Ken On Food: Recent Episodes
Ken McGuire
Ken on Food is a food-based podcast presented by Ken McGuire. Hear from Irish food producers, discover Irish food events and share in stories that make the Irish food scene tick.
On this week's podcast, hear about the Virgin Media Business Gold Medal Hotel Awards, how Ireland's been doing on the food and drink export front, what's been happening with Oatly and more.
Want more? Read The Week In Food #49 here.
Links This Episode
- Ken On Food
- The Week In Food (Free newsletter)
- Virgin Media Business Gold Medal Hotel Awards Finalists Announced
- Healthy Ireland Survey 2024
- Health Ireland Survey 2024 summary report PDF
- Annual review and outlook for agriculture, food and the marine for 2024
- Download FSAI Strategy 2025-2029 (PDF)
- Court concludes Oatly cannot use term 'milk' in its marketing
- Oatly loses court battle with Dairy UK over use of ‘milk’ in trademark
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Links this episode
- Yulefest Kilkenny markets have started
- Irish Food History: A Companion by Máirtín Mac Con Iomaire & Dorothy Cashman wins at Irish Book Awards
- Buy Irish Food History: A Companion on Amazon (aff)
- Three Irish restaurants added to MICHELIN Guide in November
- Now Irish recyclers can empty an entire bag of drink containers in seconds: introducing TOMRA R1
- Cork’s Coffee Houses Get a Night-Lift with ‘Coffee House Lates’
- New initiative sees coffee shops open late in Cork city
- Hotel & Catering 2025 salary guide (PDF)
- Surge of cash-in-hand pay in hospitality sector
For these stories in written form, plus extra reading for your weekend, 5 recipes for the week ahead and my podcast pick, check out the 48th edition of The Week In Food, available free via Substack.
For more, visit kenonfood.com.
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Links This Episode
- Christmas markets in Kilkenny
- Check Kilkenny Chamber’s Instagram account for a full breakdown of winners in all categories
- Academics, regulators and the Food Industry unite to combat food fraud
- Ireland to lead new EU project to combat food fraud
- Investigations & fraud (FSAI)
- Bord Bia Awarded €3.2 Million for ‘European Dairy – Where Nature Meets Science’ Campaign
- Wolverine Packing Co. Recalls Ground Beef Products Due to Possible E. Coli O157:H7 Contamination
- Over 160,000 pounds of ground beef recalled due to E. coli risk
- U.S. food safety system crumbles as E. coli crisis spreads nationwide
- McDonald’s To Create 1,000 Jobs In Ireland
- McDonald’s to add 1,000 jobs in Ireland with €40m investment
- McDonald’s Social & Economic Impact Report
For these stories in written form, plus extra reading for your weekend, 5 recipes for the week ahead and my podcast pick, check out the 47th edition of The Week In Food, available free via Substack.
For more, visit kenonfood.com.
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Looking to catch up on some of the stories making headlines on the Irish food scene and beyond over the past week?
You've come to the right place. As Sunday rolls round again, I've got the 46th helping of Food In 5 Minutes for you, delivering a bite-size news recap of stories from the past seven days that have caught my eye, all served up in five minutes or less-ish.
If you missed last week's edition, talking about the Irish Food Writing Awards, Christmas markets and more, you can find it here or wherever you get your podcasts.
Links This Episode
- Kilkenny’s Campagne ‘Highly Commended’ as 2024 Food & Wine Restaurant of the Year award winners announced
- Restaurant Of The Year website
- Family behind Kilkenny’s Mountain View scoop Food Innovator of the Year at Good Food Ireland awards
- Good Food Ireland Awards 2024 winners
- Malzard’s of Stoneyford in Kilkenny named National Pub of the Year at Irish Pub Awards
- Irish Pub Awards 2024 winners
- 16 Enforcement Orders served on food businesses in October
- Growing costs present major challenge to Ireland’s foodservice sector – Bord Bia
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Links this episode
- Check the full list of Irish Food Writing Awards winners here
- Kilkenny’s Christmas Markets to return as Yulefest kicks off later this month
- Winterval.ie
- Download Tourism Policy Framework 2025-2030
- Homegrown at Maxol announces 2024 winners
- Maxol.ie Homegrown details
- @dublincoffeefest on Instagram
- Sign up for festival alerts here
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On this week's podcast you can hear about
- Returning numbers for Savour Kilkenny
- The Listowel Food Fair Programme
- This week's Irish Food Writing Awards night
- The return of Incredible Edibles to Irish primary schools
- The launch of the 2025 Blasta Books series
And you can get much more besides when you subscribe - for free - to The Week In Food on Substack. It's my weekly free newsletter that drops on a Sunday morning with more stories, recipes to try, podcast picks and other notes.
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On this week's edition of Food In 5 Minutes you can hear about
- Carlow Restaurant Week, running Saturday 26 October (it's already started) through Saturday 2 November
- The shortlist for the Food & Drink Book of the Year as part of this year's An Post Irish Book Awards
- New organic orchard tours in Kilkenny
- This past week's Asian Restaurant Awards
- The Restaurant Association of Ireland's ten-point manifesto ahead of GE24
For more, as always, subscribe to my newsletter for free. It's called The Week In Food and it's available here.
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On this week's edition of Food In 5 Minutes, get the latest on
- The Georgina Campbell Irish Food & Hospitality Awards
- Food On The Edge - getting underway this Monday
- Bord Bia's Origin Green programme and the companies awarded gold membership this year
- Ireland's circular economy recommendations including a potential banning of best before dates on fresh produce
- School safety programmes from Agri Aware
Read all about it and get all the links here.
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On this week's edition of Food In 5 Minutes, you'll hear about
- The latest enforcement orders issued by the FSAI
- A new survey from Safefood looking at seasonal food promotions
- The launch of the Global Hunger Index for 2024
- A day of action that's being planned for this Tuesday in Dublin and
- The Kilkenny Business Awards nominees on the food and hospitality front
As always, you can get more by either visiting kenonfood.com (Where you'll find full show notes and supporting links) or by subscribing (for free) to my weekly newsletter, The Week In Food, available via Substack.
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For the 40th edition of Food In 5 Minutes as part of the Ken On Food podcast, you'll be hearing this week about
- Reaction to Budget 2025 on the hospitality front in Ireland
- The Blas na hÉireann Awards for 2024
- The Food & Wine Restaurant of the Year Awards
- The Good Food Ireland Awards (it's a busy time for awards!)
