Taste of Donegal Food Festival 2013

The Taste Of Donegal Food Festival is celebrating it's 5th Birthday this year and following the huge success of the last four years it has established itself as the premier annual food and drink event in the North West of Ireland.

This year's Festival has once again gathered together the top restaurants, hotels, food producers, drink and life-style product providers to a tented village on the Pier, with the back drop of the Bluestack Mountains and Donegal Bay. Over the course of the weekend you will taste and purchase some of the finest food and drink that the Northwest region has to offer.

This year the Demonstration Area and the Main Marquee are even bigger with more space to enjoy the ambiance of this excellent foodie event. This also means that there are even more exhibitors than ever with over 100 participating and a waiting list of those who would love to get on board!

I had to dig out this pic of my good friend Davy Crawford
 - quite a few people thought he was Paolo Tullio at last year's Donegal Food Festival!

During the festival there are tutored wine and beer tastings as well as food demonstrations. The special feature demonstrations are by Neven Maguire, Kevin Dundon, Gary O’Hanlon, Jack Stein (son of Rick Stein, Padstow in Cornwall), NoSaltChef Brian Mc Dermott & Joe Shannon.

Neven Maguire & Kevin Dundon with local Donegal junior chef winner Stacey Carr Kennedy

The local Donegal chef demos are by Anthony Armstrong, Martin Hernandez & Emmett McCourt with Maire Dufficey from an Bord Bia also hosting a special Cooking demonstration. I'll be doing a wee demo on Saturday morning for my friend Sian Breslin from SiansPlan.com.

Frank Pasquier, Artisan Baker & Confectioner from Donegal Town

Master Classes with tastings will be given by: Rob Mc Hardy (Cocktail Mixologist at Silencio in Paris), Frank Pasquier Le Fournil (Bread & Pastry Master Baker), Donegal Brewing Company (Specialist Local Beers), Richard Finney (The Wine Buff), Meal Planning by Sian Breslin of SiansPlan.com.

New to the Festival will be a Cookery School Live Show with the NoSaltChef Brian McDermott.

The 2013 "Passion To Inspire" chefs competition will take place under the watchful eye of Anthony Armtrong, a judge from the World Association of Chefs Society with Sir Peter Griffths M.B.E. and Mr Bob Mc Donald, Judges from the Master Chefs of Great Britain. This competition has attracted entries from Sligo, Leitrim, Cavan and Donegal and has the potential to grow into something much bigger.

There will be two Exhibitor Competitions: one for the Most Attractive Stand judged by Donegal County Enterprise Board and the other for the Best Product of the Festival judged by Bord Bia, Associated Craft Butchers of Ireland & LYIT Killybegs.

I'm looking forward to the Cocktail Demonstration by my old buddy, Rob Mc Hardy
who is the Cocktail Mixologist at Silencio in Paris

The Festival opens its doors on Friday 23rd of August at 4.00pm & the official opening will take place at 7.00pm performed by Mr Paul McLoone former CEO of Failte Ireland Northwest. MC for the opening will be TV3′s (and Donegal’s very own) Mr Noel Cunningham, music by the singing chef Eugene Ginty sponsored by Harvey’s Point Country Hotel.  

The Friday night Fireworks display over the high tide in Donegal Bay has become a special highlight of the opening night of the Taste of Donegal Food Festival over the last five years and this year is going to be no exception with a special treat promised.

A pic I took last year of the Fireworks over Donegal Bay

The Food Festival is located on the main Pier in the centre of Donegal Town and to see more details and the full weekend's program, Click here: A Taste of Donegal Program 2013.

Zack.