NEWLY-CROWNED Masterchef Ireland champion, Mary Carney, will turn up the heat on her fellow gourmets when she makes one of her first public appearances since winning the competition at the Savour Kilkenny Food Festival.

The 28 year-old culinary whizz from Waterford will swap the pressure of labouring over a hot stove for a well-earned place as a guest judge alongside top chef, Catherine Fulvio, at the Savour Kilkenny Masterchef Final.

Mary and Catherine will put contestants through their paces in the mega cook-off which takes place in The Set Theatre on Sunday October 30th from 3pm to 5pm. Entries for the competition are being accepted up to October 19 at www.savourkilkenny.com.

The Kilkenny Masterchef finalists will cook against the clock in the grand final in front of a live audience under the watchful eye of the expert judges. The finalists will be assisted by popular Kilkenny chefs, Anne Neary and Edward Hayden.

The first ever Irish Masterchef champion, who is from Co Waterford, said she is really looking forward to guest judging at Savour Kilkenny. “It will be strange to be judging rather than cooking; a different sort of pressure. But I’m really looking forward to the experience.”

“I’ve had Nick Munier and Dylan McGrath sampling my cooking throughout the Masterchef competition for weeks so putting myself in their shoes and judging the work of others will be a very different experience. I know what it feels like to be at the other side of the table when the judges are sampling your work. Competitions like this are all about encouraging people to enjoy cooking great food and I hope to share my passion for food at Savour with the competition finalists.”

“I’m really looking forward to visiting Kilkenny. I’ve not had a chance to go home yet and hope that I’ll be able to enjoy several of the other Savour events. It’s an amazing and really exciting line-up and time permitting, I hope to really take in as much as I can during Savour 2011,” Mary added.

Mary announced this week she is going full time into the food business and on Monday launched her website www.marycarney.net

Meanwhile excitement is building for the Savour Kilkenny Festival which opens on October 27th and which is expected to provide a boost to the local economy with thousands of visitors expected.

This year boasts an expanded programme of events to get taste buds tingling. Some of the big attractions include top Irish chefs Catherine Fulvio and Donal Skehan who will be in action doing demos in The Set Theatre.

Foodies are advised to buy their Savour Festival Wristbands, which will give them access to all demos and events in The Set – as soon as possible at www.savourkilkenny,com or from the Savour Festival Office at The Maltings or Kilkenny Tourism. The wristbands are only €10 each, and cover ALL events for the entire weekend.

The open-air market on the Plaza with over 70 food producers from the region will be free to the public. Foodies will have a chance to taste and experience the best of local artisan food, with lots of free tastings in store.

For details about Savour events, other competitions and attractions, log on to www.savourkilkenny.com

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Media contact : Miriam Donohoe, MD Media (087) 239 3914

A PACKED PROGRAMME UNVEILED FOR 5th ANNUAL SAVOUR KILKENNY FOOD FESTIVAL 2011 AT THE NATIONAL CRAFT GALLERY

A MOUTH-WATERING and expanded programme of events was unveiled over the weekend for the 5th Annual Savour Kilkenny Food Festival which takes place over the October Bank Holiday weekend, 27th – 31st October 2011.

Once again the walls of Kilkenny Castle will form a spectacular backdrop for the Festival with a free open air food market on the Parade Plaza and in the Design Yard where foodies can taste and buy the very best of local and regional produce in a bustling, autumnal setting.

In a new development this year, the Set Theatre in John Street will be the location for a range of cooking demonstrations and tasty events, with celebrity chefs Donal Skehan and Catherine Fulvio, topping the bill.

Skehan, who is often referred to as Irelands answer to Jamie Oliver, is hosting “A Taste of Craft” demonstration in association with the Crafts Council of Ireland which is celebrating Year of Craft 2011. The dynamic young chef will showcase food with the work of local craftspeople.

Catherine Fulvio makes a welcome return by popular demand after her successful appearance last year. Popular Kilkenny-based chefs, Anne Neary of Ryland House Cookery and Edward Hayden of Edward Entertains, will also feature over the weekend hosting a Made in Kilkenny Tapas workshop and a Sinful but Delicious Desserts demo.

The Avonmore Live Celebrity Cook-off will feature Anne Phelan TD, John Walsh and Edwina Grace of KCLR96FM, and an All Star Hurler with MC RTE broadcaster, Brenda O’Donoghue.
Budding amateur chefs will have an opportunity to show off their culinary skills with the Caulfield’s Supervalu Kilkenny Masterchef Final.

This year the Savour Festival is encouraging friends and supporters to buy a special Festival Wristband which will give people access to all the cooking demonstrations and events over the weekend. The wristbands are now on sale for only €10 from the Savour Kilkenny headquarters in The Maltings, or the Kilkenny Tourism office. They can also be purchased online at www.savourkilkenny.com

Other highlights of this year’s expanded Festival programme include:

- A debate titled “The Great Irish Food Fight – is traditional Irish Cuisine an embarrassment of riches – or just an embarrassment? This will form the centrepiece of the Savour Kilkenny Food Camp in the Newpark Hotel on Friday October 28th and will be chaired by John McKenna of the Bridgestone Guide.
- The Dame Alice Medieval Banquet on Sunday October 31st in the Kilkenny Castle Kitchens.
- A Feast of Chefs – 5 Kilkenny chefs, 5 courses under 5 arches” in Campagne Restaurant on Thursday October 27th.
- Seafood Workshops by six Kilkenny chefs in The Fishman’s Market Stand on the Parade Plaza.

- A Young Producers Market in MacDonagh Junction.
- Pop Up Allotment on the Canal Square.
- A Taste of Kilkenny Food Trail Tour.
- A Nutrition for Sport and a Healthy Lifestyle seminar with speakers including Kilkenny All-Ireland Hurling Star Michael Fennelly.
- Interactive Cooking demos for children and a kiddie cook off
Local restaurants are putting on their best bibs with many organising special Savour events including: Savour the Lady Helen dinner in Mount Juliet Hotel in Thomastown, Savour the Romance in Café Sol, Savour Kilkenny Tasting Menu in Zunis, Sensory Dining in the Clubhouse Hotel and a celebration of Kilkenny Artisans Food in Statham’s Restaurant.

This year the Savour Festival tentacles will reach out right around the county with events in Thomastown, Paulstown, Castlecomer, Stoneyford, Graiguenamanagh, Freshford, and Callan.
Stalls for the open air food market are still being offered at a nominal charge – and hotels, restaurants, cafes, cookery schools, chefs and shops from the city and county are advised to reserve their space as soon as possible by emailing info@savourkilkenny.com
Ger Mullally, Chairman of the Savour Kilkenny Food Festival Committee, said at the official programme launch in the National Craft Gallery that the festival was delighted to offer an expanded and more diverse programme this year.

“We hope this festival will help local food producers, retailers, restaurateurs’ and hoteliers to meet the significant economic challenges in the present difficult environment for business and consumers.

“Kilkenny’s reputation as a food destination is increasing and we will reflect this by exhibiting the best Kilkenny and its hinterland has to offer by way of food. The festival is one of the building blocks to the development of a strong and vibrant food culture throughout County Kilkenny.”

He thanked the main sponsors Glanbia, Kilkenny County Councils, LEADER, Electrocity, Pallas Foods, Bord Bia and Failte Ireland, the Crafts Council of Ireland, Caulfields, and FBD for their support.

www.savourkilkenny.com
www.craftinireland.com

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For more details contact:

Miriam Donohoe, MD Media, 087 2393914
Or
Siobhan Donohoe, MD Media, 086 1727972