- And the unveiling of the first MICHELIN Keys for Ireland
Links this episode
- Hospitality sector to hold day of action in response to Budget 2025
- Tone deaf Budget failed to deliver for restaurants, cafés and the entire hospitality sector
- Blas na hÉireann winners
- Blas na hÉireann 2024: Small artisan producers reign supreme
- The Food&Wine Restaurant of the Year shortlists revealed
- Good Food Ireland Awards shortlist revealed
- 123 outstanding hotels awarded MICHELIN Keys in Great Britain & Ireland for the very first time
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On the 39th edition of Food In 5 Minutes you'll hear about
- The launch of Savour Kilkenny for 2024
- How we're doing on the sugar tax front
- New research on the coffee habits of those of us living in the Leinster region
- Last calls for the restoration of the 9% VAT rate before Wednesday's budget reveal
- The timings for Blas na hÉireann this coming Friday
Links this episode...
- SavourKilkenny.com
- KenOnFood.com (with launch night audio)
- The Evaluation of Ireland’s Sugar-Sweetened Drinks’ Tax
- fixxcoffee.com
- Hospitality groups warn of growing commercial crisis
- Awards Presentation Timings 2024 - Blas na hEireann
- Taste Trail - Dingle Food Festival - Féile Bia Dhaingean Uí Chúis
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On this week's Food In 5 Minutes, part of the Ken On Food podcast series, you can hear about
- The launch of Agri Aware's new Come Farm With Me series for primary schools
- Belfast Restaurant Week
- A looming crisis in the hospitality sector
- Peanut allergy warnings due to potentially contaminated mustard
- A new food market space for Galway may finally be a reality.
Here's some links to help you on your way...
- Agriaware.ie
- New ‘day in the life’ Agri Aware farm webinar series launched
- Belfast Restaurant Week - What's on
- VAT rise could lead to 21,000 food services job losses, report predicts
- Hospitality warns of 'commercial crisis' if VAT rate is not decreased
- Food safety warning to people with a peanut allergy to avoid all mustard products
- Possible presence of peanut in specific batches of Domino's Garlic & Herb and Domino's Mustard & Honey dips
- Possible presence of peanut in specific batches of Carlos Takeaway Garlic & Herb Dip
- FSA warns those allergic to peanuts to avoid food containing mustard over contamination risk, as some products recalled
- Galway Food Market - ePlanning archive
- Plans lodged for “Galway Food Market” at former Connacht Tribune Printing Press
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As we hit the middle of the month, it's time for another helping of Food In 5 Minutes, this week taking a look at the Regional Food Starter Programme, organic happenings at the National Ploughing Championships, news on Lidl's Kickstarter rollout, a new survey from SuperValu on dinner time habits and a look at the Great Taste Awards in London.
Links this episode
- The Pink Box, Kilkenny (Instagram)
- Regional Food Starter Programme (via Kilkenny LEO)
- NPA.ie - National Ploughing Championships
- Public Consultation on the Draft National Organic Strategy up to 2030
- Lidl's Kickstart graduates see products hit shelves on Thursday; who's made the 2024 list?
- SuperValu survey - The Table or the Tablet
- Golden fork nominees
- Full list of Great Taste Awards winners
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On this week's edition of Food In 5 Minutes, find out what's happening at the Savour Kilkenny Food Festival this October, the Listowel Food Fair in November, hear some insights from the latest ifac food and agribusiness survey, the calls for a ban on junk food advertising and learn about Bord Bia's Spirit of Ireland campaign that rolled out in China this week.
Hungry for more? Get my weekly newsletter, The Week In Food, for free via Substack.
Handy links
- Visit savourkilkenny.com (at a glance programme)
- Ticketed event highlights for Savour Kilkenny 2024
- ListowelFoodFair.ie
- Listowel Food Fair Instagram account
- Growing Chinese middle class looking for Irish spirits
- Download the latest ifac Food & Agribusiness report
- Two in five food and agribusinesses have cashflow issues
- Exports and sustainability high on agenda for Irish food businesses
- Hard-hitting warning labels should be on everyday food, say campaigners
- Irish Heart Foundation: A public health (obesity) act
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Welcome to Food In 5 Minutes, the part of the Ken On Food podcast where I share with you five food stories from the Irish food scene and beyond in five minutes or less, ish.
If you’re hungry for more by the time we’re finished here, visit kenonfood.substack.com to join my free newsletter, The Week In Food, available every Sunday morning from 7am, delivered fresh to your inbox – no queuing necessary. Yeah, I'm looking at you, Oasis.
This week brings you news on the closure of Breadman Walking in Dublin, the decline in Irish pub numbers, some new TV courtesy of Neven Maguire, calls for milk in schools and the Waterford Harvest Festval.
Dublin city ‘nano-bakery’ Breadman Walking to close after enforcement action
Full statement on closure via Instagram
Follow @bread_man_walking on Instagram
Support Growth: A Sustainable Future for Ireland’s drinks and hospitality sector (PDF download)
SupportYourLocal.ie
Donegal Town's Chandpur Indian Restaurant to feature on Neven Maguire TV show
No drink given with new Hot School Lunches scheme – Over half of Irish parents think milk should be provided
Only 4% of Irish Teenagers are meeting their Dietary Guidelines – Major Nutrition Conference in Belfast this week
Visit waterfordharvestfestival.ie
View the daily breakdown here
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For Sunday 25 August, 2024, this is Food In 5 Minutes - for the 34th time this year - with another selection of food stories from the past week served up for your ears in five minutes or less, ish.
That said, I'm noticing more these days that the timer is running closer to the seven-minute mark, but that's neither here nor there. With the podcast available every Sunday morning, you can also get a written accompaniment packed with recipes to try, more podcast listening, some long reads for your Sunday coffee in more, all right here. It's called The Week In Food and it drops into inboxes around the world about 7am on Sunday mornings.
This week's podcast looks at mounting pressures on the hospitality sector, numbers on Ireland's alcohol consumption, concerns over infant food in the US and more.
Supporting links for this episode
- Hospitality groups warn of 'perfect storm' facing industry ahead of Government meetings
- Tourism and hospitality groups plead for Government help ahead of Budget25
- Three amateur bread bakers advance to Rise with Aldi live final
- Estimate of Alcohol Consumption per Adult in 2023
- InterTrade Ireland Supply Chain & Sourcing Service
- Nearly two-thirds of supermarket baby foods are unhealthy, study finds
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Fresh from the shores of Lough Derg (I've been in Dromineer for the weekend), it's time for another helping of Food In 5 Minutes, the part of the Ken On Food podcast that brings you five food stories from the Irish food world and beyond, plucked from the past week, and served up in five minutes or less, ish.
You know the drill.
There's also a newsletter version that includes extra long reads for your Sunday, recipes to try for the week ahead that today includes some easy-bake bread takes, a podcast pick and more.
Grab the latest edition here on Substack or sign up anywhere you see the subscription boxes on the blog to get a fresh copy in your inbox every Sunday morning.
