April sees the beginning of a new initiative from Kilkenny Leader Partnership that looks sure to tempt the tastebuds of locals and visitors to Kilkenny alike.
The Global Kitchen, having made an appearance at Savour Kilkenny in recent years, is transforming into a series of year-long events that highlight the cuisines of many of the different cultures now established in Kilkenny city and county.
“This is a year-long programme of events of pop-up Global Kitchen cafés run out of Kilkenny’s own Home Rule Club in the heart of Kilkenny City”, says Sharon O’Gorman, development officer with KLP.
“This is a Kilkenny Leader Partnership initiative with the support of SICAP (Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme). We are grateful to have the support of the Home Rule Club and all of the communities that are taking part. We have Romanian, Polish, Malaysian, and to start with, an Irish café.”
Watch: Global Kitchen Promo
Upcoming Events
The first two Global Kitchen café events have been confirmed for April, beginning with an Irish flavour on Saturday 1 April, followed up with a Lebanese twist on Saturday 22 April.
- Saturday 1 April, 12-5pm: Global Kitchen Irish Café (Tickets €12)
- Saturday 22 April 12-5pm: Global Kitchen Lebanese Café (Tickets €12)
Tickets for each of the café events is €12 with the menu for 1 April looking like traditional Irish stew with mashed potato on the side, or a seafood chowder served with homemade brown bread. Dessert is a choice of bread and butter pudding or cheese cake, served with tea or coffee.
The Lebanese café on 22 April will serve “traditional Lebanese food, prepared by Lebanese and service by Irish, Ukranian and Lebanese members of our community. This is a truly multicultural event offering the opportunity to sample delicious food and explore new cultures”, according to organisers.
A Malaysian café is planned for 20 May, a Polish café to tie in with the Polska Eire Festival in June, a Bangladeshi Café in August and another for Romanian National Day in November.
“All of these events provide a meeting place for new arrivals and longer-established members of our communities. They offer an opportunity for Irish people to meet and interact with newer arrivals. Food is an integral part of all cultures and provides an ideal platform to exchange ideas and gain an increased understanding of each other. Tickets are modestly priced and will be available on Eventbrite”, said KLP’s Martin Rafter.
“I was involved in the Ukrainian Borscht Cafés in the past. It was a great way to help us get to know people in Kilkenny and for us to show our food and our culture. I would encourage everyone to come along, to support Global Kitchen and to enjoy food from around the world”, says Liliia Svyrydenko who arrive in Ireland from Ukraine last July.
Find more food events in Kilkenny and around the country here.
