Preparation is on top gear for yet another colourful convergence of food, culture, creativity and entertainment as the Jos Food Festival returns from December 18 to 20, 2026, with organisers promising an experience designed to showcase the identity and hospitality of Plateau State.

The three-day festival, scheduled to hold at Nirvana Park & Gardens, Jos, is themed “This Is Plateau” and is being produced by the CHEF ELVIS Company as more than a conventional food event.

Organisers revealed the festival will bring together indigenous cuisine, culinary showcases, music, fashion, cultural storytelling, enterprise, tourism, brand experiences and community, giving residents and visitors an opportunity to experience the diverse creative energy of Plateau through food and entertainment.
At the heart of this year's edition is “The Season,” an ambitious proposed record attempt involving the continuous preparation and serving of 3,000 Nigerian-style shawarmas within 72 hours.

The proposed feat is expected to run throughout the festival, with chefs, food-production teams, partners, volunteers and guests participating in what organisers describe as a live culinary production experience. The process will be supported by systems covering ingredient preparation, food safety, production standards, logistics, documentation, staffing and quality control.

For Festival Director, Chef Elvis Katlong Henry, the proposed record bid is only one part of a bigger story about Plateau and its people.
 “The world-record ambition may attract attention, but Plateau is the story. We want people to experience our food, our people, our creativity, our hospitality and the energy that makes Jos different. This Is Plateau is our way of putting all of that in one place.”

The culinary programme will feature indigenous Plateau dishes and traditional meals alongside grills, fried foods, pastries, small chops, contemporary meals and modern street-food concepts, reflecting the changing tastes and creativity of the city's food entrepreneurs.

Beyond the kitchen, the festival will feature music, games, fashion, entertainment, cultural storytelling, creator experiences and partner activations, with dedicated spaces expected to provide families, young people and visitors opportunities to interact with Plateau's growing creative economy.
Local businesses are also expected to take centre stage, with Plateau-based restaurants, food entrepreneurs and emerging brands participating in the festival. Organisers say the platform will provide opportunities for businesses to introduce their products, engage customers and gain wider commercial visibility.

The proposed 72-hour shawarma production is expected to be one of the festival's defining attractions. Organisers say the initiative will not only test their ability to sustain large-scale culinary production but also contribute to conversations around the Nigerian-style shawarma, which has developed its own identity through locally adapted flavours, sauces, proteins and preparation methods.