Chef Dylan McGrath shuts Dublin restaurants Brasserie Sixty6 and Rustic Stone
Dylan McGrath closes two of his most famous restaurants
Dylan McGrath closes two Dublin restaurants as business is 'simply not sustainable'
COVID lockdown: Insurers have now paid pubs and restaurants more than €250m
€1 million awarded to develop five Gala Dinner Venues
€1 million awarded to develop five Gala Dinner Venues to attract international Business Events
FSAI official release
Popular Dublin pub Hartigan’s among 12 food businesses issued with closure orders last month
Visit irishfoodawards.com
Irish Food Awards: 8 Kilkenny businesses named finalists for this year’s Blas na hÉireann awards in Dingle
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For Sunday 11 August 2024, this is Food In 5 Minutes.
Grab the newsletter version now by signing up for free at kenonfood.substack.com and get stories, bonus reading, recipes, a podcast pick and more in your inbox every Sunday morning.
LINKS THIS EPISODE
- 577 Irish Food-Led Businesses Have Closed Since VAT Rise Last September
- Over 570 restaurants ‘forced to close’ since September VAT hike.
- Waterford Harvest Festival – What’s On
- Belfast Restaurant Week (official website)
- Belfast Restaurant Week to return this October with a fresh flavour to support city centre’s hospitality scene
- EU ice cream production fell by 1.4% in 2023
- Ireland is the fifth-largest exporter of ice cream in the EU
- Walkers teams up with Heinz to launch three new crisp flavours — and one is controversial
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It's the August bank holiday weekend and today's edition of the podcast looks at
- Three new eateries opening in Kilkenny in recent weeks (with one about to open)
- Calls for the restoration of the 9% VAT rate for hospitality heading to Europe
- The expansion of the Hot School Meals programme
- ALDI ditching their blue bottle caps as their sustainability push continues
- Weird TikTok food trends
Links to check
- Kelly calls for reinstatement of 9% VAT rate for hospitality
- Minister Humphreys announces 168 additional Primary Schools approved for Hot School Meals
- Further 168 primary schools to get hot meals from September
- Aldi Ireland makes huge change to popular product across all 161 Irish stores (Irish Mirror)
- This week's edition of The Week In Food
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For Sunday 28 July 2024, this is Food In 5 Minutes, the part of the Ken On Food podcast that brings you five food stories from around the Irish food scene and beyond, over the past week, served up in five minutes or less, ish.
It’s been another busy week in the world of food, with plenty to chew on from home and abroad. At time of release I'm currently in Galway seeking out some new food and drink spots to write home about.
Before we get into this week’s stories, if you’d like more, head over to the blog now – that’s kenonfood.com – or visit kenonfood.substack.com and take a few membership to my newsletter The Week In Food, dropping every Sunday morning online and in your inbox.
Links this week...
- Wexford Food Family
- Cost of ice cream on the rise (Live 95)
- UK ice-cream and lolly prices up by more than 30%, analysis shows
- Truck driver jobs see 83% increase in demand - Indeed (RTÉ)
- Irish food businesses in 'survival mode' as industry profit margins fall below 1%, warns report
- Supermac’s chief wants VAT reprieve for food businesses
- Restaurants Association Of Ireland Warns That Sector Is In ‘Survival Mode’
- National Organic Awards 2024
- National Organic Awards open for entries
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For Sunday July 21st 2024, this is Food In 5 Minutes, the part of the Ken On Food podcast that brings you five food stories from the past week, from the Irish food scene and beyond, all served up in five minutes or less, ish.
Take a listen to this week's stories.
Resources this episode
- Taste of Kildare official website
- Taste of Kildare ticket details
- Edible Dublin Food Strategy
- Advice for consumers regarding consumption of slush ice drinks
- Nearly half of Dublin food pubs report business decline due to VAT increase - LVA
- 48% of Dublin pubs who serve food say VAT increase has lead to drop in business
- LVA call for VAT cut again
- Sugar tax on beverages – activism or sensible measure? (original article, translated from German)
- Germany mulls sugar tax: What are the benefits?
- Germany's potential billions in savings and health gains with sugar-sweetened beverage tax
- Sugar tax in Germany could save up to 16 billion euros (Study)
- Sugar Sweetened Drinks Tax (SSDT) (Revenue.ie)
As always, if you would like more content, consider a free subscription to my newsletter, The Week In Food, available here.
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For Sunday July 14th 2028 this is Food In 5 Minutes, the part of the Ken On Food podcast that brings you five food stories from the Irish food scene and beyond, plucked from the past week and served up in five minutes or less, ish.
Supporting links for this week's stories can be found below.
Carlow Tourism
Carlow Garden Festival
Safefood: Meat thermometer use grows 20%
Coffee prices to keep rising for at least another year
Coffee prices will rise even higher (The Guardian)
Waterford Harvest Festival - What's On
Waterford Harvest Festival - Trader applications now open
US food giant Wendy's to launch in Ireland early next year (Newstalk)
US fast food chain Wendy's to open in Ireland (Irish Times)
You can also get more detail on these stories, additional long reads for your weekend, recipes to try for the week ahead and podcast to keep your ears company when you sign up to my free newsletter, The Week In Food, via kenonfood.substack.com.
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For Sunday 7 July 2024, it's time for another helping of Food In 5 Minutes with five stories from the past week drawn from the Irish food scene and beyond.
Read up on the stories in full with the links below.
You can also sign up to The Week In Food newsletter for free, available via kenonfood.substack.com.
- 90 million drinks containers returned in June as Ireland averages Three million bottles and cans per day
- As schools close for summer, many children benefiting from Hot School Meals Scheme risk missing out on their only hot meal of the day
- Call for scheme to tackle 'holiday hunger' in children
- Climate change is pushing up food prices — and worrying central banks
- Non-alcohol beer continues to grow in popularity according to new report from Drinks Ireland|Beer
- Non-alcohol beer continues to grow in popularity – Drinks Ireland
- A New Two Star Restaurant in The MICHELIN Guide Dubai 2024
- The Guild entry in Michelin Guide
- Dubai restaurant that includes a Kilkenny man among its Head Chefs secures Michelin special award
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On a weekend that has seen Taylor Swift take over Dublin’s Aviva Stadium for three nights, another outing for the family fun-packed Kaleidoscope Festival in Wicklow, Flavours of Fingal in Dublin and more. Galway beating Dublin in the All-Ireland football quarter-finals and more, this is Food In 5 Minutes for Sunday 30 June.
Links for this week's stories...
