We’re excited to announce our line-up for the Taste Waterford Kitchen at the 2025 Waterford Harvest Festival.
You’ll be treated to a genius with chocolate, get fascinating insights on forgotten cuts of meat, and two local cafés will create delicious dishes. A local baker is showcasing sourdough bread and cakes, and we’re ending with a learning journey from two chefs – one starting their career, the other, a seasoned professional.
See cooking demos, hear food stories, bag a giveaway, and enjoy delicious tastings with our members and guests – an unforgettable experience celebrating Co. Waterford’s food and drink.
We’re at John Roberts Square, Waterford – Saturday 06 September, 11.00am to 5.00pm. See you there!
Quick glance…
11.00am Judit McNally – Cocoa by Judit
12.00pm Jon Toy – Meat Jon
1.00pm Wayne and Krisztina Halloran – The Olive Café
2.00pm Fiona Byrne and David Kearns – The Railway Cottage
3.00pm David Foskin and Silvia Salvana – Sunny South Yeast Bakery & Catering
4.00pm SETU (South East Technological University) – Michael Quinn and Rebecca Mahon
11.00am Judit McNally – Cocoa by Judit
Judit McNally of Cocoa by Judit kicks of this year’s Taste Waterford Kitchen hot off the heels of being shortlisted in the prestigious Blas na hÉireann, The Irish Food Awards.
She’ll showcase chocolate mastery and flair that’ll excite your senses, and give you a deep understanding of what goes into these high-end chocolates.
From ingredients and delicate twists of flavour, to partnering with award-winning producers, Judit will entertain and highlight just why her range of chocolates are winning praise.
Along with a chance to try these delicious chocolates, you could win a fabulous giveaway. What a way to start the Taste Waterford demos!
12.00pm Jon Toy – Meat Jon
When it comes to talking meat – you’ll find it hard to find a more passionate, or experienced person than Jon Toy of Meat Jon.
Having honed his skills in London with a successful butchery business, Jon now calls Waterford home and is keen to highlight welfare butchery, and ensuring sustainability isn’t just a buzzword with animals.
Whilst showcasing a dish of steak onglet – a cheaper, but also forgotten cut of meat that’s packed full of flavour – he’ll talk about getting more from your meat cooking budget, and sourcing locally for quality produce that helps the environment.
And with tasters at the ready, you’ll go away with an appreciation for Jon’s ethos for respecting animals, and taste buds that sing!
1.00pm Wayne and Krisztina Halloran – The Olive Café
What can you expect at this demo? Flavour, food stories, and chimney cakes – what?
Yes, you heard correctly!
Hungarian born Krisztina is bringing a traditional food from home to Waterford. These delicious sweet or savoury coned-shaped delicacies steam as they bake – hence the chimney!
And Wayne, who has numerous prestigious cheffing accolades, is cooking up a savoury dish that shines a light on local producers and highlights just why The Olive Café, just a stone’s throw from the demo stage, is a standout destination for locals and visitors to Waterford.
Don’t miss out on trying Krisztina and Wayne’s delicious food that comes with amazing tastes and stories that fascinate.
2.00pm Fiona Byrne and David Kearns – The Railway Cottage
Behind every good café, there’s a story of a commitment to quality, sustainability, and wanting the best for customers – and The Railway Cottage in Dungarvan is no different.
Fiona Byrne – head chef, and manager David Kearns, talk about their menu and organic farm, Al Eile, where they harvest seasonal produce, just five kilometres from where they serve customers.
Fiona’s making spiced O’Rielly’s lamb patties with homemade flat bread, and produce from Al Eile including charred corn, salsa, chillies and coriander.
They’ll be offering tasters to give you a true celebration of delicious food that bangs the drum for sustainability.
3.00pm David Foskin and Silvia Salvana – Sunny South Yeast Bakery & Catering
Friendly, vibrant, fun – with a healthy dash of culinary genius – bring in our next demo guests – David Foskin and Silvia Salvana – Sunny South Yeast Bakery & Catering.
They’ve built a strong reputation for outstanding sourdough bread and delicious cakes – and picked up two McKenna’s Guide mentions along with way.
David will talk about bread, baking, and why it gets top marks for sustainability, whilst Silvia will enlighten the audience with the intricacies of a vanilla slice!
Be sure to stay for this demo – there will be plenty of banter and food knowledge – and we’ve heard there’s a giveaway – so don’t miss out!
4.00pm SETU (South East Technological University) – Michael Quinn and Rebecca Mahon
Our last demo is with two chefs – one starting their career, the other – a seasoned professional, and both keen to highlight the world of cheffing.
Rebecca Mahon, a 19-year-old culinary arts student studying at SETU is swapping the lecture room for the demo stage. She’ll be accompanied by the award-winning Michael Quinn – a respected chef known for his roles in notable establishments, and a current culinary lecturer at SETU.
She’ll be cooking up a local and seasonal fish dish, whilst both will talk about the industry, and what it’s like to work in it, and those embarking on their first roles in a kitchen.
Along with a chance to try her dish, there will be a Q&A session so any aspiring chefs can get to know what it takes to be a chef. What an insightful and entertaining way to end this year’s Taste Waterford demos!
For full festival programme, visit: https://www.waterfordharvestfestival.ie/