Valentine Warner

Val will be cooking at the Fire Pit stage on Saturday 24 August

Valentine Warner is a cook, food writer and broadcaster.

Trained originally as a portrait painter he went on to become a chef in London’s kitchens for five years before running his own catering company. Saying the right thing at the right time (unusual) Valentine suddenly found himself on television, where his deep love of cooking, nature and travel has seen him make eight series whilst contributing to others. His appearances have spanned BBC2, UKTV, Nat Geo and Fox International programmes into which he undoubtedly brings his strong sense of storytelling.

Describing his cooking style as ‘International Grandmother’, a deep interest in provincial food means he’d rather be trying to get a coveted octopus recipe off a Greek widow than talking molecular gastronomy in an expensive kitchen.

Val is widely recognised for his deep understanding of ingredients, both wild and cultivated, and an ability to make something delicious with apparently little.

Valentine has written four cookery books, three of which he illustrated. He is also the co-founder of the Hepple distillery , the producers of Hepple Gin and Douglas Fir Vodka with a wider range of curious spirits on the way.

Working frequently in the Lofoten Islands of artic Norway he is a founder and host of Kitchen On The Edge of the World at Holmen Lofoten. He would generally prefer to be found in a field rather than an office and is most likely to be holding tongs, a fishing rod or a mossy stick.