Free events to really relish at Cork on a Fork
The fantastic Cork on a Fork Festival is back! It began yesterday and runs until Sunday and there are loads of free events, many of which don’t even need to be booked.
The five day festival is organised by Cork City Council in partnership with most of the businesses in the city, all working together to showcase Cork’s world class food culture, hospitality businesses, incredible home-grown produce, and outstanding producers.
Here is a round up of free events taking place at the Cork on a Fork Food Festival worth checking out!
The hub of the festival is on Emmet Place this weekend. Enjoy cooking demos from 11am-5.30pm on Saturday and Sunday at a pop up festival marquee outside the Cork Opera House.
There will also be a pop up children’s play street with Let’s Play Cork and free face painting from 11am-4pm. The events are free to attend, sponsored by Cork City Council, Fáilte Ireland, Ireland's Ancient East and the Wild Atlantic Way, and no booking is required.
Among the people giving demos are Hells Kitchen USA Winner Ryan O’Sullivan, Rachel Allen, Clodagh McKenna, Chef Takashi Miyazaki from Ichigo Ichie in Cork City and Chef Rob Krawczyk, owner and head chef of Michelin-starred Restaurant Chestnut in Ballydehob. There are a huge range of events and loads for everyone!
For the first time, the festival is hosting a number of free ‘bar chats’ and tastings with the local drinks industry at the Cork Opera House from 1pm-6pm over the weekend. Events are free but registration is required.
These include Irish Distillers & Irish Pints: Join Kate Ryan from Flavour.ie as she chats all things drinks with Carol Quinn, archivist at Irish Distillers; Ali Dunworth, food, drink and travel writer and author of Irish Pints; Kate Dempsey of Kinsale Mead and Bhagya Barrett of Rebel City Distillery.
There will be an a live recording of the Whiskey Chats podcast with host Laurie O'Dwyer joined by Barry Walsh from Killahora Orchards, Cork Whiskey Society President and wine expert Liam Murray, and drinks consultant Mark Lonergan.
Tastings will also take place in the lobby with Kinsale Mead, Five Farms, Flatley Whiskey, West Cork Distillers, Irish Distillers, and Rebel City Distillery on Saturday and Sunday from 1-6pm.
Award-winning Cork chef Orla McAndrew will indulge visitors to the English Market with a cookery demonstration and sampling outside the building on Grand Parade. Committed to sustainability and a 'zero-waste ethos' Orla will be using a range of fresh, local ingredients from the stalls of the renowned English Market to create seasonal tasting and sharing plates.
It takes place today from 12pm to 2pm outside the English Market on Grand Parade.