Tickets go on sale at 2pm on Tuesday for events taking place during the West Waterford Festival of Food (April 26-28th). It is the 12th running of this festival, which takes place in and around the town of Dungarvan, and more than 50,000 people are expected to attend.
Big names from the culinary world who will be participating include British chef and restaurateur Jason Atherton, who will have two events at The Tannery restaurant on Saturday, April 27th. His main dinner event is already sold out, but reservations are still available for a shorter menu, with reservations at either 5pm or 5.30pm (€45). The following day, Irish Times Magazine columnist Jess Murphy of Kai in Galway stages a takeover in the Tannery restaurant for her Sunday brunch event and tickets are still available for this.
Ross Lewis, chef patron at Chapter One in Dublin, will be cooking dinner in historic Lismore Castle on the Friday night, with help from fellow chefs Danni Barry (Balloo House) and Paula Stakelum (Ashford Castle). Holly Dalton, head chef at Gertrude and 3fe, joins forces with former Euro-Toques young chef of the year Maeve Walsh, and Rose Green for a Great House Dinner at Woodhouse Estate in Stradbally on the Sunday night.
In addition to the dining events, there are demonstrations, talks, tours, guided walks, food markets and children's events taking place over all three days. The full programme of events is online at westwaterfordfestivaloffood.com.
Not all events are ticketed, but among those that are, there will be significant interest in the following dining events, which are likely to book up quickly. All but the Tannery events, for which reservations should be made with the restaurant, can be booked online or at Dungarvan Tourist Office.
Friday, April 26th
Fishy Fishy lunch with Martin Shanahan, €35
Waterford Way Tapas Trail, €45
Middle Eastern Feast at Townhall Theatre, €40
Picado Mexican pop-up with Lily Ramirez-Foran and Anthony O'Toole, €55
Dinner in Lismore Castle with Ross Lewis, Danni Barry and Paula Stakelum, €135
Saturday, April 27th
Flahavan's Greenway Breakfast, €10
Lunchtime restaurant trail, €35
Seaweed tapas lunch €20
Afternoon tea hosted by Declan Maxwell at Tourin House, Cappoquin, €40
Sensory dining at Merry's, €10
FoodCloud dinner, €30
Supper Theatre at Dungarvan Mart, €30
Only Fools & Horses dining experience, €51.60
Great House dinner at Woodhouse Estate with Rose Green, Holly Dalton, Maeve Walsh and Denise McBrien, €95
Jason Atherton dinner at The Tannery, €95
Sunday, April 28th
Interlude jazz brunch, €15
Sunday lunch at Salterbridge House, Cappoquin with Peter Everett, €45
Kai Sunday brunch at The Tannery