CORK TO HOST A MAJOR CHOCOLATE DINNER THIS MONTH
Dinner is part of the Cork Baking and Chocolate Weekend
A succulent, chocolate-themed dinner is taking place this month at The Cork International Hotel. The Cork Chocolate Dinner, as part of the hugely popular Cork Baking and Chocolate Weekend, is a 4-course, cocoa themed dinner that will be served to guests on Friday 22nd November. In its third year, the past two dinners were a sell-out, and organizers say this year will be bigger and better than ever before.
Following a Sparkling Reception, each course in the Cork Chocolate Dinner will be prepared by a different chef, each incorporating the use of cocoa and decadently paired with a wine. Paul Kelly, Executive Pastry Chef of the Merrion Hotel and Judge of the Great Irish Bake Off, will be preparing a dessert following the dinner. Tickets are €80pp and available to book on Eventbrite HERE.
Chocolate experts from around the world will be descending on Cork this month for the The Cork Baking and Chocolate Weekend taking place from the 22nd-24th of November. The Cork International Hotel will once again host the unique three-day event, which will showcase cake making experts and chocolatiers who have won major global honours in the industry, including gold medallists in world-ranked events in the US. There will also be some very exciting workshops, such as: Beer and Chocolate Pairing; Wine and Chocolate Pairing; a Cocktail Making Masterclass and Sourdough Made Easy. When it comes to cakes, there will be classes on How to Make an Amazing Christmas Cake; Painting on Cakes; and Icing Cakes.
The Weekend will include:
- The Cookery Demo Marquee; where leading Irish bakers will teach visitors everything from cake pops to sourdough breads
- Exhibition hall; where visitors can pick up baking goods, or Christmas gifts at the fair
- Main Stage; where visitors can listen to talks from famous Irish professionals including Paul Kelly, William Curley and others.
Access to most of the above in included in general admission passes.
Throughout the weekend, a large marquee will host chocolate, baking and cookery demonstrations, while visitors can also indulge in various workshops and talks. There are some very exciting additions to this year’s festival such as Sparkling Afternoon Tea with complimentary admission to the exhibitor area on Saturday 23rd November. The afternoon tea will be prepared by the Executive Head Chef, Martin O’ Mahony. There will also be a special appearance by Paul Kelly, along with one of the World’s best known award-winning chocolatier and patissier, William Curley.
As part of the Weekend, the highly anticipated “Great Cork Bake Off” will take place place on the Sunday 24th of November. 15 bakers will be carefully selected as finalists from their “Showstopper” cake creations. They will then be judged by renowned chef, Paul Kelly, Executive Pastry Chef of the Merrion Hotel and Judge of the Great Irish Bake Off.
Other events include a Q&A with William Curley. William will be offering hints and tips for baking and decorating your favourite delicacies. There will also be a talk on “How to make the perfect Christmas Cake”.
Over the Weekend there will also be a children’s area with lots of activities to keep younger chocolate lovers entertained. Here at the children’s zone, in the main exhibition area, children can enjoy cookie decorating, baking, story telling, face painting and other delicious activities.
Co-founder of the Cork Sugar Craft Association, Jacqueline Cullinane, said the Cork Baking and Chocolate Weekend would see standards seen in the best of international competition.
“Irish artists are up there with the very best in the world, including British and Australian cake makers. It is a wonderful craft to enjoy — it truly brings out creativity you never even realised you had, and it becomes a real family affair with multiple generations able to enjoy it together. We hope there will be lots of would-be cake artists and chocolatier stars born when they visit the Cork International Hotel on November 22 to 24 and become seduced by the passion that goes into chocolate and baking. Once you get hooked, it’s hard to lose that passion that lasts a lifetime,” Ms Cullinane said.
General admission tickets are €5 per adult and children go free. There is an additional cost for some workshops and talks, but this is clearly marked in the event schedule on the website. HERE.
GET GENERAL ADMISSION PASSES HERE: