Joe McNamee: Cork on a Fork is a reminder of Leeside's culinary power in hard times

"That spirit and the growing strength of the festival also bode well for the current pursuit of the World Region of Gastronomy designation for Cork and its hinterland in 2030. This would be a real game changer."

Head chef Brian Murray serves up the starters under the open kitchen heat lamps at the Examiner Eats Club in The Glass Curtain. Picture Chani Anderson.

Last Sunday evening, 45 lucky diners gathered in The Glass Curtain restaurant for another sell-out Examiner Eats Club, our dining events series, tickets exclusively available to Irish Examiner subscribers.

A wonderful evening and one of the closing events for the 2025 Cork on a Fork food festival, running over the previous five days, a certain demob giddiness was abroad in the air.