The Big Lunch Recipe Search Cookbook
We teamed up with celebrity chefs Briony May Williams, Dame Prue Leith and Ainsley Harriott to run The Big Lunch Recipe Search – to uncover the UK’s favourite shareable recipes that inspire us all to come together for The Big Lunch on 7 – 8 June 2025.
We were delighted to receive entries from all four corners of the UK, from Penrith to Prestatyn and Belfast to Bristol. The judges were impressed with the culinary creativity and loved hearing the heart-warming stories behind the recipes, as well as some brilliant Big Lunch plans.
Here are the delicious dishes submitted by our 10 finalists – guaranteed to help feed community spirit wherever you live this summer!
Jump to the winner announcement!
Read more about The Big Lunch Recipe Search!
And the winner is…!
On Thursday 5 June, HM The Queen, Patron of The Big Lunch, met the Recipe Search finalists to crown a winner.
The event was held on Eden Dock, a pioneering partnership with charity the Eden Project and Canary Wharf Group (CWG) has reimagined the historic Middle Dock to enhance biodiversity, and bring people and nature closer together.
The Queen revealed Melanie Booth, a SEN teacher from Westbury, Wiltshire as the overall winner with her dish Butternut Squash Empanadas. She marked the moment by unveiling Melanie’s prize – a show stopping cake adorned with depictions of the finalist’s dishes.
“We were blown away by the quality of the recipes we received from passionate home cooks across the UK and are thrilled with our top ten dishes, showcasing community sharing at its best. You can’t have a Big Lunch without a bite to eat – food starts conversations and brings us all together. So why not pick a recipe and share it with your community at The Big Lunch on 7 and 8 June?”
Lindsey Brummitt, Programme Director at the Eden Project
Join in with The Big Lunch
The Big Lunch is the UK’s annual get-together for neighbours and communities, bringing millions of people together for a few hours of friendship, food and fun.
Try your hand at these delicious dishes and feed community spirit where you live on 7-8 June!
The Big Lunch
Join millions to share friendship, food and fun with a Big Lunch!
Get your Big Lunch Pack
The Big Lunch is our chance to celebrate community connections and get…
The Big Lunch map
Just enter your postcode to find your nearest Big Lunch.
Tips for a last-minute Big Lunch
Feeling late to the party, but want to get involved?
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Budget recipes
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Recipes for large groups
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Celebrity recipes
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Our partners
We’re proud to work with brands and organisations that help us develop our charitable mission. The ongoing support of our partners allows us to reach more communities through The Big Lunch campaign.
Pears Foundation
Generous support from Pears Foundation makes the work we do with communities possible.
This includes building social capital and encouraging new connections by bringing millions of people across the UK together for The Big Lunch every June.
We are immensely proud of what we have already achieved through our partnership with Pears Foundation and we are excited to explore the power of community to shape a positive future for both people and planet.
Together we encourage active citizenship, inviting communities to connect with one another and with nature.
