Speaker Spotlight: Aisling Larkin
In an industry built on people, pressure and pace, wellbeing is no longer a “nice to have”.
It’s a performance strategy.
Long hours, high expectations and constant change mean hospitality teams are operating under sustained pressure — and mindset increasingly determines performance, resilience and retention.
At Hospitality Expo 2026, Aisling Larkin brings a deeply informed, practical perspective on food, wellness and mindset, grounded in years of research, teaching and real-world application across hospitality, media and workplace environments.
About Aisling Larkin
Aisling Larkin is a broadcaster, educator and food and wellness strategist, with a media career spanning almost a decade and reaching over 300,000 people each week through television, radio, podcasts and social platforms.
Beyond her public profile, Aisling’s work is built on depth.
Over the past ten years, she has travelled extensively to study global food models, trained in the psychology and physiology of feeding, and become one of only a small number of practitioners in Europe trained in the MB-EAT Mindful Eating Programme.
Her academic and professional training includes:
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MSc in Culinary Innovation
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MB-EAT Mindful Eating Programme
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Workplace Wellness (Technological University Dublin)
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Organisational Leadership (Oxford Saïd Business School)
Aisling’s philosophy is simple but powerful: you cannot change behaviours without changing mindset.
Wellness, in her view, is not about restriction or perfection. It’s a multi-faceted, modern approach built around balance, coping, energy and joy.
Over the past 15 years, Aisling has taught, consulted and created programmes across food, wellness and workplace performance.
She is also incredibly proud of Enrich, a global-first, food-centric workplace wellness programme she developed for KSG, now supporting thousands of people with nutrient-dense food designed to meet individual wellbeing goals at work.
Where You’ll See Aisling at HEX26
🔹 Chef Demo Stage Host
Tuesday 10 February & Wednesday 11
February
Stage: Chef Demo Stage
Aisling will host the Chef Demo Stage across both days of Hospitality Expo 2026, guiding live demonstrations, conversations and learning moments featuring leading chefs and food voices.
Her role connects what is being cooked with why it matters — from mindset and nourishment to sustainability, creativity and performance in hospitality kitchens.
By bringing structure, insight and flow to the chef programme, Aisling bridges practical cooking with wider conversations about wellbeing, culture and leadership in hospitality.
Why This Session Matters
Hospitality teams are under more pressure than ever, and performance can no longer be separated from wellbeing.
Aisling’s contribution is especially relevant for:
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Hospitality operators and owners
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Managers and team leaders
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Chefs and kitchen teams
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Businesses focused on performance, retention and resilience
By combining evidence-based insight with real-world application, Aisling offers a grounded, achievable approach to wellbeing that works in real hospitality environments.