GROW, COOK, EAT – The GIY Gathering 2014

Food lovers, food growers and gardeners will descend on Waterford on 13th & 14th September  2014 for the sixth annual GIY Gathering which features 28 of the most influential food growers, writers, advocates and chefs in one magical event. This year’s GIY Gathering is a celebration of growing, cooking and eating great food, with a range of talks and discusssions from food growing experts, a series of cookery demos from leading chefs, and a feast of local and homegrown food. Hosted by Ella McSweeney, contributors to this year’s Gathering include Patrick Holden CBE, Joy Larkcom, Alys Fowler, Geoffrey Stebbings, Darina Allen, Rory O’Connell, Denis Cotter, Paddy Courtney, Mark Diacono and many more.

Keynote speaker in the GROW strand Patrick Holden, is a pioneer of the sustainable food movement, and as director of the Soil Association between 1995 and 2010 played a key role in developing the UK organic market. He is a founder of the Sustainable Food Trust, which works internationally to promote sustainable food systems, and a long time advisor to the Prince of Wales on sustainability issues. Other GROW speakers include Alys Fowler, Geoffrey Stebbings, Owen Glynn Smith, Madeleine McKeever, Karl Richards, Paul Clarke, Trevor Sargent, Klaus Laitenberger, Joy Larkcom, Fiann O’Nuallain and Kitty Scully. The GROW strand also features panel discussions on food growing for restaurants, soil health, and seed varieties for an uncertain future.

The COOK strand takes place in the historic Blackfriars in association with Waterford Chamber with seasonal cookery demos from Darina Allen, Denis Cotter, Rory O’Connell, Lilly Higgins, Mark Diacono and Sally McKenna. Making his first appearance at the GIY Gathering is Denis Cotter, best known for his creative vegetarian cuisine in Cork’s renowned Cafe Paradiso. Cotter’s book ‘Paradiso Seasons’ won ‘Best Vegetarian Cookbook in the World’ at the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards in Barcelona in 2004.

Of course no GIY Gathering would be complete without great food to EAT – for our evening meal on the Saturday night, we’ve transformed the historic Blackfriars church as the venue for a very special GIY Gathering “Eat-Together”, a 4-course meal of local, seasonal and homegrown food. To wash it all down, there’s even a special Gathering brew from Metalman brewery with homegrown raspberries from local GIYers.

A two-day pass to the Gathering is incredible value at just €40 (or two for €30). Tickets, programme and more information from www.giyinternational.org. The GIY Gathering takes place during the Waterford Harvest Festival with garden parties, outdoor markets, Beer Quarter, Children’s workshops, city farm, live music and much more. The GIY Gathering is proudly supported by Woodies DIY.

Venue: Theatre Royal, Waterford City

Times: Saturday 10am-5:30pm, Sunday 10:30am-3.30pm.

Tickets: €40 (or two for €30).

More information: call the ticket line on 051 302191 or email [email protected]