Obsession - 19 chefs with 24 Michelin stars head up north for a huge kitchen takeover

Luxury Ribble Valley hotel and restaurant Northcote has revealed the incredible line-up of chefs taking part in this year’s gourmet festival

Chef line up obsession 24 northcote — The big names include Michel and Emily Roux, Gareth Ward and Adam Handling

Obsession, Lancashire’s fine dining festival, is celebrating its 22nd anniversary in 2024. The stellar gourmet experience takes place every January and is pretty much the hottest ticket in any food-lover’s culinary calendar.

The internationally renowned, multi-award-winning event is organised by executive chef Lisa Goodwin-Allen and the Northcote team and usually has a waiting list of thousands. It’s like a gourmet Glastonbury (but set in the north and with functioning toilets.)

I’ve been lucky to have dined at the wonderful Northcote, but have never made it to Obsession. Image credit - Deanna Thomas

Obsession first launched in 2001 as a celebration of good food and wine. Over the years it has featured hundreds of Michelin star chefs from all over the world to become the most sought-after dining experience in England’s North West.

This is a kitchen takeover like no other which attracts a host of Michelin starred chefs and some of the biggest names in European gastronomy. Obsession 24 will take place over 17 consecutive nights between 19th January to Sunday 4th February 2024 and features an incredible line-up of nineteen world-class guest chefs.

Each chef will cook a unique Obsession menu for an exclusive, memorable dining experience with dishes that may be unavailable anywhere else.

Northcote’s executive chef Lisa Goodwin Allen

The premium food festival will kick off on Friday 19th January 2024 with Northcote’s own one star chef Lisa Goodwin Allen setting the tone with a gourmet menu. For the first time, those who miss out on tables at the opening night, can visit the restaurant and sample her 2024 Obsession Menu for a limited time throughout February.

Here’s the full Obsession 2024 line-up:

Saturday 20th January: Alex Greene, Deanes EIPIC, Belfast (1 star)

Sunday 21st January, Gareth Ward, Ynyshir, Wales (2 star)

Monday 22nd January, Tom Barnes, L’Enclume (3 star)

Tuesday 23rd January, Sarah Hayward, The Coach, Buckinghamshire (1 star)

Wednesday 24th January, Adam Smith, Woven by Adam Smith, Coworth Park, Berkshire (1 star)

Thursday 25th January, Alex Tsiotinis, CTC, Athens (1 star)

Friday 26th January, Adam Handling, Frog by Adam Handling, London (1 star)

Saturday 27th January, Lorna McNee, Cail Bruich, Glasgow, (1 star)

Sunday 28th January, James Knappett, Kitchen Table, London (2 star)

Monday 29th January, Tom Shepherd, Upstairs by Tom Shepherd, Staffordshire (1 star)

Tuesday 30th January, Aktar Islam, Opheem, Birmingham (1 star)

Wednesday 31st January, Daniele Lippi, Acquolina, Rome (2 star)

Thursday 1st February, Adam Byatt & Harry Kirkpatrick, Trinity, (1 star)

Friday 2nd February, Riccardo Canella, ORO, Hotel Cipriani, Venice (1 star)

Saturday 3rd February, Henrique Sá Pessoa, ALMA, Lisbon (2 star)

Obsession 24 will end with a grand finale on Sunday 4th February with a menu by Michel Roux, La Gavroche/Chez Roux Ltd, London (2 star) and Emily Roux, Caractere, London

Michel and Emily Roux will be cooking at Obsession’s grand finale

Lisa Goodwin-Allen, executive chef of Northcote (and also director of The Game Bird and American Bar at The Stafford in London) said; “Each year we approach Obsession with a view of ‘how can we equal last year’s event’ and it always seems like an impossible task. But I have to say I’m extremely excited for this year’s line-up. We have a range of styles of cooking- diverse, traditional, progressive, highly technical - and it’s packed with personality.

“The fact that each year is a sell out just shows there is still an appetite for fine dining and an exclusive experience. And let’s not forget the money raised for charity, last year broke the record yet again, with over £70,000 raised for Hospitality Action, which will be our beneficiary again this year.”

Adam Smith of Woven by Adam Smith in Berkshire added: “After following Northcote, Lisa and Obsession for a large part of my career it’s a real privilege to be involved in Obsession in 2024. Many of my culinary idols have taken part in the past and I feel extremely proud to be able to follow in their footsteps.”

Chef Alex Greene from Deanes EIPIC in Belfast added: “Obsession has always been an event I wanted to be a part of and to be invited by Lisa and the team at Northcote to the 2024 event is a complete honour. It’s honestly a bit of a dream come true. I’m super excited for January and I’m really looking forward to working alongside Lisa and her team."

Guests at Obsession will enjoy a Louis Roederer Collection 242 Champagne reception each night and have the option of adding a wine flight to the dinner, meticulously chosen by Northcote’s managing director Craig Bancroft and his wine team.