FOOD FOR LIFE CURATED BY TWO-MICHELIN STARRED CHEF KEVIN THORNTON
Two -Michelin Starred Chef Kevin Thornton
FOOD FOR LIFE AT FÉILE 2019
Food For Life is a departure from the normal food areas at festivals, its ethos honours the landscape of our island and sea around it with a thoughtfully procured community of food and drinks traders who source and produce only the best of Irish to serve up the best to Féile festival-goers.
This project in community is founded upon the meaning of the word – ‘a group of people in the same place who have the condition of sharing, or having, certain attitudes and interests in common’. Food for Life looks to share this community, its produce and ideas, in an area that connects people at the communal festival table in the heart of the midlands... to relax, to eat and escape the madness.
Food for Life owes its name to Tipperary native and two-Michelin starred chef Kevin Thornton, widely regarded as Ireland’s best chef and a great philosopher of Irish food. In 2009, Kevin produced a food photography book called Food for Life, which captured his passion for visual creativity and his passion for ingredients in a captivating and beautiful publication.
Food for Life at Féile strives to create unique food experiences, experiences that connect us with our own food memories and with Irish ingredients, whether it’s tasting your first fresh oyster or being lured by the aroma of freshly baked bread.
Food for Life honours Kevin’s passion for food, ingredients and culinary skill through the traders who have been carefully chosen to deliver the highest quality and mouth-wateringly delicious food over the two-day event. Traders come from all corners of the island of Ireland, who share our ethos and attitudes and will be encouraged to include some local Tipperary produce as part of their menus.
Sustainability is also at the heart of Food for Life in many ways. Much of the food is sourced locally and through providers who farm and produce using sustainable methods. Food waste awareness is being championed in the area, with compostable bins for food waste and compostable food and drink vessels dotted throughout. Recycling bins will also be in operation to manage this waste. Traders are following sustainable criteria for entry and no unnecessary plastic is allowed to be brought on site. Festival-goers will be encouraged by informative signage of how to dispose of waste and a clean environment maintained to create an enjoyable experience while in Food For Life.
LA LA POUTINE
From a bag of chips to one of the most popular food trucks in Ireland
Poutine is the most popular dish in Canadian cuisine. Poutine is the ultimate comfort food, made from chips, squeaky cheese curds, and gravy.
When we decided to launch it in Ireland, it took us a very long time to find the key ingredient, the perfect cheese curd. We finally found an artisan cheese maker to make is especially for us.
We pride ourselves to always use freshly cut chips, King Edward or Maris Piper. We always cook them twice to get a soft heart and crispy on the outside. Our cheese is freshly made from Irish milk, and our gravy is very tasty, and gluten free. We also always bring different toppings on the menu, pulled pork, smoked bacon, chicken and chorizo…
No surprise why we received an award from the Irish Times last year for the best potato dish in Electric Picnic, one from Lucinda O'Sullivan (Irish independent) in her top 20 food trucks in 2019, or catered from the Canadian ambassador and some prestigious pubs or companies Today FM, Guinness, RTE...
DUBLIN PIZZA COMPANY
How to set up a pizza company in 4 simple steps...
1/ Travel to Naples to learn from the best
2/ Build your own woodfire oven & fire up some delicious home made pizzas
3/ Build a polytunnel to grow fresh, organic ingredients
4/ Set up shop & serve your lovely hungry customers :)
MY GOODNESS
My Goodness is a Cork Based food company specialising in all things fermented, delicious, healthy, and vegan. We're bringing with us award winning nachos, hand pressed deep fried tacos, RAWchos, sugar free gluten free raw treats, and kombucha and kefir on tap!
Our drinks are probiotic, made from rainwater, and they've sorted out more than a few hangovers at various festivals around the country.
Come visit our stall if ya fancy a wee boost, or delicious Tex Mex.
GEMS COFFEE
Gems Coffee was formed three years ago at Cork On Ice. It’s owner Tom Gems was thrown in at the deep end selling coffee to the 100,000 people who pass through over the three months that the ice rink that resides at Mahon Point every winter.
Gems Coffee can now be found most weekends at one event or another, from the mighty All Together Now to the Point to Point races in Tubber county Claire.
Come and enjoy a single origin Salado Blanco Columbian coffee made by our fantastic baristas. We are partnered with Badger and Dodo and exclusively use their beautifully roasted coffee.
PÓNAIRE
Pónaire (Irish for bean) is an Irish owned and operated coffee roaster in Newport, Tipperary, roasting 100% of the coffees we serve and sell for over 13 years.
Pónaire’s coffees have won over 17 Great Taste Awards . All of our coffees are traceable back to the farms.
We only buy the highest quality coffee beans that are carefully selected to create a full range of options that suit different ways of making and drinking coffee.
SHAKA POKÉ
Shaka is a gesture of friendly intent in Hawaii and hence the name Shaka Poke. It also means, “hang loose”, and is often used by the surfing community.
Most of our dishes are inspired by what we came across in California. When sourcing our fish we aim to use the highest quality and most sustainable raw fish while maintaining a reasonable price point. This philosophy extends to all of our offerings.
Raw fish - a delicacy on its own, it makes one of the strongest key ingredients in so many different regional cuisines. Each culture does it differently: Japan has sushi and sashimi, Latin America has ceviche, Italy has crudo and Scandinavia has gravlax. Hawaii has poke.
Taking all of the delicious ingredients of sushi and putting them in any easy to eat container – Poke is a fresh, healthy and tasty meal.
Poké is a traditional Hawaiian dish made up of cubed, marinated and freshly caught sashimi fish. The ‘Poké Bowl’ is a modern twist on this classic - it includes a base of rice, fresh vegetables, tropical fruit and a selection of flavourful toppings that create a healthy, nourishing and super tasty meal.
BARBECUE COWBOYS
A few short years ago, Jason Keating, a qualified and experienced chef, happened to come across an American Smoker/Barbeuce. Jason a qualified and experienced chef was always looking for different and new ways of cooking which would challenge and excite him and now he had found it. He began in his spare time to educate himself in the art of smoking meats and experimented using various different methods. His culinary skills gave him the advantage when he invented his own rubs and spices which perfectly compliment the unique smoked flavour of his meats. He smokes his meats using a custom-built smoker/barbecue in his shed/unit located beside a quaint village pub called Cooneys in Mangan Hollyfort Gorey in Co. Wexford. To anyone who has had the fortune of frequenting this pub, they will know that its character and charm is unique and a rare commodity to find these days. So, as time progressed Barbecue Cowboys was formed and is now in its 4th year.
Barbecue Cowboys have catered for Festivals such as Slane Castle, Longitude, Knockanstockan and just this year at Forever Young In Naas Co. Kildare. They cater for private parties, corporate events and weddings also. Along with their beef brisket, pulled pork, Cajun chicken and mouth-watering fall off the bone succulent smoked ribs, last but not least are the Barbecue Cowboys Burnt End Beans. We call them the ‘Experience’ and to those who have tasted them, they will understand. The understanding is in the tasting and from there on out a barbecue will not be a barbecue unless you have Barbecue Cowboys Burnt End Beans.
Our next adventure is making the Tripp to Tipp on the 20th and 21st of September to join Kevin Thorton in the Food for Life Hall where we look forward to sharing our culinary delights with both young and old.