West Waterford Festival of Food

West Waterford Festival of Food 2016 celebrates The Changing Kitchen. A new generation of talent, fresh flavours, interesting influences and good ideas!

The sunny South East is set for another year of gastronomical delights as the West Waterford Festival of Food returns to Dungarvan for its 9th successive year from 15th-17th April. Combining fabulous food and drink, engaging events, pop up restaurants and much more, it’s a must visit for food lovers everywhere.

Following the success of last year’s festival which celebrated Generations in Irish Food, the theme this year will shine a spotlight on the up-and-coming faces in Irish food and also the trends that are set to dominate the culinary world for the next year. For three days the beautiful coastal town of Dungarvan and its surrounding countryside will welcome some of Ireland’s finest chefs, producers, stall-holders and all round lovers of fine food as well. Focusing on fresh new talent and innovators, the West Waterford Festival of Food showcases some of the best producers, chefs, restaurants and food businesses in Ireland.

One of the highlights of the programme this year will be the hotly anticipated pop-up dinner by Robin Gill in The Tannery. The Tannery continues as a cornerstone of the West Waterford Festival of Food, this year welcoming Dublin-born chef Gill, who continues to light up the London restaurant scene, this year with the opening of his third restaurant Paradise Garage in Bethnal Green, along with his two other, highly thought of, restaurants The Dairy and The Manor.  Flying the flag for young Irish talent over the pond, Robin’s stock is set to rise even higher in 2016.

There will be more well-known faces in residence on Sunday as Mickael Viljanen, Graham Neville and Keiran Glennon host Sunday lunch. Three exceptionally talented young chefs, each cooking in their respective restaurants at the very top of their game, this will be a unique opportunity for festival-goers to experience some of the finest cooking currently happening on this island.

Other highlights focusing on The Changing Kitchen includes the aptly titled Gourmet Garbage Dinner, which will see Louise Clark of Nude Food host a food waste dinner at her Dungarvan café. Addressing the issue of food waste in the restaurant industry, chef Michael Quinn, food writer and journalist Dee Laffan and chef and food writer Joe McNamee will join in the conversation and the cooking while diners feast on delectable dishes, highlighting the many uses for food which would normally get thrown away.

Returning once again to this year’s West Waterford Festival of Food will be Seafood Saturday. Come and enjoy all that the Waterford coastline has to offer, from fresh local seafood such as Harty’s Oysters to inspiring demos with Martin Shanahan and Shane McGrath. Whether it’s fun activities by the water, sensational seafood as you browse the stalls or simply the beautiful views along the quayside, Seafood Saturday is an event that showcases the heritage of this seaside town and is one not to be missed.

A key event at every West Waterford Festival of Food is the hugely popular Farmer’s Market, this year on Sunday April 17^th. One of the largest artisan food markets on the island, and with over 90 stalls, the Farmer’s Market is the perfect showcase for the best producers and artisans of the region. Meet the producers, fill your basket and stroll the square as you take in the sights, scents and savours of the various stalls.

This year the West Waterford Festival of Food is delighted to introduce The Health Hub to its programme. With nutrition now a hot topic for many foodies, the festival has created a venue that is dedicated to the latest health and wellness food trends. Talks include The Spice of Life with medical herbalist Aine Marie O’Reilly, a panel discussion which will examine the rise of fad diets called Is Healthy Eating Killing Us? and there will be a special screening of GMO OMG followed by a panel discussion. The Cultured Food Company will hold a fermentation workshop while Magic Mayan Chocolate will be educating visitors on raw chocolate making. The West Waterford Festival of Food will be a one stop shop for 2016 food trends.

A highlight of the event for many are the town hall demos and this year the West Waterford Festival of Food will be celebrating The Changing Kitchen. Javier Garduno of El Sombrero will join Lily Ramirez Foran to highlight a selection of Mexican cooking skills, and West Waterford Festival of Food are delighted to welcome back Kwanghi Chan, previously of The Cliff House Hotel, to give a masterclass in Asian street food. These demos from cutting edge Irish chefs and food producers are not to be missed – inspirational, interesting and delicious!

For those festival-goers who enjoy the finer things in life, Declan Maxwell will host Afternoon Tea at Lismore Castle. Home to Lord and Lady Burlington, Head Butler Denis Nevin and his team will be serving the finest tea accompanied by sweet and savoury delicacies from the skilled hand of Judit McNally of Ormond Café. A wonderful tradition that has stood the test of time, Afternoon Tea at Lismore Castle is an unforgettable experience that will be made extra special thanks to a recital from the ladies of the Voiceover Choir.

Always key to the West Waterford Festival of Food, and an integral part of this year’s programme given the theme of The Changing Kitchen, are the little cooks. With a jam-packed schedule of events perfect for all from toddlers to teens, West Waterford Festival of Food will see your little chefs shine with events such as Busy with Biscuits, as well as workshops including one for little pizza chefs and some historic fun at King John’s Castle. Whether the little chefs are hands-on cooking or simply picking up their favourite fruit at the Fruity Pick ‘N’ Play, there’s plenty of options for a foodie family day out.

More information on events will be released from West Waterford Festival of Food HQ, with full details on the 2016 programme being announced in due course, but visitors can expect seaweed foraging, restaurant trails, the ever popular Bus Bia Tours, Irish Craft in a Glass which offers a series of opportunities to taste and learn about the increasingly popular craft beer, gin, cider and whiskeys of Ireland, and much more

This year’s West Waterford Festival of Food celebrating The Changing Kitchen is the perfect way to experience Ireland’s vibrant food culture, and every day is a great day out for all the family!

For bookings and enquiries contact 058 21433 or visit www.westwaterfordfestivaloffood.com