FOR FOUR DAYS every June, one of Dublin’s most beautiful parks transforms into what can only be described as a gastronomical wonderland.
It’s now mere days before Taste of Dublin kicks off in the Iveagh Gardens and this year’s theme is their most interesting yet – Food Lovers’ Playground. And with an ice-cool Schweppes 1783 Alchemy Bar filled with mixologists – no doubt there will be delicious, chilled cocktails on hand too.
As the festival is now in its thirteenth year, and there are certain delicious elements that we can expect every year, what’s so different about this year’s foodie extravaganza?
Here’s the inside track on all the new bits that everyone’s buzzing about for this year’s Taste of Dublin.
You may not necessarily have heard of World Class but you’ve definitely tasted some of their delicious spirits – they encompass brands like Ketel One, Bulleit, Roe & Co and Tanqueray, to name a just a few. Speaking of gin, there’s also a Schweppes tent this weekend at Taste to cater for all of your G&T needs…
For the first time at Taste, World Class will have their own area where they are doing a live final on Sunday of World Class Bartender of the Year. The brilliant entries (seen in the video above) include entries from Cask in Cork, One Goose Entry in Belfast and Urchin in Dublin – all promising to whip up some seriously tasty cocktails.
Does the guy on the right look familiar? James Kavanagh has over 104,000 followers on Instagram and together with his Ballymaloe-trained boyfriend William Murray, they run Currabinny (named after Murray’s beautiful Cork hometown).
Catch them for their first year at Taste before their treat-packed cookbook comes out this October. They’re also currently on the hunt for the right premises to open their first cafe in Dublin so these two are destined for big and very tasty things.
Did you even cook in the late nineties/early noughties if you didn’t attempt a River Cottage recipe at some stage? In 1997 Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall moved into a former gamekeeper’s lodge on the grounds of Slape Manor in Dorset, and the rest is food TV history.
As a massive advocate of organic food, he now runs River Cottage HQ, a cookery school in Devon on an organic smallholding. He’s also a patron for Switchback, a charity that offers young offenders opportunities in the catering industry and he’s definitely still serving up farm-fresh, delicious dishes.
Another talent from the food mecca of Cork, Jack O’Keeffe is the current Head Chef at Dublin’s Cooks Academy and recipient of Unilever’s Chef of the Year.
O’Keeffe cut his teeth as the Sous Chef of Longueville House and Greenes Restaurant in Cork before he landed his esteemed spot in Cooks Academy. Oh, and did we mention he’s only 25? He’s one of our brightest culinary stars.
You might have sampled their health-packed breakfast and brunches in Grand Canal Dock – this year sees their grand debut at Taste. Started two years ago, the minds behind Nutbutter were inspired by the healthy eating movement in California.
See them in action on Sunday when they bring their signature dishes of vegan Jackfruit Tacos, Kale, Quinoa and Cashew Bowl with Chorizo Tempeh and Forbidden Rice Bowl with Irish Brisket of Beef to Iveagh Gardens. Healthy and so damn tasty, too.
The ‘Veginity’ craze has already swept through Dublin from their weekly themed menus and much-loved food truck at Eatyard and now, they’re finally coming to Taste. Created by Australian chef Mark Senn, Veginity serves seriously tasty plant-based street food.
Winners of ‘Best Street Food Award’ at The Food Awards in 2016, they are now poised to open a brand new cafe on Dublin’s Dorset Street. Senn used to work in Mildred’s of Soho in London before he moved to Dublin to set up the city’s most impressive vegan food truck. Taste his creations on Friday and Saturday.
Food lover and extraordinarily successful entrepreneur Ella Mills is passionate about making fruit and vegetables cool again and creates plant-based menus and not one but three best-selling cookbooks, along with a number one app, natch…
Got a niggling food intolerance set to put a dampener on your time at Taste? Every dish she creates is gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan-friendly so her plant-based snacks are a must. Think delicious cereals, energy balls and oat bars that will set you up for the day.
A much-loved Dublin favourite, Roly’s Bistro will be on hand serving up decadent and mouthwatering desserts. On the menu at their dedicated dessert bar’s first ever foray are a host of sweet treats.
Head there for a menu packed with lemon meringue pie, banoffee pie, fresh raspberry tarts, chocolate Malteser cheesecake and red velvet cake. Don’t leave without trying a few (or several)…
To celebrate the return of the Schweppes 1783 Alchemy Bar to Taste of Dublin, Schweppes would like to treat one lucky reader to two tickets to the festival this Friday evening, so that they can wind down in Iveagh Gardens with a tasty cocktail.
Simply email your name and location to competitions@thejournal.ie with ‘Schweppes Taste of Dublin competition’ in the subject line.
Terms and conditions: The winners of the tickets will be selected at random and contacted directly. Prize includes 2 x tickets for the evening of Friday the 15th of June. Full Journal Media terms and conditions are available here.
Whatever your dish of choice this weekend at Taste, be sure to treat yourself to a refreshing drink at the Schweppes 1783 Alchemy Bar. Schweppes 1783 is a new range of naturally flavoured premium mixers, expertly crafted by mixologists. The range features Schweppes’ superior effervescence in flavours that include Salty Lemon & Cucumber. Please drink responsibly.
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