GMIT to Host National Food Forum

Ireland's first national food forum is to be held in Galway on 2 February. The one-day event will be hosted by the Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology Hotel School. It aims to provide an interactive experience showcasing local and artisan food produce and to provide a network for like-minded "foodies".

The event will include a series of master classes with industry professionals and demonstrations from well known chefs. The type of foods showcased will range from Irish Lamb and Pork and bread making to chocolate craft and even molecular gastronomy.

To complement the food a dedicated "Drinks Quarter" will provide classes in wine appreciation, beer and food-matching and a chance to meet whiskey distillers and blenders. Proceedings will culminate in a celebratory dining experience prepared by GMIT Hotel School lecturers and students.

The forum which takes place at the Dublin Road Campus, is the brainchild of three GMIT Hotel School lecturers; Jacinta Dalton, Cormac Handy and Colin Gilligan. It aims to support the local food industry and promote sustainability, as well as providing GMIT culinary students with further opportunities to showcase their skills.

Last December students of the BA in Culinary Arts degree programme developed a number of innovative new food products as part of their second year "Food Product Development" module. Students were asked to respond to changing consumer demands such as gluten-free foods or convenient ready-to-eat products. Among the nine new products showcased were Cake-Mix (a gluten free vanilla oven ready sponge mix) and Squeeze Me Hummus (chocolate-flavoured squeezable hummus).

The event will also include an indoor local producer market and is seen as an ideal opportunity to highlight the excellent work of local food and beverage products in the run up to the Volvo Ocean Race set to arrive in Galway this summer. Food is seen as one of the four ‘pillars' of the race along with marine, innovation and green, according to Cait Noone, Head of the Hotel School at GMIT.

The Foodie forum is open to the public and industry colleagues. Anyone wishing to attend must register their interest before 20 January at http://tiny.cc/foodieforum. Tickets for the event cost €10, however students will be admitted free to the day event with a valid student ID. Tickets inclusive of the celebratory meal are €35. Further information and regular updates can be found on twitter @thefoodforum or on Facebook by searching for TheFoodieForum.

16 Jan 2012

by Pádraig McMahon