Hotel School in GMIT to host it's 1st National Food Forum in 2012

The Hotel School in the Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology, GMIT, will host it's first
National Foodie Forum on Thursday February 2nd, 2012.

The event will be an interactive one day experience which will showcase the abundance and variety
of excellent local and artisan produce available in Ireland. In addition the event aims to support local
food businesses and promote consumer sustainability.


The FoodieForum 2012, promises to be an exciting interactive showcase of excellence in Local and Artisan produce and a platform to network with like-minded "foodies".


The forum will include a series of Master classes with leading chefs and seminars by well known and established industry professionals. In addition visitors can experience micro-brewers and participate in food and wine workshops coupled with an indoor market of local producers.


The event aims to give delegates an amazing opportunity to experience culinary demonstrations in the "Melting Pot" with high profile and contemporary chefs, incorporating Masterclasses in Irish Lamb and Pork, the art of smoking salmon, chocolate craft and bread making, as well as molecular gastronomy!

An impressive line up of contributors have joined The Foodie Forum team in their quest to educate on the importance of the providence of food, the support of local suppliers and the use of seasonal Irish food. The event will conclude with a celebratory  culinary dining  experience, prepared by Hotel School Lecturers and Students.


The "Drinks Quarter" will host, wine appreciation workshops and tastings from Irish Micro-brewers, bespoke whiskey distillers and blenders. Visitors can also take this unique opportunity to visit the indoor Market to mingle, chat and buy!


This initiative, the inspiration of  three Hotel School Lecturers, Jacinta Dalton,  Cormac Handy and
Colin Gilligan and supported by the Hotel School at GMIT,  was pitched on Twitter to like-minded
“foodies” and the momentum gathered  within a matter of hours.  The team said that whilst they knew there was a strong foodie presence on Twitter, they were pleasantly surprised at the pace at which their idea has taken off and the goodwill amongst individuals wishing to get involved.

Cáit Noone, head of the Hotel School, at  GMIT

Cáit Noone, Head of Hotel School believes that this event is an excellent opportunity to showcase the excellent work being done by Local and Artisan food & beverage producers in the West of Ireland and beyond and is an appropriate prelude to the Volvo Ocean Race which will arrive in Galway in the summer of 2012.


"At the launch of the countdown to the Volvo Ocean Race the LDIG team announced the four main pillars of the race next summer – marine, green, innovation and food." said Cáit. "The food pillar will provide Ireland with a global showcase opportunity to share with the world our food experiences and the  outstanding locally sourced produce we have to offer. The event in the Hotel School in GMIT will  provide an introduction to the many wonderful culinary experiences visitors to Galway can expect next summer’ she added.


Visit the Hotel School "Pop Up" restaurant and get a taste of G.M.I.T or be a part of the "Forum" where industry experts and key note speakers with a passion for food will hotly debate the topics of the day.


The Foodie Forum is open to the public and industry colleagues and is set to attract a large number of visitors. In the first instance all wishing to attend the event must register their interest at
http://tiny.cc/foodieforum.


Note: Tickets for the event will be available from January 9th to January 20th only.


Tickets for entrance to the event are €10 and tickets for the event and the celebratory dinner are €35, please call Margaret at 091 742249 to ticket payment. Students with a valid ID student card will be admitted free to the day event if they bring their identification along on the day.


In the meanwhile, for regular updates follow the team:
 on  @thefoodieforum  and find TheFoodieForum on  Facebook
with more details to follow!




Don't forget to Feed the Fish at the bottom of this Post!
zack