are free for all to attend. Food and drink can be purchased on site.

For the full line up and to book tickets, head to the Vivid Food website.

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