I was in Copenhagen, the capital of the Nordic food scene, to attend the MAD Food Symposium and The World Food Summit. Both were inspirational.

A special day – one more of our little dotes had her hair brushed (no mean feat), donned her school uniform, wore shiny new shoes and a school bag for the very first time. It’s always a bitter sweet moment and an anxious one. She’s really excited now but how will she take to school? Her big sister and brother will take special care of her so she will hopefully settle in a couple of days…

Twice a year, an international team goes to the impoverished African nation to perform transformative facial surgery on social outcasts, says Tony McNamara

A CSX freight train heading to North Carolina derailed near a Metro stop in Washington DC today, sending 14 cars off the tracks and spilling hazardous material, officials said.

René Redzepi ignited an international culinary revolution with Noma, his restaurant focused on wildly innovative Nordic cuisine. Now, believing that Mexican food is the next big thing, the Scandinavian wunderkind eats his way across the country.

Danish restaurant Rub & Stub only use leftovers culled from shops and other eateries, and it’s run by volunteers, says Arlene Harris.

THE excitement is really mounting, it’s just a week to this year’s Lit Fest at Ballymaloe, May 16-18.

AT 9.30am on a glorious Saturday last year, I paused at the entrance to the Ballymaloe Grainstore; was I really going to pass up a rare blast of Irish summer sunshine to instead sit indoors and listen to two guys talking?

Premier men have a habit of beginning the season as they mean to go on.

House of Cards makes a welcome return on Netflix, and Frank looks just as nasty as ever.

This is a dish I am very proud of. It is a perfect product cooked

René Redzepi and Yotam Ottolenghi have been booked for Ballymaloe LitFest 2014.

The Pig’s Ear,

PEOPLE smile a lot in Copenhagen.

Four celebrity chefs, 12 questions. Ahead of the Irish Examiner Food Festival next week, Darina Allen, Andrew Rudd, Rachel Allen and Paolo Tullio reveal their dream dinner party guests, memorable meals — and their favourite summer recipes.

A TABLE at Noma restaurant in Copenhagen is one of the hottest, most sought after meal slots in the whole world.