Culinary Kinsale get ready for its 9th  All Ireland Chowder Weekend

Following on from their hugely successful inaugural Veuve Clicquot Restaurant Week, Kinsale Good Food Circle are preparing to host the 9th annual All Ireland Chowder Weekend from April 5th to 7th in Actons Marquee.

Some of the best chefs in Ireland are getting ready for the real Battle of Kinsale, to become the coveted crown of Ireland’s Best Chowder, with over 25 finalists participating in the final on Sunday April 7th, following a series of heats in individual counties.

What started 9 years ago as a one day event, has now grown into a weekend festival, commencing on the Friday night with a Fashion Show in aid of Kinsale Youth Support Service, followed on Saturday April 6th by what has become one of the most popular days in the Kinsale events calendar, The Street Feast from 1 to 4pm. Another new addition to the Festival is the Wild Atlantic Way Craft Beer and Distillery Festival from 4pm in the Marquee featuring Craft Beers and Craft Spirits from along the Wild Atlantic way with live music from the incredible Niall McCabe Band. The headline event is the Clona All Ireland Chowder Cook Off on Sunday April 7th from 2 to 4pm in the Marquee at Actons Hotel.

Some exciting new entrants this year include Nash 19 in Cork, Klaw in Dublin, Glenlo Abbey in Galway, the five star Killarney Park and Killybegs Fish Shack which featured recently on Neven Maguire’s Irish Food Trails, who will compete alongside returning competitors from Quinlans Seafood in Kerry, the Chophouse Dublin and The Cottage Restaurant in Leitrim to name but a few. They are all competing to take the title and €1,000 in prize money.

Who decides the winner? You! The public is asked to come and taste each chowder from 2 to 4pm and, with over 1,000 people voting last year, the winner truly is the people’s choice. This is what makes the event so special and why restaurants come back year after year to win the Best Chowder in Ireland and get presented with The Derek Davis Perpetual Trophy. Tickets to for this amazing event to taste the best chowders in Ireland cost €15 and available on the door on April 7th

The full list of finalists (subject to change) are: Nash 19 Cork, The Chophouse Dublin, Carrygerry House Clare, Mullingar Fish Market, The Killarney Park, Klaw Dublin, Dolans Limerick, The Cottage Leitrim, Kellys Café Wexford, Kings Head Galway, The Distillers Arms Antrim, Weavers Inn Clare, The Rustic Catering Company Limerick, Glenlo Abbey Galway, Armada Hotel Clare, Hartes of Kildare, Longford Arms Hotel, Celtic Ross Hotel Cork, The Millstone Tyrone, Killybegs Fish Shack, Church Restaurant Westmeath, Bridge Hotel Offaly, The Moorings Waterford, Quinlans Seafood Kerry, Younges The Ragg Tipperary and Packies Kenmare.

Full Programme:

Friday 7.30pm – Fashion @ The Marquee
Saturday 1-4pm – Kinsale Street Feast
Saturday 4pm – Wild Atlantic Way Craft Beer and Distillery Festival
Sunday 2-4pm – The All Ireland Chowder Cook Off.