Waterford foodies are preparing for the biggest event on the calendar next month - the Harvest Festival.
The three day event which puts the spotlight on the people who make good food great will take place from the 7th to the 9th of September.
It's the tenth year of Harvest, and although it's only being launched this week, some events are already close to selling out.
Festival Director Tommie Ryan Tommie says the restaurant events are particularly in demand.
La Boheme Restaurant will host two culinary events as Head Chef Eric Theze partners with The Chameleon restaurant, to bring a Taste of Bali to Waterford. Chameleon’s award winning Head Chef Kevin O’Toole will produce a multi-course lunch of authentic Indonesian island dishes. This lunchtime event will be hosted by John and Sally McKenna on Sunday, September 9th. For those with a sweeter tooth, Eric and his team will prepare a seven-course tasting menu of Just Desserts on Friday September 7th.
The Bay Tree Bistro’s Keith Boyle will host a collaborative event with Eddie Atwell, Executive Head Chef at Eccles Hotel in West Cork, along with Glen Wheeler, former Head Chef with Neven Maguire’s MacNean House and now Head Chef and proprietor of 28 Darling St in Enniskillen and Jim Mulholland, Executive Chef at Jean Christophe Novelli’s new restaurant Novelli at City Quays Belfast. This year’s Festival closing event on Sunday evening will marry the individual talents, tastes and flair of four of the country’s most renowned chefs.
On Saturday, September 8th Bellissimo will present its Taste of Waterford menu, a celebration of the local produce of land and sea, in the form of classic dishes which are ingrained in the region we live.
Momo’s Kamila O’Neil is taking inspiration from her Polish heritage and will create a Flavours from Home menu. The four-course tasting menu will consist of traditional Polish dishes made from local, seasonal produce.
Everett’s of High Street is planning a very special Harvest Celebration Sparkling lunch. Making waves on the restaurant scene, Head Chef Peter Everett, who has a Eurotoques Young Chef title under his belt as well as many other accolades, will prepare a sumptuous three course seasonal lunch deftly paired with three specially selected sparkling wines.
Bodega, will celebrate the Taste of the Sea. Freshly hauled from Dunmore East, local seafood takes star billing on this menu.
A Waterford Table Bruch at the Granary Café is the perfect Sunday afternoon treat as proprietor Peter Fowler will bring together some of the finest freshest local produce to create a relaxed and informal feast in the Granary.
On Friday September 7th, a pop-up set in Garter Lane’s charming open courtyard under a Middle-Eastern style tent, will be hosted by Waterford’s Mezze as they combine their Middle Eastern flavours with local products and growers' harvests to create an abundance of food to tuck in to on Friday evening, and the Harvest turns Ten celebrations take place at The Parlour Vintage Tea Rooms and Tipple Room Wine Bar with live music, afternoon tea style food and lots of cake!
Tommie Ryan, Festival Director said that the new concepts being created by local restaurateurs is a testament to the wealth of talent we have in Waterford.
“To see these chefs and restaurant owners striving to create new and exciting dining experiences is fantastic. Waterford restaurants have and always have had the talent, vision and passion to produce exciting dishes, work with peers throughout the country and offer something unique to their customers. Waterford is on the national food map and it’s simply down to the drive and commitment of the wealth of talented chefs in the Deise.”
Find out more about the Waterford Harvest Festival from September 7th to September 9th by visitingwww.waterfordharvestfestival.ie to download a brochure
Pictured: Kevin O’ Toole of The Chameleon Restaurant and Eric Theze of La Boheme Restaurant. Image by Garrett Fitzgerald
