Chefs and food enthusiasts will not be descending on Galway for Food On The Edge this year – as the two-day symposium will be held in Dublin for the first time in October.
The event will take place at Airfield Estate in Dundrum and it will be a blended symposium with in-person speakers and other speakers joining virtually.
Taking place on 18 and 19 October, the confirmed speakers include the first Indian woman to win a Michelin star, Garima Aurora; André Chaing; Alice Zaslavsky; and Mark Best, star of the Netflix hit Chef’s Table.
Virtual tickets will go on sale in July priced at €95, while in-person tickets will go on sale later in the year from €350 for two days and from €195 for one day.
Galway chef and restaurateur JP McMahon, who founded the symposium, says that the event will be streamed live so people can watch it from anywhere in the world, and a large audience is expected.
“The theme of this year’s symposium is ‘Social Gastronomy’. The theme is very important this year as the industry has evolved throughout the pandemic and I hope we’ll see lasting change,” said JP McMahon.
“Social Gastronomy is a term that encapsulates caring for food in a more holistic and total manner. It is the creation of a network of like-minded chefs and hospitality workers, to forge communities that use food to transform their everyday environment.”
The Michelin starred chef said that it cultivates local connections and builds long-term partnerships around the world, using the power of food as a vehicle for change and development at a grassroots level.
“Social Gastronomy aims to create a more equitable food culture, and a more inclusive society using food as an essential tool to build a better ecology and safer environment for all of humanity to thrive,” added JP McMahon.
“I believe that Social Gastronomy uses food as a vehicle for change and development, and that is at the core of Food On The Edge and everyone that speaks and takes part.”
Gráinne Kelleher, CEO at Airfield Estate, explained that the estate is a 38-acre working farm in Dublin and said that they are delighted to be the home of FOTE 2021.
“The estate has a long history of sustainable and social gastronomy dating back to the early 1900s when it was one of the first farms to supply pasteurised milk to disadvantaged families with the aim of preventing tuberculosis in Dublin city centre,” said Gráinne Kelleher.
“Today it is a centre for food education and research with a mission to inspire and enable consumers to make food choices that benefit people, planet and pocket.”
Pauline Cox, Managing Director of Gather & Gather Ireland, which is a key partner of FOTY 2021, said they are delighted to be partnering with the event once again.
“This year I feel it’s even more special given the devastating impact the pandemic has had on the hospitality industry globally,” said Pauline Cox.
“The conversations in the past have helped us shape our food philosophy and this year as we reconnect with food post-pandemic, we look forward to new conversations.
“The theme of social gastronomy is of huge interest to us given our role as both food educators and cooks and how we positively impact society with food. We are super excited that for the first time outside of Galway FOTE will be in Airfield Estate in Dublin.”
