Renowned chef Jess Murphy has teamed up with Fáilte Ireland to call on chefs across the country to participate in a Taste of Place training programme.
Fáilte Ireland has identified a growing trend, at home and internationally, of tourists seeking out locally sourced dishes and the stories behind them. The Taste of Place training programme is designed to help chefs and culinary teams tap into this trend by providing stand-out local and seasonal cuisine to tourists.
The programme will arm chefs with insights into how food motivates tourists, as well as providing the latest tourism trends and culinary concepts, and underlining the business benefits of sourcing locally.
Fáilte Ireland is calling on chefs to sign up to take part in the two-day workshops this October and November by emailing [email protected].
The workshops will take place in locations around the country, including in GMIT on October 15 and 16, with a cookery demonstration by Jess Murphy.
Ms Murphy, head chef at Kai restaurant, is among the chefs leading the two day workshops; others are Gary O’Hanlon, executive head chef at Chateau du Coudreceau, France, and Luke Mathews, Airfield Estate. Chefs and cooks responsible for food preparation, presentation, and menu development will see first-hand a variety of dishes demonstrated using the best local ingredients.
“This new programme is designed to support Fáilte Ireland’s latest three-year food and drink initiative Taste the Island by equipping chefs across Ireland with knowledge on the power and benefits of using local produce to deliver an unforgettable visitor experience," said Tracey Coughlan, food tourism manager with Fáilte Ireland.
"This growing interest in experiencing local food presents an ideal opportunity for chefs to create and deliver authentic food experiences that are reflective of the area. This new programme has been developed by Fáilte Ireland, to ensure that visitors to Ireland enjoy a real taste of place.”
Jess Murphy added: “I am thrilled to help deliver Fáilte Ireland’s Taste of Place programme and I commend their vision and drive in promoting local produce through this programme. I’m looking forward to working with other like-minded chefs and culinary teams to reinforce the message about the many positive benefits of using quality locally sourced food and beverages.”