There will be a feast of culinary talent cooking up a storm at the LegenDerry Food Festival next month, as some of the biggest names in the Irish food industry arrive in the city for a celebration of some of the finest local cuisine during St Patrick’s weekend.
The event, supported by the DARD Northern Ireland Regional Food Programme and the City of Culture Legacy Fund, will feature top television chefs Rachel Allen, Neven Maguire, Brian McDermott, the ‘no salt’ chef and Ian Orr (Irish Chef of the Year 2013) from Browns Restaurant Derry, who will be joined in the huge marquee kitchen by BBC Radio Ulster’s Paula McIntyre and a whole host of local cooking talent from restaurants across the city, including Browns Restaurant, The Custom House, The Sooty Olive, The Beech Hill, Harry’s Restaurant, Primrose Café, The Irish Food Heritage Project and more.
The Festival, which was launched today with the support of leading Irish Food critic John McKenna, from the prestigious Bridgestone Guides, is being run by Derry City Council from March 15-17 in tandem with a three day St Patrick’s extravaganza of family friendly events. John has just spent three days in the city, sampling the best on offer in many of our LegenDerry Restaurants and was hugely impressed with the standards and drive for local produce. Food fans can enjoy live cookery demonstrations, competitive cook offs and of course sample some of the best signature dishes hot off the stove, in a delicious weekend of fine food and the very best local produce.The theme is ‘LegenDerry & Local’ and visitors can sample the best of produce from the North West and Northern Ireland, from game and goat, to dairy and deli. The event will also feature a week- long LegenDerry Food trail, in restaurants across the city.
Event organiser with Derry City Council, Mary Blake, said she was delighted to welcome such a high calibre list of industry names to the city. “Building on the success of last year’s Flavours of the Foyle Seafood Festival, we are delighted to launch the first ever LegenDerry Food Fest and to diversify into a wide range of food types. We welcome such a great selection of high profile chefs and producers to the festival this year, and television chefs like Rachel Allen, Neven Maguire and Brian McDermott are really keen to join us on putting Derry firmly on the culinary map,” she declared.
“Derry is very quickly establishing its place as an exciting food destination and the quality of our local produce is second to none. We have a wealth of talent in our local kitchens, driven chefs, and people with the drive and vision to further advance the food tourism market and secure the city’s title as one of Ireland’s top food destinations. I would encourage everyone to come along and enjoy some of the most innovative and exciting cuisine around.”
In addition to the Boulevard of Chefs and Theatre of Food in the main Festival Marquee, visitors will also enjoy the LegenDerry Food Fair inside the Guildhall with exhibitors selling artisan food, including Jams and Chutneys, Hand Churned Butter, Slow Food, and fresh produce, all locally produced.
Speaking on behalf of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD)Regional Agri-Food Programme, Dr Julie Ann Moorhead said the festival provided local producers with the perfect platform to showcase their products.
“The North West has a wide array of superior produce, from the best bred livestock, to the finest vegetables and diary produce. Food providence has become such an important factor when sourcing ingredients, and I would urge people to support local suppliers and try out local alternatives when shopping.
“The LegenDerry Food Festival provides a valuable platform for local producers giving them the opportunity to showcase their quality goods, and reach new customers. We are delighted to support such a significant and positive event for the region.”
The Festival begins on Saturday 15th March – Monday 17th March all day from 12noon – 6pm, the programme will include family friendly events taking place throughout the weekend, and plenty of opportunity to sample some of the most exciting and innovative dishes in the North West. For further information on the Food Festival, celebrity events, LegenDerry Restaurant Trail and the Food Fair go to www.derrycity.gov.uk/food