From her Brazilian roots to building a family, businesses and a growing media platform in Warwickshire, Bia Rodrigues-Perry's journey has always had food and people at its heart.

This September, the presenter, producer, author, entrepreneur and self-taught chef will bring those two worlds together when she returns to the Leamington Food & Drink Festival, taking to the Live Cookery Theatre at 2pm on both Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 September.

For Bia, returning to the festival is more than another cooking appearance. Leamington and Warwickshire are where she has built her life in the UK and where BIA'S Kitchen Show began its journey championing independent chefs, restaurants, food producers and the stories behind the people and businesses.

The show has since evolved beyond its original food focus. Its latest series, Hot Flushes & Hot Foods, brings food together with conversations around menopause, wellbeing and real life, using cooking as a way to make sometimes difficult subjects more approachable.

With Bia's content now generating over 1.5 million views a month, she says the growth of her platform has strengthened rather than changed her commitment to the community where it started.

Bia shared:"Brazil will always be part of who I am, but Leamington and Warwickshire are my home. This is where I've built my family, my businesses and BIA'S Kitchen Show, so coming back to cook at the Food Festival feels very personal to me.

"BIA'S Kitchen Show started by giving independent chefs, restaurants and food businesses a platform to tell their stories. As we've grown, the conversations have grown too. Now we're talking about wellbeing, menopause and real things that affect people's lives, but food is still what brings us around the table.

"Having a bigger platform is wonderful, but for me the important question is: what can I do with it? I want to use that visibility to champion people, support independent businesses and hopefully make a positive difference.

"And this festival brings all of those things together, food, local businesses, people and community. I'll bring my Brazilian flavour and energy, but most of all I want people to come over, talk to me, ask questions and have some fun. That's what food is about for me – connection."

A self-taught chef, Bia developed her cooking through years of learning, experimenting and working with food rather than following the traditional culinary-school route. Her food journey also includes winning Come Dine With Me in 2015, something she describes as one of the early chapters in a career that has since developed across food, media, production and publishing.

Her return comes as the Leamington Food & Drink Festival celebrates its 19th year at the Pump Room Gardens. The free two-day event brings together around 120 food and drink exhibitors, alongside street food, independent producers, live cooking, children's activities, music and entertainment.

Festival Director and BID Leamington Project Manager Alison Shaw added: "We're delighted to welcome Bia back to the festival. She brings such warmth, energy and passion to the Live Cookery Theatre, and has a wonderful ability to connect with audiences and make food feel both exciting and accessible.

"Her love for great local produce and the people behind it really reflects what the festival is all about – celebrating our local food, independent businesses and the community that makes this such a special place. We know audiences will be thrilled to see Bia back on stage and we can't wait to see what she cooks up this year."

Bia will be keeping this year's dishes under wraps until closer to the weekend and is inviting followers on social media to guess what she might be cooking on stage.

She will also be bringing copies of her cookbook, BIA'S Kitchen Show: A Culinary Journey of Gratitude, which will be available to buy and personally signed at the festival.

The book brings together recipes and stories inspired by chefs, nutritionists and food and drink artisans who have appeared on BIA'S Kitchen Show, alongside Bia's own story and her belief in the power of food, gratitude and human connection.

One festival visitor will also receive a personally signed copy as a special gift from Bia during the weekend.

Outside the festival, the cookbook is available from Amazon, Waterstones online, Kenilworth Books in Kenilworth and BSKitchenShow.com.

The Leamington Food & Drink Festival takes place at the Pump Room Gardens, Royal Leamington Spa, on Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 September 2026, from 10am to 6pm. Entry is free.

Bia Rodrigues-Perry will appear in the Live Cookery Theatre at 2pm on both Saturday and Sunday.

Follow @biaskitchenuk on Instagram for behind-the-scenes preparations and to guess what Bia will be cooking.