- Ireland’s food waste equivalent to over one million meals per day, new figures show
- EPA: 53,000t of food waste generated at production stage
- Tayto recalls crisps after ‘golf ball contamination’
- FSAI Tayto recall notice
- FSAI Spuddy’s recall notice
- Sage announces restaurant closure online
- Sage Restaurant in Midleton to close after 16 years in business
- Kevin Aherne on his next plan after Midleton's Sage Restaurant closes
- R&D leads to major Marks & Spencer deal for Fermoy business
- Dairy Concepts wins new contract with Marks & Spencer
- Cork’s Dairy Concepts secures international contract with M&S
- Here’s Why McDonald’s Scrapped Its Plant-Based Burger in America
- McDonald's says verdict is in: US customers do not like McPlant burgers
Get bonus stories, recipes and a podcast pick for this week in the latest edition of The Week In Food, available here for free.
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With temperatures for the week ahead set to tip the early-to-mid 20s, it's Sunday all over again, which means another helping of Food In 5 Minutes.
This week shines a light on...
- SafeFood's Talk About Food report
- Food Vision 2030 - Annual report 2023
- Food Vision 2023 - Annual report 2022
- Food Vision 2023 breakdown
- Opportunity to acquire a portfolio of KFC restaurants in Ireland
- Crunch time looms for smokey bacon crisps as EU bans potential cancerous flavouring
- EFSA: Smoke flavourings
- Member States endorse withdrawal of smoke flavourings from EU market
- Lab-grown burgers and cricket salads 'could be meal staples' by 2054
- More talk about lab-grown burgers and cricket salads
Get more to read and listen by grabbing a free subscription to The Week In Food, available now via Substack.
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The elections are done and dusted, I've got a few days off, a hearty breakfast and a fresh cup of coffee.
This week's story highlights include...
- Birdhill Coffee Festival
- FSAI enforcement orders for May 2024
- Full list of winners: 2024 National Dairy Awards
- EY Future Consumer Index
- Theatre of Food: Grub Circus at this year's All Together Now
Want more? Get my free newsletter every Sunday morning, The Week In Food, available via Substack.
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On this week's podcast, I'll take a look at
- A new survey detailing the impact of the VAT rate hike on Irish food-led businesses
- The launch of the Co-Centre for Sustainable Food Systems
- How free app TooGoodToGo has helped rescue over 1m bags and boxes of food from waste
- The judging of this year's Great Taste Awards, held this past week in Tipperary and
- How scientists and chocolatiers are joining forces to help find a more sustainable approach to making chocolate
As always, keep an eye on Ken On Food for stories across the week or pick up my free newsletter, The Week In Food, over on Substack.
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On this week's podcast you can
- Learn about the finals of the 2024 Irish Restaurant Awards
- Check out some of the lineup on the food side of this year's Kaleidoscope Festiavl
- Discover a new exhibition rooted in an 18th century kitchen in Roscommon
- Review new research from Safefood highlighting food safety concerns about smart device usage in the kitchen and
- See who's been picked for this year's Grow with ALDI campaign as products hit shelves this week.
As always, you can check kenonfood.com for links and more details, or head on over to my Substack to grab the latest helping of The Week In Food.
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For Sunday 19 May, 2024, here's what you'll find on this edition of Food In 5 Minutes...
- A look at the Yes Chef annual awards for 2024, held in Dundalk earlier this week
- A look ahead to this year's All-Ireland final of the Irish Restaurant Awards, due to take place in Dublin this Monday
- Some new additions to Taste Of Dublin, setting up shop in a new location next month
- A new whiskey from Michael Flatley, our very own Lord of the Dance
- More funding for food waste production initiatives as the FoodCloud Growers Project gets a financial injection from the State
As always, you can find more on the newsletter, available now at kenonfood.substack.com or if you've got a story to share, drop an email at any stage to ken@kenonfood.com
Catch up on the blog, or follow me on X, Instagram or Facebook and let's talk.
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With the bank holiday firmly in the rearview mirror, this weekend I'm hopping between restaurants and gigs as a birthday (not mine) brings with it a Michelin-star night out while Bruce Springsteen picked Sunday to turn up in Kilkenny and play a few songs - how bad.
This week's headlines include a look at
- The full lineup for this year's Bord Bia Bloom over the June bank holiday weekend
- Drive-thru sausage rolls becoming a thing in Northern Ireland
- The highest enforcement orders from the FSAI for 2024 to date last month (and here)
- The lineup reveal for Beyond The Plate at this year's Beyond The Pale festival
- How a drought in Mexico is leading to a Sriracha shortage in the US
As always, if you've got a story to share, pop an email to ken@kenonfood.com.
You can also get my free newsletter every Sunday morning, The Week In Food, here via Substack.
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As the May Bank Holiday weekend lands in Ireland, I've got two festivals on my door step with the inaugural FoodieFest taking place in Mountain View while the Kilkenny Roots Festival is in full swing.
I'll blame the former for the extra few hours in the bed this morning before the podcast release, but as always on a Sunday, I've got five more stories from the food world for you to digest and read up on while you sink your morning coffee.
Check the links below for stories mentioned in this week's episode.
- Healthy Carlow on Facebook
- Millions of euros unclaimed from Deposit Return Scheme
- Official release via gov.ie as outdoor table fees waived for 2024
- US fast food chains may have to amp up promotions as more people eat at home
- ‘Unethical’ junk food packaging manipulates children into craving sweets, report claims
- Join the Ken On Food newsletter for free via Substack
- 5 Cinco de Mayo recipes to try this week
Have a story of your own to share? Drop me a line at any time to ken@kenonfood.com.
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For Sunday April 27th 2024, you’re listening to Food In Five Minutes, the part of the Ken On Food podcast that brings you five food stories from Ireland and beyond each Sunday, all drawn from the past week.
It’s been another busy week on the food front and another busy week in general as all of a sudden we’re hitting the end of April, gearing up for the May Bank Holiday weekend, Foodie Fest hitting Kilkenny (more on that in the podcast). As always, if you’ve got a story to share, email me at any stage, it’s ken@kenonfood.com or give me a shout anywhere you find @kenonfood on socials.
Links for this week's episode* Foodiefest.ie * Agri Aware's Healthy Eating Week * Incredible Edibles * Repak.ie: Don't waste earth day * GLAS @ TU Dublin anniversary celebrations * West Clare town bucking the national trend of restaurant closures
Subscribe for free wherever you do your podcast listening.
Better yet, get my free newsletter here, dropping every Sunday morning around 7am. In it you'll find these stories and more, recipes to try, podcasts to listen to, and it's all free, delivered fresh to your inbox.
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Can you believe we're three weeks into April already? The rain of the past few weeks made way for at least one decent day of sunshine and the world keeps on spinning.
