Here’s the food and drink highlights of spring 2015
Catex 50th anniversary outing for Ireland’s premier hospitality event, huge Food Service Industry RDS expo includes 2015 Irish Barista Championship and Eurotoques Ireland Chefs Masterclasses. www.catexexhibition.com
3rd-level Student chefs from all over Ireland compete, this year’s theme is ‘Sustainability and Food Waste’. Belfast Metropolitan College, Titanic Quarter, Belfast
Includes Dublin Craft Beer Cup with over 100 global entries, great grub and live entertainment, (incl. 6 Nations broadcast live). http://eu.alltechbrewsandfood.com
Top Irish Bread Bakers (incl. Joe ‘Riot Rye’ Fitzmaurice, Patrick ‘Firehouse’ Ryan, Declan ‘Arbutus’ Ryan (below)) launch a new organisation to establish best practice/standards for artisan bakers. www.biabeag.com
Splendid Irish Craft Beers and Irish Whiskey plus free daily entry to the Food Market featuring finest local produce. CHQ Building, Dublin. www.irishfest.ie
Julie and Rod Calder-Potts of Kilkenny’s Highbank Orchard, unleash their amazing distilled spirits on the nation, including Highbank Orchard Apple Schnapps, Highbank Orchard Spirit, Valentine’s Day Pink Gin. www.highbankorchards.com
Learn to taste and appreciate finest Irish craft brews. Mourne’s Seafood Bar, Dublin (February 3) & Cork L’Atitude 51, Cork (March 24). www.liquidcuriousity.ie
After last year, will Co Cork complete another clean sweep at the 21st Irish Food Writers’ Guild Awards to be revealed at Derry Clarke’s Michelin-starred restaurant L’Ecrivain, Dublin? http://www.irishfoodwritersguild.ie
Eclectic mix of speakers, demos, events targeting tourism and food sectors including chefs, restaurateurs, food producers. Also open to the general public. GMIT, Galway. www.thefoodieforum.net
Wise Traditions’ Ireland Conference on Food, Farming and Healing Arts and rediscovering the power of nutrition. Key speaker: Darina Allen. www.wapfmunster.com
Where to Eat & Stay on the Wild Atlantic Way; 100 Best Restaurants in Ireland 2015; and 100 Best Places to Stay in Ireland 2015. €2.49 each. www.guides.ie
Ballymaloe Litfest Box Office opens. Star guests include: Jack Monroe, April Bloomfield, Tim Wendelboe, Alice Waters, Jancis Robinson, Christian Puglisi, Fuschia Dunlop, Mark Hix, Sam & Sam Clark, Kevin Thornton www.litfest.ie
New Co Clare-based organisation offering alternative cookery classes focussing on food and nutrition to sustain health, vitality and wellbeing and cope with allergies and intolerances. www.talkdemotaste.com
