Our tastiest picks for Cork on a Fork festival
Brian Murray, chef and owner of The Glass Curtain and Aishling Moore, chef and partner at Goldie restaurant join Caoimhe (7) and Naoise (5) O’Leary-Kinnerk (from Castlemore) to launch the programme of events for the upcoming Cork on a Fork Festival. Picture: Joleen Cronin
CORK on a Fork Food Festival returns to the city from August 16-20 for five fabulous days of feasting, fun, tastings, talks, tours, demos, and more!
Cork on a Fork is all about having fun with our food, but kicking off the festival by providing context to food in the city is a stroke of genius. Lead by Irish Examiner food writer Joe McNamee, this two-hour talk with Cork Food Policy Council and friends discusses what Cork needs to do to create and protect a sustainable food future for all.
I hear tickets are flying out the door for this event combining Yoga for all with Hazel Buckley, a DJ set, a sound bath, G&T cocktails, yummy tapas, and a soulful jazz performance by Velvin Lamont. This event is a fun way to try out yoga if you haven’t tried it before, while the reward of a stiff drink and nibbles to follow carries you through!
Who says Pizzaiolo’s don’t start young? Get kids to learn how to stretch and top pizza with some of Oak Fire Pizza's chefs at a pop-up kitchen in St Peters, and you’ll be sorted for life for Saturday night pizza! Children will make their own 7” pizza which will be cooked for them to taste. Ciao, Bella!
Award-winning chef and creative caterer, Orla McAndrew, brings her expertise of zero waste cooking to The English Market for the first of two demos. Watch Orla as she is inspired by ingredients from the market to create tasty sharing dishes perfect for the summer – and no waste!
I’m a huge fan of sister and brother duo, Tara and Rory Copplestone, who have taken their pandemic era cocktail idea and turned it into Cork’s most exciting boutique cocktail experience. Using their craft mixers, explore different spirits and garnishes, and the secret to shaking your way to cocktail perfection.
Go on a walking tour of the city with stops at The English Market, Butter Museum and Crawford Art Gallery for food tasting and chat. This is a walking tour of Cork city with commentary on the food and drinks history of the city since the Vikings!
A guided walk on a Tapas Trail exploring foods and drinks of the area including samples such as Cork on a Plate, a Birdcage Charcuterie or Cheeses of Cork as well as the drinks of Cork. Three food and three drink stops are included. Vegetarian and special diets are catered for but must be stated at time of booking.
From Friday, the Festival Live Stage kicks off, and there is still plenty to enjoy.
Book a table for lunch at any of the establishments on Princes Street with its outdoor dining pavilion and experience the wonder of the operatic aria with Cork sopranos Majella Cullagh and Emma Nash.
Food demos outside Cork Butter Museum include a Bread and Butter Making workshop, a butchering workshop and more. While there, visit the only butter museum in Ireland, and ascend the 132 steps to Cork’s iconic Shandon Bells for spectacular 360-degree views of the city.
I’ll be hosting an event at The Farmgate all about Cork’s Blood Pudding Culture. This fascinating talk and tasting event will explore blood puddings of Cork, from beef and pork black puddings to drisheens. Smooth or textured with grains, and generous with spice and herbs no two puddings taste the same!
Rebel City Distillery Tour – As Gaeilge! Rebel City Distillery, 2pm. €25 Explore and discover the magic of spirits in the first distillery in Cork city for fifty years – as Gaeilge! A chance to flex your Irish vocab and connect with spices, spirits and sips in the Irish language. A unique way to experience this distillery.
The Festival Marquee and Market kicks off today with your host John McKenna talking to some of the brightest names in Cork culinary scene, and much more besides… A Community Celebration of Food - fringe festival, all day, Community Gardens throughout Cork City. FREE.
A cornerstone of Cork being a sustainable food city is the ability to grow food in urban and semi-urban settings. Community gardens are a key part of that. Not only do these spaces grow food for their members and local community, but they also build community, resilience, knowledge and education.
Using just your phone, join one of Cork’s leading commercial photographers and food photography specialist, Joleen Cronin, at L’Atitude 51 to learn how to make the most of your photography for social media. Includes tasty sharing plates.
Possibly the hottest ticket in town. The VQ is the city’s gastronomic heart, including three incredible wine bars. Enjoy a Cork producer-themed tapa at each stop paired with a wine that expresses the personality of each wine bar and complementing each tasty bite.
Original 7 Brewing Co is Cork’s newest craft brewery forged from the incredible experience of its founders. Taste their innovative award-winning Irish beers made using local ingredients. Learn how to pour the perfect pint of stout, the culture and heritage of brewing in Cork city. Enjoy wood-fired pizza, traditional Irish music, and storytelling, too.
Join me for two engaging panel discussions at the Festival Live Stage. At midday, I’ll be gauging Cork food through the eyes of A New Cork Perspective with Meeran Gani (Rare 1784), Virginia O’Gara (My Goodness), Eman Alkarajeh (Izz Café) and Kate Dempsey (Kinsale Mead).
The final day of Cork on a Fork, but the events keep coming! Don’t forget, many restaurants and cafes will be running festival-themed menus and pairings every day, and some events are running on multiple days.
Dermot O’Sullivan is a true champion of Cork food with much of the produce featuring on his menu sourced directly from The English Market. Experience the summer brunch menu at Greenwich on the sunny terrace in the bustling heart of the city, accompanied by a refreshing glass of Kinsale Gin and tonic.
Learn the process of roasting green coffee beans to make espresso, Turkish-style coffee infused with cardamon, and Arabian coffee brewed with cardamom, saffron, cloves and ginger. A chance to get hands on, learn about coffee culture from around the world and taste Izzeddeen’s speciality coffees.
This two-and-a-half-hour cruise takes in the sights of Cobh, Spike Island, Haulbowline and Blackrock Castle with the inimitable Pat O Connell of K O Connell Fish Stall (The English Market) who will be kept busy shucking oysters as you sail while serenaded with Sea Shanties by Cobh Molgoggers. Ar, me hearties!
If you can’t get to anything else, make a beeline for this event with a personal food hero of mine, Conor Spacey. Conor is Ireland’s leading Zero-Waste Chef and one of the most inspiring people in Ireland’s food scene.
Enjoy a plant-based tasting menu using recipes from the book paired with natural wines by L’Atitude. ‘Wasted' is a collection of plant-based recipes that have come from identifying some of the most wasted food items in our homes. As sustainability is a key focus of this year’s festival, this is the perfect way to spend the final night of the festival while learning how to contribute to helping reduce food waste.
Round off a brilliant festival with a final bualadh bos of great food, drink and traditional Irish music at Clancy’s, a heritage pub of Cork renowned for showcasing local musical talent.
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