Kilkenny is gearing up for food lovers in October, at Savour Kilkenny 2015. The festival launch yesterday 16th September celebrates the ninth annual celebration of food in this historical city, with events taking place from 22nd to 26th October. Since it’s first appearance in 1996, this festival has grown in stature, attracting 1500 visitors in it’s first year,  and 20,000 in 2014. This year’ programme looks set to pull even more interest, as attendance figures of 25000 are predicted.   Kilkenny is an appropriate place to host this festival, since it boasts two Michelin starred restaraunts in city and county. One of them is Good Food Ireland approved Lady Helen Restaurant at Mount Juliet, which will be playing it’s own role during the festival long weekend.

We always like to hear about young new talent at Good Food Ireland, and Savour Kilkenny 2015 will be featuring plenty of of that!  Threse young food heroes will be taking part:

• Sarah Kehoe (19), a volunteer with Savour Kilkenny , now studying Culinary Arts in Waterford Institute of Techonology. Sarah keeps her own herd of Simmental cattle for breeding and hopes to be a food producer in the future –  “bringing something new to the market”.

• Sisters Éabha (16) and Doireann (14) Sloyan. Doireann has already won a Young Chef award and Éabha plans to study at Ballymaloe this year. Their pumpkin soup and rustic brown breads went down a treat at last year’s festival.

• Lauren Hennessy (15) whose love of food was inspired by her great-grandmother. She was shortlisted for a major national award,  broadcast on TV,  when she was just 13. Lauren plans to work in the food industry and is very ambitious. She would love her own bakery and TV show.

Yet more new foodies will be welcomed at  the ‘Open Door’ event, hosted by Thomastown’s ‘School of Food’. This is an educational hub offering young people the chance to hear about opportunities in the food industry and meet employers in the sector.  Savour Kilkenny will also host its highly-anticipated Young Food Producers Market (aged 10 – 17), with the talented young producers of the region selling their delicious homemade produce. All young producers featuring in the festival get the opportunity to undertake a Food Safety Course before exhibiting. Youngsters will also be battling it out in the kitchen during  Junior Master Chef 2015 hosted at Kilkenny Cookery School.

Good Food Ireland members Knockdrinna Cheese, Goatsbridge Trout Farm,  Mount Juliet , Glasrai & Goodies, and Ristorante Rinuccini are always actively involved in this festival, as major driving forces and award winning food businesses in Kilkenny. All committed to  producing, sourcing and highlighting local produce. 

Find the full programme for this year’s festival at www.savourkilkenny.com