As Sunday rolls around again, I've got another five stories for you from the Irish food world and beyond over the past week including
- The Dublin leg of the Irish Restaurant Awards, with the shortlists out this past week
- A new report from the RAI exploring the economic impact of the closure of over 200 food-led businesses since the start of the year
- A story on how poor weather conditions throughout the UK and Europe could lead to food shortages in the UK in 2024
- Aldi's all-new private-label baby formula brings some interesting survey results on the grocery front
- SuperValu too have been at the surveys, this time with GIY to look at where and how families are growing vegetables at home
As always, if you've got a story to share, drop me an email at any time to ken@kenonfood.com and if you enjoy what you here today and every Sunday, consider leaving a quick 5-star review for the podcast in Spotify, Apple Podcasts or wherever you do your podcast listening.
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For Sunday 14 April, and the 15th helping of Food In 5 Minutes, this week brings you updates on
- The Ulster round of the Irish Restaurant Awards (more here)
- The 2024/2025 San Pellegrino Young Chef Academy competition (more here)
- Ireland's Senoptica (interesting food tech) getting FDA approval for their entry into the US market (more here and here)
- registrations for Street Feast, taking place this coming May (next month)
- the 2024 Waterford Festival of Food
Got a story to share? Email ken@kenonfood.com and we'll talk!
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For Sunday April 7th, this is Food In 5 Minutes, the part of the Ken On Food podcast that brings you five food stories from the food scene in Ireland and beyond, served fresh in five minutes or less.
It may have been a storm-filled, rain-sodden week on Irish soil, but there’s never a dull moment in the world of food and this week I’ve got another five stories for you to accompany your Sunday brew. If you’d like more details, extra reading, recipes to try for the week ahead and a podcast pick to match, consider a free membership to my Substack newsletter, it’s called The Week In Food and you’ll find it at kenonfood.substack.com or get links on the blog. Much like this podcast, it drops in your mail every Sunday morning.
Links you'll need this week...
- Keith Boyle appointed Executive Chef at Kilkenny's Mountain View
- FoodieFest.ie
- Fáilte Ireland launches five-year tourism development plan for Sligo
- Irish Food Writing Awards
- Agriland: Climate-friendly milk
- Dublin's victorian food market to reopen in 2026
Follow me on socials
- Twitter / X @kenonfood
- Facebook @kenonfood
- Instagram @kenonfood
- TikTok @kenonfood
Or email at any stage, it's ken@kenonfood.com
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Easter greetings to one and all!
On this week's podcast there's a look at
- The Munster round of the Irish restaurant awards
- An increase in insolvencies in Ireland for Q1 2024, the hospitality sector taking the biggest hit
- New pizza and donut offerings in Kilkenny
- Opportunities for young chefs when it comes to seafood
- The full lineup for the Ballymaloe Festival of Food
You can read all about these and more, with recipes, podcast picks and additional stories from the past week, by grabbing my free newsletter The Week In Food available now at Substack.
You can also email me at any stage - ken@kenonfood.com - or find me on one of X, Facebook, Instagram or TikTok.
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On this week's edition of Food In 5 Minutes, I've got another five stories for you from the Irish food world and beyond including
- A look at the Connaught regional leg of the 2024 Irish Restaurant Awards
- Mixed news on the Kilkenny food front
- Irish Grass Fed Beef goes PGI and hits the Italian market
- Unilever shedding 7500 jobs globally and separating their ice-cream business
- Tullamore going green as a growing number of cafés take up the 2GoCup initiative
Got a story to share? Email me at any stage, it's ken@kenonfood.com
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Happy St. Patrick's Day!
We're flying through the year and all of a shot find ourselves smack bang in the middle of March. On this week's helping of Food In 5 Minutes you'll hear about
- The Leinster regional round of the Irish Restaurant Awards
- A potential ban on good food going to waste
- Ireland's renewed commitment to the UN World Food Programme
- Entries for this year's Blas na hÉireann awards
- Some statistics on the early uptake of Ireland's deposit return scheme
As always, you can get in touch with your own stories (and I'd love to hear from you) by emailing ken@kenonfood.com.
Like what you hear? Support the podcast in 30 seconds by leaving a 5-star review in your podcast app!
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This week's podcast features news on
- one very expensive bottle of Irish whiskey
- details on the West Waterford Festival of Food
- potential changes for fast food outlets in Ireland
- the key to better brain health
- what thieves are really after when it comes to shoplifting in Spain
Get more stories in your week by signing up for free at kenonfood.substack.com
For more, check kenonfood.com.
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It's been another busy week on the food front in Ireland some new festivals making their presence felt ahead of the summer rush, new reports out on food waste and more.
This week's helping of Food In 5 minutes will introduce you to
- FoodieFest, taking place in Kilkenny over the May Bank Holiday weekend
- Ballymaloe Festival of Food, bound for Cork this summer to help celebrate 60 years of food at Ballymaloe
- The Leinster round of the Irish Restaurant Awards
- Some recent figures around food waste in Ireland (March 1 was National Stop Food Waste day) and
- New research around the consumption of ultra-processed foods (hard to avoid them these days) and what it means for your physical and mental health
Get these stories with additional links, more reading suggestions, my podcast pick of the week, 5 recipes to try over the next seven days and more by taking a free subscription to my newsletter, The Week In Food, available here via Substack.
For full podcast show notes and more ways to listen or interact, visit kenonfood.com.
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On this week's podcast you'll hear about
- The Killarney Coffee Cup Project as it gathers pace and scoops national awards
- Another round of Irish restaurant closures as the cafe crunch shows no signs of slowing down for some
- Supermarket wars that lead to billions in Irish investment
- An ages-old sourdough starter in the US
- and Starbucks adding a slice of pork to your morning brew
and you'll find all the necessary links in the full show notes, available online now at kenonfood.com.
If you'd like more, consider a free subscription to my Substack, available here, where you can get The Week In Food delivered to your inbox every Sunday morning, containing these stories and more plus recipes, podcast picks and highlights for the week ahead.
Get in touch at any time, email ken@kenonfood.com or find me on Instagram.
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This week's podcast takes a look at
- The rise in online attacks on restaurants in the UK, in particular plant-based restaurants
- The most vegetarian-friendly countries in the world, according to one source
- Community cookhouses as a way of helping those struggling financially
- The 2024 Good Food Ireland Awards
- More recycling bins needed for Ireland's Deposit Return Scheme
You can access more stories, recipes and my podcast pick of the week too by joining me for free over at Substack.
Sign up today at kenonfood.substack.com for more.
Got a story to share? Email me - ken@kenonfood.com
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It's another sunny-ish Sunday, and these week the focus goes on
- The latest Michelin Star awards and newcomers to the Irish collection
- A booming fish-led business in the Kingdom
- Jamie Oliver's Good School Food Awards
- New numbers from the Food Safety Authority of Ireland and
- Highlights from the Yes Chef Irish Takeaway Awards this week
Want more? Become a member of the Ken On Food Substack, it's free, drops every Sunday morning alongside the podcast and it brings you more reading material, recipes to try for the week, a podcast pick and more.
