#STWF – Stanfords Blog

Jay Rayner Nights Out at Home// 2025 Stanfords Travel Writers Festival

For twenty-five years, award-winning restaurant critic Jay Rayner has been uncovering the very best of the nation’s eateries, from high end restaurants to high street grills. In his new book, Nights Out at Home, in a love letter to his favourite eating houses, Jay serves up recipes inspired by the superb dishes that have stolen his heart over the decades. He talks to Julia Leonard about the book, and foods from around the world that have inspired him.

This is a live recording from Destinations: The Holiday & Travel Show at Olympia, London on 2 February 2025.

Travis Elborough Writers’ Journeys// 2025 Stanfords Travel Writers Festival

Some truly remarkable works of literature have been inspired by writers spending time travelling. From epic road trips and arduous treks into remote territories, to cultural tours and sojourns in the finest hotels, author Travis Elborough explores 35 influential journeys taken by literary greats and reveals the repercussions of those travels on the authors’ personal lives and the broader literary landscape. Travis talks to Ash Bhardwaj, exploring some of the great minds and great books that have been inspired by some of remarkable travels.

Petroc Trelawny’s Cornwall// 2025 Stanfords Travel Writers Festival

Petroc Trelawny grew up on the Lizard Peninsula in the far south of Cornwall. His new book is part history, part memoir and a deeply felt exploration of Cornwall. Talking to Ann Morgan, he takes us by road, rail and foot, visiting old mine workings, ancient churches, sites where new technology was forged, and places where poets, musicians, architects and film makers have worked to shape Cornwall’s cultural identity.

‘In the Footsteps of Du Fu’ with Michael Wood: Stanfords Travel Writers Festival 2024

From Destinations: The Holiday & Travel Show in London’s Olympia, The Stanfords Travel Writers Festival welcomes the internationally acclaimed historian, film-maker and broadcaster, and the author of several bestselling books, Michael Wood. He talks to Ann Morgan about his new book ‘In the Footsteps of Du Fu’, a beautifully illustrated travelogue, chronicling the life and work of one of the world greatest poets.

Du Fu (712-70) is one of China’s greatest poets. His career coincided with periods of famine, war and huge upheaval, yet his secular philosophical vision, combined with his empathy for the common folk of his nation, ensured that he soon became revered. Like Shakespeare or Dante, his poetry resonates in a timeless manner that ensures it is always relevant and offers something new to the modern generation.

John Blashford-Snell in Conversation: Stanfords Travel Writers Festival 2024

From Destinations: The Holiday & Travel Show in London’s Olympia, The Stanfords Travel Writers Festival welcomes Colonel John Blashford-Snell, one of the country’s most eminent and seasoned explorers.

His name is known globally for his daring adventures and intrepid journeys of discovery. Now, well into his eighties (and still planning future trips), he talks to Ann Morgan, telling tales from Africa, Asia and the Americas, about some of the 100 or so expeditions he has led in pursuit of archaeological, anthropological, botanical, biological and zoological objectives.

‘The Conspiracy Tourist’ with Dom Joly: Stanfords Travel Writers Festival 2024

From Destinations: The Holiday & Travel Show in London’s Olympia, The Stanfords Travel Writers Festival welcomes the multi-award-winning comedian, travel writer and columnist Dom Joly. He speaks to Antony Garvey about his latest book ‘The Conspiracy Tourist’.

Victoria Hislop in Conversation: Stanfords Travel Writers Festival

From Destinations: The Holiday & Travel Show in London’s Olympia, The Stanfords Travel Writers Festival welcomes the international bestselling author Victoria Hislop. Victoria divides her time between England and Greece and in 2020, was granted honorary citizenship by the President. She talks to Ann Morgan about why the people and the place have captured her heart so completely, and what makes Greece and its islands so very special.

‘Walking the Bones of Britain’ with Christopher Somerville

From Destinations: The Holiday & Travel Show in London’s Olympia, The Stanfords Travel Writers Festival welcomes Christopher Somerville, author and walking correspondent for The Times. He talks to author Ben Aitken about his newest book Walking the Bones of Britain.

Travelling a thousand miles and across three billion years, Christopher Somerville sets out to interrogate the land beneath our feet, and how it has affected every aspect of human history from farming to house construction, the Industrial Revolution to the current climate crisis.

‘8,000 Miles in the Andes by Bamboo Bike’ with Kate Rawles: Stanfords Travel Writers Festival 2024

From Destinations: The Holiday & Travel Show in London’s Olympia, The Stanfords Travel Writers Festival welcomes author and eco adventurer Kate Rawles. She talks to author Ben Aitken about cycling the length of the Andes on an eccentric bicycle she built herself.

Pedalling hard for thirteen months, she witnesses the devastation of goldmining and oil drilling but finds hope in the incredible people working to regenerate habitats and communities. As she reaches the ‘end of the world’, she realises that to tackle biodiversity loss we all have a role to play.

Michel Roux in Conversation: Stanfords Travel Writers Festival 2024

From Destinations: The Holiday & Travel Show in London’s Olympia, The Stanfords Travel Writers Festival welcomes one of the world’s most respected chefs, Michel Roux. He talks to food writer and presenter Jo Pratt about some of his favourite dishes and cuisines, discovered on his culinary travels around the globe.

Michel Roux is one of the world’s most respected chefs, and this love of food runs through his family and heritage. Le Gavroche, which he ran from 1991 until the beginning of this year, received recommendations for excellence in every food guide. Michel’s early training in France instilled in him a belief in simplicity and quality of raw ingredients which has he put to use in developing the recipes he uses both at Le Gavroche and in his books.