Here’s our exciting line-up for the Taste Waterford Demo Stage at this year’s West Waterford Festival of Food!
There’ll be something for everyone – Middle-Eastern cuisine, food from the mountains and the sea, a family story of cider making, and a host of celebrity chefs showing off Co. Waterford’s food and drink.
Go on a food journey with our members and special guests – an unforgettable experience.
We’re located at the Dungarvan Town Hall, St. Augustine Street – starts 12.00pm – Sunday 16 April.
And many thanks to Expressway for sponsoring the event.
See you there!
12.00pm – Wade Murphy – 1826 Adare
Kicking off this year’s Taste Waterford Demo Stage is chef Wade Murphy – chef and co-owner along with his wife Elaine of the multi award winning 1826 Adare.
Having worked in top kitchens in Ireland, UK, Europe and America, he’s bringing creative flair to Dungarvan and creating a delicious dish of beer battered monkfish scampi with garlic aioli.
Using monkfish from IASC, a local Seafood Bar and Takeaway which has its own trawler, and beer from the Dungarvan Brewing Company, he’ll talk about food inspirations, his love for seasonal produce, and why Waterford’s food and drink is amongst the best in Ireland.
The perfect way to start the demo stage!
12.35pm – Nicola Crowley and Dvir Nusery – Mezze
When it comes to Middle-Eastern cooking – Nicola Crowley and Dvir Nusery of Mezze in Tramore could write a book on it – in fact they have!
Having been crowned Best World Cuisine in Ireland at the latest national Irish Restaurant Awards, they’re hot footing it to our demo stage to share food inspirations and cooking laffa flatbread and labneh.
Their passion for food is exciting and inspiring, and will capture your imagination for Middle-Eastern cuisine that’s made for sharing.
1.10pm – Marie Power – The Sea Gardener
The sea, foraging and cooking come together in our next demo with Marie Power – The Sea Gardener, which will prove fascinating, taking you on a journey from the Copper Coast to Japan!
With a passion for seaweed and all its benefits, Marie will make Welsh Laverbread (sleabhac in Irish) to recognise Kathleen Drew-Baker, a Manchester based scientist whose research helped to save nori seaweed stocks in Japan. Her work was so useful, the country knows her as the ‘Mother of the Sea’ and celebrate a festival in her honour on April 14.
Marie will also show you how versatile seaweed is with another recipe – cheese balls on kelp crisps.
After this demo, you’ll be embracing seaweed like never before!
1.35pm – Clotilde Kiely – Comeragh Mountain Farm
Clotilde Kiely farms on the western side of the Comeraghs near Kilbrien at Comeragh Mountain Farm. It’s a stunning area where she and her husband David have a passion for organic leafy and seasonal vegetables and pasture-raised poultry.
French-born Clotilde will make a vinaigrette dressing with a salad, whilst talking about life in the mountains and her passion for sustainability – a fascinating talk and true insight into running a successful farm in the mountain wilderness.
2.05pm – Gráinne Mullins – Grá Chocolates
Our next celebrity chef showcasing some of Co. Waterford’s finest ingredients is Gráinne Mullins.
An award-winning pastry chef with over 10 years’ experience in high level, fine dining establishments, Gráinne currently owns and runs Grá Chocolates – exquisite artisan confections meticulously made and painted by hand and was recently included in Forbes’ 30 under 30 list 2023.
Gráinne is combining three Taste Waterford members to create a luxurious chocolate and stout cake.
The Dungarvan Brewing Company will provide their acclaimed Black Rock Irish Stout. And along with free range eggs from Early Bird Eggs and The Country Store’s cream and seasonal fruit, Gráinne will blend artistry with respected producers which will surely be a crowd pleaser!
2.40pm – Maggie Roche – Little Acorn Café
When you have a recipe being created called ‘The Waterford Beef Sandwich’ – ears will certainly prick up!
This culinary delight that showcases several local producers will be crafted by celebrity chef Maggie Roche.
Maggie honed her skills over the years in Ireland, including the Merrion in Dublin. After achieving a Roux scholarship in London, she had stints in France and Australia before heading back to Ireland, and eventually her own establishment – the Little Acorn Café in Co. Wicklow. Maggie is also resident chef in Ballybeg House, Co. Wicklow.
The Waterford Beef Sandwich features select cuts of beef from award-winning McGrath’s Butchers in Lismore.
Maggie will then use salad leaves from Clotilde Kiely of Comeragh Mountain Farm, and David Currid of Grantstown Nurseries will supply the tomatoes to create a sandwich that celebrates a strong food story – not to be missed!
3.20pm – Aisling Larkin – Modern Lifestyle Food
Our next dish blends the wilds of the Comeragh Mountains with the spectacular coastline – created by tv cook, food and wellness expert, and Co. Waterford native, Aisling Larkin.
Aisling entertains and delights audiences each week on TV and radio and through her social media.
She has travelled the globe to learn food models, studied psychology and physiology of feeding, and coaches on mindful eating.
Wellness forms the keystone of her work, spending 15 years teaching, creating, learning, consulting, and delivering on all things food that moves people “one step closer to healthy”.
Aisling will use lamb from Willie Drohan in the Comeragh Mountains, seaweed from The Sea Gardener – Marie Power, and salad leaves from Clotilde Kiely of Comeragh Mountain Farm.
A true food story of Co. Waterford that showcases the breadth of producers and landscapes – what an experience!
3.55pm – Liam McDonnell – Legacy Irish Cider
The demo stage finale this year closes with a fascinating talk from two generations of a well-known Dungarvan based apple farming family – Liam McDonnell, and his dad, Dr. Pat McDonnell.
Liam, the owner of the Dungarvan based Legacy Irish Cider, has apple growing in his blood. His grandfather Wilsie McDonnell grew apples in West Waterford in the late 1950s; Liam’s dad Pat inherited the family’s passion for apples, and he became a doctor in the study of apple production and developed his own Coronet miniature apple tree which still sells in garden centres nationwide under the brand ‘Coronet The Miniature Apple tree’.
This strong family bond has seen them develop a range of award-winning ciders made in Dungarvan.
Hear from Liam and Pat about their love of apples, how they are grown and learn about how they retain the craft of craft cider from one of Ireland’s top craft cider producers.
A truly captivating talk and the perfect end to this year’s Taste Waterford Demo Stage.
Visit West Waterford Festival of Food for full festival programme.
