Choose Love Opening Night Banquet

Coming soon

with Imad Alarnab (Imad’s Syrian Kitchen) and Deborah Frances-White (The Guilty Feminist)

Opening our weekend of Long Table Banquets in style...

This year, the opening night of the Long Table Banquet unites everything at the very heart of Wilderness: great food, sensational talent, and the importance of community and supporting one another. In collaboration with one of the festival’s long- standing charity partners, Choose Love, the menu will be curated by British-Syrian chef and entrepreneur Imad Alarnab (a Choose Love regular partner) and hosted by comedian Deborah Frances- White, with part of the proceeds from each ticket - alongside the fees for those involved – going directly towards Choose Love and their work supporting refugees and displaced people globally.

Since its founding in 2015 Choose Love have raised over 115 million pounds, supporting over 7 million people across 36 countries, providing hot food, shelter, children's education, emergency medical care, support for women and much more to those in our society who need it most.

Imad Alarnab is a Syrian chef, entrepreneur and refugee who ran three successful restaurants, several juice bars and cafes in Damascus.

In the war, Imad's businesses were destroyed, and he was forced to flee the country in search of safety. Making his way from Lebanon through Europe, Imad shared his skills cooking for other refugees, up to 400 at a time.

Imad arrived in London in 2015, and eventually his family was able to join him. Putting aside his passion for food, Imad worked a number of jobs, including as a car salesman in his early days in London. With the help of some good friends, Imad burst onto the London restaurant scene four years ago with a series of charity events which became hugely popular. Supper clubs sold out within hours and hungry workers waited patiently in long queues for take-away lunches at pop-ups.

Imad’s Syrian Kitchen opened in Kingly Court in Soho, London in early 2020. After three and half years in our old home we moved into a new home in the summer of 2023. Still in Kingly Court the new space gave Imad chance to show his full vision.

Deborah Frances-White is an award-winning writer and comedian, best known for her hit podcast The Guilty Feminist. Her book, The Guilty Feminist, was a Sunday Times Best Seller. Her second book, Six Conversations We’re Scared to Have, was released in April 2025 to critical acclaim. Deborah is an official ambassador for Choose Love and Amnesty International.

To Start
Baba Ganoj - smoked aubergine, tahini, pomegranate (vg) (gf) (df)
Hummus - tahini, Urfa chilli, crunchy chickpeas (vg) (gf) (df)
Zahra Harra - roasted cauliflower, red onion, red peppers, coriander, oil, tahini (vg) (gf) (df)
Labrot - labneh, beetroot, jalapeno (vg) (gf)
Flatbread (v)

To Follow
Mudakhan Ghanam - slow-roasted lamb shoulder, basmati rice (gf) (df)
Shaqaf - grilled lamb skewers, charred vegetables (gf) (df)
Bamya - okra, spiced tomato sauce, cumin (vg) (gf) (df)

To Finish
Noria- kataifi pastry, tahini cream, cinnamon syrup (v)

Menu subject to change

Please note - you must have a weekend festival ticket to book an experience at Wilderness.

Refunds & Exchanges

Please note extra experience bookings are non-refundable and non-exchangeable.
Experiences will only be held for 20 minutes, after that tickets are subject to resale and will be automatically cancelled without refund.

Feasting Experiences

All menus are designed nut-free, but please be aware food is prepared in kitchens where nuts, gluten, and other allergens may be present.
Feasting Experiences can only facilitate dietary requirements as outlined on the individual chef's booking page.
Unless specified otherwise on the chef's page, there is a vegetarian alternative for all our larger banquet restaurants. Vegan alternatives can be made available, subject to registration via the dietaries form.
You must register any dietary requirements for you or others in your group ahead of arrival via our dietaries form. Do not forget this if booking for a group, we are in a field so alternatives are not readily available.
Due to the style of the offering, The Chef’s Table cannot accommodate any dietary requirements other than those displayed on the individual chef pages.
Babies and little ones can sit on parents' laps at all restaurants except for The Chef's Table. If they're in a pram please ask on arrival to be seated at the end of a table. Unless available at the point of booking, we don't have a dedicated children's menu, so if you’re planning for them to eat with you they’ll need to be booked as an additional seat.
Our Woodland Banquet will take place come rain or shine as we have a beautiful canopy in the woodland to use in the event of rain so you don’t miss your meal!

Outdoor Experiences

Outdoor experiences will take place come rain or shine.
For any outdoor experiences outside of the arena, unless specified otherwise on the individual booking page, please meet 15 minutes before the designated start time at the Wilderness Meeting Point where you will be met and guided to your experience.

The Spa & Sauna

Over 18's only.
Please bring with you: swimwear, towel, flip-flops/sliders, water bottle - stay hydrated!
No outside alcohol/food is permitted in the Spa or Sauna. We reserve the right to refuse your entry if you appear to be under the influence of alcohol, any illegal substance or deemed a risk to health and safety.
You must not use the Spa or Sauna if you: suffer from high or low blood pressure, heart or circulatory disorders, epilepsy, or diabetes; are pregnant; or are prone to dizziness or fainting. Also avoid use if you have a serious illness, respiratory condition, heart disease, a history of heart problems or stroke, or take related medication; if you suffer from migraines; cannot perspire due to illness; have had diarrhoea, sickness, or an upset stomach in the past 14 days; or have a contagious disease, infection, open sores, cuts, or wounds.
Please read the full info and terms and conditions for the spa here and for the sauna here.

Masaj Treatments

Consultation form: You’ll receive this via email a week before the festival, please complete this in advance. All health conditions and medications must be disclosed.
Code of conduct: MASAJ reserves the right to refuse treatment to any client who is intoxicated, under the influence of recreational drugs, or engages in inappropriate, aggressive, or sexualised behaviour toward staff.
Under 18s: Clients under 18 must have parental or guardian consent at the time of booking and must email hello@masaj.me at least 10 days in advance so we can allocate the right therapist and share consent forms for written consent from a parent or guardian.
Pre & Post-Natal Massage: Available to those in their 2nd & 3rd trimesters or postnatally with specialist therapists, provided you email hello@masaj.me with your request at least 10 days in advance. We are unable to treat clients in their first trimester.

In all relevant instances, if we cannot accommodate the request and 10+ days’ notice has been given, we will issue a refund. If we are not given notice, the treatment cannot go ahead and we cannot issue a refund.

Wellbeing in the Wild Experiences

Meet 20 minutes before the designated start time at the Wellbeing in the Wild Meeting Point, located next to the Sanctuary Reception. Your teacher will then accompany you to the relevant location for your session.
In adverse weather conditions, please still head to the Wellbeing in the Wild Meeting Point, as most sessions will still go ahead come rain or shine. Any sessions that cannot go ahead will be automatically refunded within 2 weeks post-festival. We do not offer refunds if you decide not to join a session that still goes ahead.

Order Confirmations & More Info

If you don't receive an order confirmation email, please first check your junk/spam folder before contacting us.
You can see full information on how to book experiences, access your Wilderness account and experience Ts & Cs here.
You’ll need a copy of the lead booker’s I.D. to check-in. Group bookings must arrive together.