Celebrity Chef Kevin Dundon to judge TY Cooks of the Year Competition at Samhain Food Festival

The Samhain Festival of Food and Culture 2023 will play host to the 'Samhain Schools TY Cooks of the Year Competition' this Friday.

The cook-off final will see teams of two from six different schools in the Meath/Louth areas going head-to-head, tasked with creating a two-course meal that heroes at least two local ingredients per dish from businesses in the Boyne Valley Flavours Producer Network. www.boynevalleyflavours.ie

The aim of the competition is to create an engaging opportunity for local Transition Year students to connect with the heritage, produce and producers of their region and understand the importance of appreciating and supporting their local food and drink industry.

Judges on the day will include leading chef, Kevin Dundon, Ambassador for SuperValu and Chef/Owner of Dunbrody Country House; Euro-Toques Ireland Young Chef of the Year 2017, Conor Halpenny (Head Chef of Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurant, Square, in Dundalk) and Food Academy Manager at Musgrave, Carmel Biggane.

The winning TY Team of 2 on the day will win a much coveted ‘Personal Cookery Workshop’ with Award Winning, Michelin Big Gourmand Chef Jess Murphy of community-based Restaurant Kai in Galway, and another amazing ambassador for SuperValu Ireland.

This competition is supported and sponsored by SuperValu Food Academy and will begin at 10am on Friday.

Food Champion for the Boyne Valley, Olivia Duff, said: “We are thrilled to be sponsored by SuperValu and The Food Academy, who have assisted many of our member producers of Boyne Valley Flavours get their products onto their shelves through their Food Academy Programme. SuperValu continue to recognise the worth of introducing and cultivating young people to carefully consider their options when it comes to the provenance of food & drink."

Full details & tickets for all events taking place during the SAMHAIN Festival in Kells, Co Meath are available on www.boynevalleyflavours.ie.