Fire and Feast's new home
Fire and Feast returns bigger, bolder, and with a new home in Cathedral Square, transforming the city’s heart into a celebration of food, fire, and local talent.
What began as a one-day event that attracted more than 11,000 people is now expanding into a two-day festival, with organisers expecting more than 16,000 attendees to descend on the central city.
Behind the event are two names well known in Christchurch’s food scene: Rod Thomson and Josh Hunter.
For Rod, founder of Food by Fire, the roots of the festival stretch back to the days following the Canterbury earthquakes. With power out across the city and communities reeling, he fired up a wood-fired pizza oven in his backyard and began feeding neighbours.
That simple act of generosity grew into Base Woodfired Pizza, a fixture of the Re Container Mall, before Rod became a founding partner of Little High Eatery. His passion for cooking over flame eventually evolved into Food by Fire, a venture built around enormous custom steel grills, restored Bedford trucks, and open-fire cooking.
Alongside him is Ngāti Tūwharetoa chef Josh Hunter, founder of the Whakapapa of Your Kai pop-up series and head chef of Food by Fire.
Josh’s approach goes far beyond traditional barbecue. Drawing inspiration from pre-European Māori cooking methods, seasonal gathering, and foraging, he treats live fire as an essential ingredient. The result is dramatic, smoke-infused food that connects diners back to the land and the stories behind what they eat.
This year, visitors can expect an entirely reimagined festival footprint.
Entry is completely free, creating an accessible event where families, friends, and visitors can gather without the barrier of ticket prices. A carefully curated lineup of 16 local food vendors will showcase Christchurch’s culinary talent, with every vendor incorporating live-fire cooking into their offering.
From vertical asado cooking over iron crosses to slow coal-roasted meats and flame-kissed produce, the spectacle of the cooking itself becomes part of the entertainment.
Adding to the atmosphere will be a dedicated music stage featuring local performers throughout the weekend, alongside fully licensed bars pouring Canterbury wines and locally crafted beers selected to complement the smoky flavours on offer.
For the organisers, Fire and Feast is about far more than food.
The move to Cathedral Square represents an opportunity to breathe life back into a space that has long been considered the symbolic heart of Ōtautahi.
By filling the square with music, conversation, food, and thousands of people, the festival becomes a celebration of the city itself.
It is also a significant boost for the local hospitality industry at a time when many businesses continue to face challenging economic conditions. Every dollar spent supports independent food operators, local producers, Canterbury wineries, and regional craft brewers.
At its core, Fire and Feast is a celebration of Canterbury kai – a showcase of local produce, regional ingredients, and the people who transform them into unforgettable experiences.
On 12 and 13 September, Cathedral Square will come alive with the sights, sounds, and aromas of open-fire cooking. Entry is free, and Ōtautahi is invited to come hungry, bring the family, support local businesses, and experience what happens when the heart of the city wakes up and starts cooking.