If you’re looking to broaden your culinary horizons in 2025, the team at Statham’s in Kilkenny might have something right up your street with the Statham’s Supper Club kicking off this month.
The first event of its kind ran as part of last year’s Savour Kilkenny Food Festival with Statham’s executive chef Ken Harker joined by Ballymaloe’s Rachel Allen for a night featuring cocktails, simple, delicious plates and wrapped up with a Coole Swan digestif. The night’s swift sell-out set the tone for a whole programme of events this year.
Guided by Harker, the Statham’s Supper Club is designed for food enthusiasts to come together regularly, enjoy exceptional meals, meet top chefs, producers, and local craft makers and explore the finest Kilkenny flavours. If you missed it, Statham’s are also the current holder of Best Contemporary Irish Cuisine in Kilkenny and Leinster as part of the Irish Restaurant Awards (2024) – nominations for 2025 now open.
Originally pencilled in for earlier this month, a snowy start to January has meant a move out to this coming weekend with the first event of the year slated for Sunday 26 January from 6-8pm.
First up: Highbank Orchards
The first special guests for the year need little by way of introduction to Kilkenny food lovers with Highbank Orchards produce a staple of many local’s kitchens and bars. Their Cuffesgrange orchard spreads out from a 17th-century farmyard, with the present farmhouse and home built in the 19th century. Home to the original, innovative and multi-award-winning Highbank Orchard Syrup and treacle, the Calder-Potts have been producing everything from non-alcoholic and medieval ciders to gin, rum, vinegar, marshmallows and more for many a year.
On the rollout of Statham’s Supper Club, Harker says “It’s starting on the 26th of January, this one linked with High Bank Orchards – a great producer, local family, really, really good.”
“It’s a foodie event but it’s also a fun event. We’re going to link up with local suppliers, artists, musicians, candlemakers, you name it, we’re going to be doing it.”
“It’s going to be very relaxed, very casual, group dining and very interactive as well. I’ll be there every night, discussing the food, why we chose the food and where the food comes from but we’ll also have our guests speaking about their products and their business and the products that they make.
“It should be very different, and a fun night.”
So if you’re looking for something different in Kilkenny this weekend, tickets can be booked via Pembroke Kilkenny here.
