All the ingredients for family fun
As tens of thousands of locals and visitors flock to the Taste of Cavan food festival this Friday and Saturday (full preview below), among them will be the judges for a prestigious Foodie Destination title.
Having reached the final of the Restaurants’ Association of Ireland (RAI) ‘Foodie Destinations’ competition for the second year in a row, Cavan is looking to put its best foodie foot forward on Saturday, August 10, when the competition’s judges are expected to visit the county.
The visit coincides with the second day of the Taste of Cavan food festival, allowing the industry experts, whose identity is kept under wraps, the opportunity to sample the very best of what Cavan has to offer.
“This is a wonderful opportunity for Cavan to show what we’re about as a food hub and a tourism destination,” says tourism officer Joanne Hayes. “The Taste of Cavan is a food lover’s dream, and whether you’re a judge or a member of the public looking for a fun day out, we’re confident this year’s line-up will knock your socks off.”
The judges’ visit is the final part of the ‘Foodie Destinations’ competition, and runs concurrently with the public vote.
Vote
Cavan food co-ordinator Deirdre Donnelly said the support of the public could tip the balance in Cavan’s favour.
“Last year, the gap between the overall winner and the other finalists was minimal and the online vote was a major factor in their win,” said Ms Donnelly. “We’re asking the people of Cavan to 'vote early and vote often' for Cavan to help make us Ireland’s Foodie Destination 2019. Log on to foodiedestinations.ie today, it only takes 30 seconds,” she added.
Voting closes on Thursday, August 20.
Taste of Cavan preview
Taste of Cavan, the food event of the summer, returns this weekend, taking place on Friday and Saturday, August 9-10 at Cavan Equestrian Centre in Cavan Town.
It has all the ingredients for a fantastic family day out, from top chefs and amazing local produce, to craft beers, ciders and gin, as well as a free kids’ zone, and a dedicated craft corner.
New to 2019's Taste of Cavan is a Wellness Village, where visitors young and old can enjoy health and nutrition talks, food demonstrations, yoga classes and more - all geared towards promoting health and wellbeing.
As always, Taste of Cavan boasts a stellar line-up of chefs for the Ulster Bank Chefs’ Kitchen including Neven Maguire (MacNean House), Weekend AM’s TV star Simon Delaney, nutrition gurus Jeeny Maltese and Tom Coleman, ‘My Gluten Free Kitchen’ author Gearóid Lynch (Olde Post Inn), Brian McDermott (Foyle Hotel), Shane Smith (Airfield Estate), Adrian Martin (author of ‘Create Beautiful Food At Home’), Máire Dufficy (Bord Bia), Daniel Willimont (Farnham Estate), Elena Martínez Otero (Crover House Hotel), and more!
This year, visitors to Taste of Cavan will also get to savour the latest style trends at the first ever Taste of Cavan fashion show, to be compèred by celebrity MC and TV personality Noel Cunningham.
In keeping with the festival’s inclusive, participative ethos, the hugely popular ‘Cook Along’ cookery masterclasses will return in 2019, giving members of the public the opportunity to cook alongside Ireland’s favourite chefs, including Neven Maguire, Shane Smith, Adrian Martin, and Daniel Willimont. To book, call 049-4378587.
Ample free parking is available on site, and hourly LocalLink shuttle buses will operate from Cavan Town. Admission is €7 per adult, with kids under 12 going free when accompanied by a guardian. To find out more, visit www.tasteofcavan.ie or follow @tasteofcavan on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.