"Music is food for your soul," he tells Hot Press. "If you think about smells or tastes, they bring you back to a place in time, just like when you hear a track."

Thornton, who has had a brace of Michelin stars to his credit, hosts Food for Life - a three-course meal for 25 guests on the festival's Saturday evening. Food For Live is part of All Together Now's sustainable mission.

"The idea is green land, clean air and using ingredients that are close," says Thornton.

He has championed local food-stuffs through his career. "Thirty-years ago I used to go diving for sea urchins and collecting wild stuff." He's glad locally-grown, natural foods have finally become fashionable. Thornton famously once gave a TED talk decrying reliance on artificial preservatives. He argued consumers should know what they are eating. "It's important people be aware of the future of food and how it's developing. Will we all just be dropping tablets soon?"

Thornton is keeping his ATN menu under wraps for now. He does let slip one unique ingredient: "Three thousand year-old bog butter." The butter derives its name from where it's found. Our ancestors are believed to have stored butter in bogs to keep it fresh. "I find it fascinating thinking about why people buried the food in the first place. And then somebody finding and using it 3,000 years later," says the chef. The meal will be accompanied by a photography exhibition, inspired by Thornton's adventures in the form.

"I wanted to be photographer and a chef. They were always battling. Then 10 years ago I put them together," he says. Regarding the installation, Thornton teases that it will involve "looking at the minute details of food people don't notice."

Cooking at an event such as ATN is a break from the pressure of a restaurant kitchen, he says. "The good thing about festivals is meeting people, talking, listening to music - just chilling. Nobody's in a rush," says Thornton. That's why his Food For Life meal will be served at dusk. "The whole idea of sunset is that it's a relaxing time, the sun's going down, the light's changing. There's that beautiful twilight." The chef is also looking forward to the many other food events at All Together Now.

"It's great meeting like-minded people," he observes. "You learn from each other." He's particularly eager to try the fare at Julia's Lobsters. "Lobster is right in season. What better way to eat it than grilled with lemon?" says Thornton before advising: "Julia's always sold out, so get there early." You can't say we didn't warn you.

A limited number of Food for Life tickets are available, at €65 each. For more information about other food events at All Together Now, check the festival website.

Featured Image Credit