Get in touch at any stage by emailing ken@kenonfood.com or drop me a line on Instagram, Facebook or X, hit up @kenonfood.
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For the first time in February, I've got a fresh helping of Food In 5 Minutes for you.
It's the part of the Ken On Food podcast where, if you haven't taken in any of January's episodes, you'll find five food stories plucked from Ireland and beyond this past week all summed up in five minutes or less. I like to think of it as the ideal accompaniment to your Sunday morning espresso, me digging through the headlines of the week so you won't have to. If you're thinking on putting on a second coffee, then I've got second helpings for you this week through The Week In Food, my free newsletter that drops every Sunday morning around 7am. You can sign up for free here with each week bringing you the stories featured in the podcast, plus additional reading, recipes for the week ahead, podcast picks and more.
LINKS THIS WEEK
EU food and drink bound for Britain to face extra barriers from today
UK Import Controls: The Border Target Operating Model (TOM)
Food has a huge impact on our climate - Amsterdam backs global 'Plant-Based Treaty'
Amsterdam becomes the first EU capital city to endorse the call for a Plant Based Treaty in response to the climate emergency
Challenging margins: Café crunch hits Kilkenny as The Cutting Vedge to close its doors
The Cutting Vedge on Facebook
Kilkenny hotels strike gold, silver at 2023 Virgin Media Business Gold Medal Awards
2023 Gold Medal Awards winners list + photographs
Nearly half of all EU honey imports likely fraudulent
Parliament, member states strike deal on 'breakfast directive' to combat food fraud
Proposed changed via EU parliament (April 2023)
GET IN TOUCH
- Find me on X/Twitter
- I'm on Facebook and Instagram
- Drop an email to ken@kenonfood.com
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This week's podcast features the closure of Dublin's Tolteca, a one million Euro boost for one Cork food producer, the launch of the Vegan Society of Ireland, Blasta Books' latest offering in print and the opening of the new BIA innovator campus in Athenry.
Get all the links online now at kenonfood.com or sign up for the free newsletter here and get them emailed to you every Sunday morning along with recipe picks for the week, podcast recommendations and more.
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On this week's helping of Food In 5 Minutes you can
- brush up on the latest around restaurant closures in Ireland as the hospitality sector gets described as 'carnage'
- check out the world's fastest cup of coffee
- celebrate the best of Irish cheese and restaurants
- take a food challenge in Tokyo to beat salarymen at their own game
Share your own stories any time by emailing ken@kenonfood.com or if you would like these stories, podcast recommendations and more emailed to you every Sunday, join for free at kenonfood.substack.com.
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This week's helping of Food In 5 Minutes brings you insights on the impact of honey for cold and flu season this weather, a study that shows how concrete could be made 30% stronger by making use of the world's waste coffee, to Ireland's new deposit return scheme and more.
If you like what you hear and you fancy some more reading material, you can get these stories and more in the newsletter edition available via Substack or by checking the subscribe links on the blog. It's free too, so don't miss out.
Say hi on Twitter/X, tag @kenonfood
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2024 begins with a refresh of the Ken On Food podcast; if you're seeing this as an existing subscriber then thanks for sticking around!
Food In 5 Minutes brings you five food stories from Ireland and beyond, served up in five minutes or less.
You can find the links to all the stories mentioned this week by visiting kenonfood.com.
If you like what you hear, subscribe today in your podcast app or check the website for details on how you can have these stories and links emailed to you for a Sunday morning read. You can get in touch at any time by emailing ken@kenonfood.com.
Stories mentioned on this week's edition.1. Diners need less food on plates to cut waste, says minister 2. Restaurant Association chief warns of more restaurant closures in 2024 3. Almost 50 food-led businesses that shut in November 'the tip of the iceberg' 4. Food For Thought: Chef JP McMahon's culinary predictions for 2024 5. Get an early taste of top food trends for 2024: Recipes, tips and products rising in popularity 6. 2024 food trends you're about to see everywhere 7. OECD report puts UK and Ireland top for five-a-day fruit and veg consumption 8. OECD Health at a Glance report 9. Male astronauts heading to Mars could thrive on this vegetarian salad
Follow Ken On Food
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- YouTube
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For the final Food In 5 Minutes before Christmas, this week you've got
- Calls for a hospitality taskforce to be established in Ireland
- Improved LEADER funding for food producers and businesses in 2021
- Turkey roast or nut roast, you decide
- Intelligent and active labels that could 'revolutionise food communication'
- Festive food waste management tips
Check out the blog at kenonfood.com for links and details.
On the menu this week
- The most underappreciated food destinations - cities and countries via Chef's Pencil
- Rapid Covid testing in the UK for restaurants under Tier 3 restrictions
- The biggest recipes from the New York Times in 2020
- Seafood on Irish TV
- Big jobs boost for food ordering platform, Flipdish
Here's what's on the menu this week;
- Restaurants have re-opened, but no-shows are hitting some eateries hard
- Rory O'Connell is back on TV screens for a two-part Christmas Special
- The Vegan Society has released its top tips for Christmas
- Safefood.net kick off their Christmas safety campaign
- There are several Irish food producers in the running for the SFA National Small Business Awards 2021
For more, see kenonfood.com.
For Food In 5 Minutes this week there's a look at
- Restaurants reopening in Ireland under Level 3 restrictions
- AgriAware's relaunched Dig In! programme for primary schools
- A new festive cookbook from producers and restaurants in Kilkenny
- The winners of the Just Eat National Takeaway Awards
- Ireland's cookbook of the year
If you've a story to share in 60 seconds or less, email ken@kenonfood.com.
This week sees the RAI call for indoor dining to be permitted from 1 December, there's a look at food waste and Christmas cooking, talk of cookie decorating kits and the World Luxury Restaurant Awards.
If you've got a story to share in 60 seconds or less, let's talk.
Check the blog for full show notes and links mentioned this week.
It's Food in 5 Minutes for Sunday 15 November, 2020.
This week it's a look at
- the new home delivery for McDonald's rolling out in Ireland through Just-Eat
- Bord Bia's Irish Foodservice Market Insights report for 2020
- a proposed UK ban on all junk food online advertising
- achieving balance while eating with your smartphone
- new Kilkenny food business, The Wild Grazer
For links, notes, pictures and videos, check out the blog at kenonfood.com.
This week on the podcast I speak to Sarah McGree of The Wild Grazer in Kilkenny.
Up until a few weeks ago, the business didn't exist. As she tells it, from idea to branding, printing, sourcing and orders coming through, her first week was a whirlwind.
