Cooking up a taste of Ireland
The call went out to culinary-minded children to create a Taste of Ireland as Fáilte Ireland’s 2005 Young Chef of the Future competition got underway.
Now in its fifth year, the competition was set up to encourage second level students to take an interest in a career in cookery or hospitality.
The response from schools around the country has increased each year and the competition itself has cooked up some seriously talented young chefs. This year the Superquinn supermarket chain is adding its support to the competition in which teams are asked to create a menu for a three-course meal based on “A Taste of Ireland” theme.
The competition begins in secondary schools nationwide from the start of November. Regional finals are held in January and the winners contest the national final in Dublin in March.
Two-person teams consisting of a chef and a food service person are chosen to represent each school. Superquinn will be supplying the finalists with all the ingredients necessary for their recipes and will also be offering a 5% discount on ingredients to all schools entering the competition.
Fáilte Ireland’s Ann Whelan said that while the competition aimed to whet young people’s appetites for careers in the hospitality industry, it also called on participants to respond to current trends in dining-out.
“Authentic dining experiences are very much in demand from overseas visitors, which is why teams are asked to base their menu on ‘A Taste of Ireland’ theme, using locally available and seasonal produce.”
Teams are also asked to ensure that their offerings are suitable for a ‘value menu guide’, she said.
Students can enter the competition online at www.failteireland.ie or obtain detail by contacting Fáilte Ireland at 01-884-7700. The closing date for applications is November 12.