The Wild Grazer is a new food business, based in Kilkenny, offering cheese and charcuterie boxes or 'grazing boxes' for delivery.
Drawing on lessons learned from working on high end food and hospitality projects on the other side of the Atlantic, I caught up with Sarah to find out all about the business - what drove her to start it, how the first few weeks have been, and how she's finding working with suppliers for a new business during a pandemic.
This week it's Beyond The Menu, the Just Eat National Takeaway Awards, Bord Bia's Talent Academy, Four Star Pizza's new vegan offering and Incredible Edibles.
For full shownotes and links to each of the stories included this week, check out kenonfood.com.
If you've got a story to share in 60 seconds or less, drop me a line at ken@kenonfood.com.
The Foodie Roundup is dead, long live The Foodie Roundup. Now, I'm bringing you Food In 5 Minutes - five food stories in five minutes spread across the past week. This week includes Savour Kilkenny, Irish Times Food Month, World Vegan Day, Ireland Loves Baking and Pumpkin Leftovers.
For full shownotes and links to each of the stories included this week, check out kenonfood.com.
If you've got a story to share in 60 seconds or less, drop me a line at ken@kenonfood.com.
You know the episodes of CSI or Criminal Minds where the crossover happens? One minute you're in Vegas, the next thing you know the crew are headed to Miami to link up with the spinoff team? This edition of Ken On Food is a little like that.
Since November 2019, I've been working with the Urban Gym team on UR Podcast. Each month we speak to great names in the world of business, sport, wellness, coaching, fitness - people from all walks of life, all with a story to share.
The latest edition of the podcast, recorded over the May Bank Holiday weekend, has a strong food focus, so we're sharing it here as well.
In this edition of Ken On Food you'll hear myself and Urban Gym's Andy Murphy chat with plant-based consultant gastroenterologist Dr. Alan Desmond on the ins and outs of a whole food plant-based diet.
By that, I mean the kind of diet and approach to nutrition that means getting the calories and macros you need from fresh fruit, vegetables, legumes, grains - no junk food, no processed food, no meats, fish or dairy. We look at what the plant-based approach entails and marry it up with medical data in relation to gut health.
If you, or someone you know, suffers with IBD, IBS, Crohn's Disease or other digestive issues, you may find this a really helpful listen.
It's the kind of conversation that could have gone on for another hour so we may have a catchup down the line.
If you like what you hear and it's your first time dipping into the Ken On Food podcast, check out some of the earlier episodes. If you really like what you hear, be sure to see out UR Podcast - seen on Spotify, Google Podcasts and Apple Podcasts as 'Urban Gym Presents: UR Podcast' and subscribe to get a new story on the first of every month.
For episode 22 of the Ken On Food Podcast I'm joined by - or rather joining - Tom Comerford of the Kilkenny Ormonde Hotel.
He's been executive chef there for over a year, bringing a wealth of experience with him to the role across hotels, 2 and 3* Michelin restaurants, country estates and more.
Tom's an advocate for simplicity through food, using local produce and working with local producers to create the dishes on his menu.
We chat about his background and love of food before moving into the depths of the Ormonde kitchen to cook up some organic chicken.
It's a long listen, but a good one, from a young chef striving to make a difference through his food.
For more, including photos from the kitchen, check out the notes on kenonfood.com.
Chef Keith Boyle and his wife Carmel are running Restaurant Lady Anne, open since April 2019 in Castlecomer, North Kilkenny.
On Monday in London they discovered their listing in the 2020 Michelin Guide so we caught up on Wednesday this week to find out what putting Castlecomer on a plate means.
Little did I know we'd be taking in a full tour of the Georgian 'Creamery House' that houses Restaurant Lady Anne or paying a visit to the walled gardens they've inherited just 90 seconds from the back door of the restaurant.
It's a long listen, but a great story. For more info, see restaurantladyanne.ie and if you'd like to be part of the conversation, I'd love to talk. Email ken@kenonfood.com.
This week I’m back on the restaurant trail for the Savour Kilkenny Food Provenance Award. It’s a new award for the 2019 festival that’s seeking to recognise eateries in Kilkenny for their work with local and regional produce and producers through seasonal cooking.
This week it’s the turn of Petronella Restaurant on the Butterslip in Kilkenny City centre, and to owner Frank Curran.
Frank is an absolute gem of a host, he’s passionate about food and what goes on the plate, a joy that’s matched by his enthusiasm for the building you’ll find Petronella in when you get to hear the stories in person.
Here we're chatting over lunch for a walk through his #tastekilkenny offerings, his Cartoon Saloon inspired menu choices, working with his chefs and suppliers to plan menus and more.
If you're involved in the food sector at any level, I'd love to hear from you. Email me - ken@kenonfood.com - to share your story and start the conversation.
So this is Ken On Food episode 14, I’m Ken McGuire and this time out we’re going to hear from a few people.
Rory Nolan from Anocht Restaurant drops into studio to have a quick word about what’s coming up at their Savour Kilkenny dining night at the end of October.
I had a chance encounter with a lady carrying a crate of water on one of the hottest days of the year and I couldn’t let her go without having a word about their operation in Borrisoleigh.
But to kick this podcast off, I chat with Eva Milka of Gaelic Escargot.
Based in Carlow, Eva and her partner are running Ireland’s first snail farm and the country’s only research and development centre for the production of escargot.
If you've got a story to tell, an event you would like to talk about, then drop me an email - ken@kenonfood.com and let's talk.
Last week was all about Billy Byrne’s but this week it’s all about Paris Texas.
It’s High Street’s only full scale bar and restaurant and it’s typically packed, whether full of tourists on a Wednesday night as they lap up the music – and I played myself there for a year or two – or locals in for dinner right across the weekend, Paris Texas is a buzzing spot when it comes to food.
Go back a few podcasts to meeting the folks in Cleere’s with a simple soup and sandwich menu and you’re at the other end of the scale in Paris Texas. Massive staff, four pages of a broad reaching menu with something for everyone.
To find out what makes Paris Texas work, I talk to two people.
First up is owner Pat Crotty who’s been leading the charge of late for local suppliers for their menu, and he’s followed by Carlow native and chef Keith Kelly who walks me through a local pork belly dish.
Get in touch and share your food story - email ken@kenonfood.com
Bringing an authentic slice of Italian cuisine to one of Kilkenny's busiest night spots, I sit down with chef Toni Bottoni this week to find out what's on the menu at Billy Byrne's.
You’ll find Billy Byrne’s a stone’s throw from the bus and train station in Kilkenny and over the last ten or fifteen years the pub has gone from “old man pub” for want of a better phrase, to a bustling hub of movies, live music and a wealth of food, making it one of the busiest spots in Kilkenny at the weekend.
Where previously the cooking was done in a double-decker bus in the beer garden, everything is now done in house under Toni’s eye – I’ll let her explain.
To share your food story, get in touch - email ken@kenonfood.com and let's talk.
This week I'm joined in studio by Morgan Ging of Ballykeefe Distillery, located roughly ten minutes outside of Kilkenny City, producing award-winning spirits from the family farm.
While they've been scooping up the accolades for their gin, vodka and poteen, the countdown is on to the first Ballykeefe whiskey.
I chat with Morgan about that, transitioning from farming to spirit production and how he's been able to give back to his local community and support those supporting him.
Share your food story - let's talk. Email ken@kenonfood.com.
We're into double figures for the podcast, and for episode ten I'm joined on the phone by Kitty Colchester of Second Nature Oils, based at Drumeen Farm in north Kilkenny.
We're talking organic, bee-friendly rapeseed oil production and what things are like in her corner of the food world.
Find out more online at secondnatureoils.com or if you'd like to get in touch with me and share your food story, email ken@kenonfood.com.
This week I'm on the trail again for the Savour Kilkenny Food Festival and their Food Provenance Award for 2019. The stop, Statham's By Pembroke on Patrick Street, Kilkenny, with executive chef Damian Finnegan.
We sit down over a Goatsbridge trout lunch to find out what's on the menu, what he's looking for in producers and what's happening in the world of Statham's.
For more, check kenonfood.com or to get in touch and start your conversation, email me - ken@kenonfood.com.
This week I'm chatting with Johnny Holden, who alongside Paul McCabe has been running John Cleere’s Bar & Theatre in Kilkenny for a good few years now.
It's part of the first of 12 installments for the Savour Kilkenny Food Provenance Award for 2019.
Johnny’s approach to food has been simple and getting it right from the offset. When we sit down to talk and dig into one of his signature sandwiches, he’s getting ready for the Kilkenny Arts Festival.
You can find them on facebook – it’s facebook.com/cleeres or check out cleeres.com
Next week I’m off to chat with Damian Finnegan, head chef at Statham’s By Pembroke.
If you like the podcasts, leave a review wherever you get yours or better still, if you would like to be part of the conversation, wherever in the world you are – email me – it’s ken@kenonfood.com.
If it’s your first time listening, subscribe, there’s plenty more on the way.
This latest episode is a long listen as I take a quick tour of Costello's brewery in Kilkenny and chat with founder Gerald Costello about their upcoming spelt lager release.
Over the course of an hour we'll talk about
- Where Costello's are at these days and what's happening in the brewery
- A shift in focus from their first product and adapting to the market
- The testing and development of their new spelt lager
- What the future holds
- The upcoming Kilkenny Craft Beer Festival
For more, check costellosbrewco.ie or visit kenonfood.com for full details, dates and links.
Seamus O'Hara and Victory Treacy established the Carlow Brewing Company in 1996 and thus the O'Hara's brand was born. From the challenges of getting their first beer on the shelf to exporting in the early noughties, to running pubs and backing events, there's a lot going on at O'Hara's.
If you're a beer drinker or lover or curious about the craft beer sector in Ireland, give this a listen.
The Ken On Food series on KCLR airs 4.10pm on Wednesday afternoons with this first season brought to you in association with Anocht Restaurant and the Kilkenny Design Foodhall.
For more, see kenonfood.com.
It's a double header for this edition of the podcast.
Up first, in the Anocht-backed series with KCLR, I chat with Vincent Grace of Riversfield Organic Farm. Growing all manner of vegetables on the outskirts of Kilkenny, Vincent swapped a career in social care for getting his hands dirty on family land. Now he's supplying Michelin-starred restaurants and growing all year round.
Following Vincent, I chat with Jean O'Connell, one of the driving forces behind the Enniscorthy Rockin' Food Festival. If I find myself free the August Bank Holiday weekend, I'll make a beeline towards Enniscorthy to see what it's all about but just in case, Jean gives me the full rundown of the weekend.
We also talk numbers, look at the work in programming the festiva, funding difficulties on a national scale and how they're going green(er) for 2019.
If you like what you hear and have a story to tell, email me - ken@kenonfood.com
For Ken On Food #004 I'm chatting with Rory Nolan.
Rory's the head chef of Anocht Restaurant in Kilkenny. Ditching engineering studies in Limerick, Rory jumped into bar work at the Springhill Hotel in Kilkenny in the early noughties, then into the kitchen, on to Chapter One in Dublin, then alongside Garrett Byrne at Campagne.
With Michelin-star credentials, Rory has been looking after things in Anocht for the past four years.
We sat down in studio on Wednesday 17 July for a chat to see how things are and what makes him tick. I've got Rory earmarked for a followup in the next month or two, this time in the restaurant, but this should give you a good introduction to the man in the kitchen.
As the podcast starts to find it's feet as well, there's also a nod to upcoming events this month including Wings Fest in Bray, the Valentia Island King Scallop Festival and Off The Street Food Fest in Donegal.
If you've got a story to share, I'm all ears - email ken@kenonfood.com and let's talk.
Mileeven was establised in 1988 by Eilis Gough as Joe, her husband, kept bees as a hobby.
Mileeven is run now by Eilis along with Sarah, her daughter, still in Piltown, Co Kilkenny, is one of the leading honey suppliers in Ireland.
The range has increased to include other honeys as well as Irish honey, like Manuka honey, Organic honey, Pure honey, Lavender honey but staying true to the quality that is good for the bees and great for taste.
This series is brought to you in association with Anocht Restaurant and Kilkenny Design Foodhall, and runs on KCLR Drive, Wednesday afternoons at 4.10pm.
Mention KCLR at the counter in the Foodhall and you can get 10% off your bill.
Michael Kenna is a third generation butcher working from Kenna's Family Butcher on Friary Street in Kilkenny City.
The business opened in the 30s, by his grandfather, and his father Paddy - now in his 80s - is still behind the counter today.
We chat about what makes the butchers tick, how business is in Kilkenny, what people are going for these days and with the good weather upon us, squeeze in a few BBQ tips as well.
For more, check out kenonfood.com, kclr96fm.com/drive or tune to the show weekly for Ken On Food, Wednesday's just after 4pm.
This interview originally aired on KCLR on 19 June 2019.
In this first episode, I'm joined by Julie Calder-Potts of Highbank Orchards for a chat about life at Highbank.
From an organic farm on the outskirts of Kilkenny City, the team at Highbank are producing award-winning ciders, apple syrups, gins, vodka and a whole lot more.
It all starts with the humble apple, so that's where the conversation starts and over the course of 15 minutes you'll find out all about Highbank Orchards.
For more, check out kenonfood.com, kclr96fm.com/drive or tune to the show weekly for Ken On Food, Wednesday's just after 4pm.