any info on this foodfest?

jesusmehead!

just wondering if anyone has any idea about this foodfest happening somewhere in cork in the next few weeks?

corked

TasteFest details here

The beautiful Fitzgerald Park on Cork’s Mardyke will be transformed this 23rd – 26th June into an exceptional culinary experience as top chefs, restaurants and food & wine specialists from Cork and its environs vie with each other to tempt you with their best and most popular dishes.

Take a few hours to meet friends, indulge in a range of Irish and International cuisines while enjoying the most elegant of wines, cocktails, beers and, of course, a selection of champagnes and sparkling wines from the cellars of Cork’s own Barry & Fitzwilliam.

AwayWithFaries

Not too clear about how it works. You pay a ticket to get in but food is paid for in "corkers" which are equivalent to a euro. But it doesn't say how many you get, if any for the entry fee. Seems like a confusing system. Anyone got a clearer idea of this?

sok2005

You pay between €15-€25 euro to get in then you pay between €3-€8 Euro per sample meal. Seems a bit pricey to me to be honest, but i'd like to experience it.

deRanged

it seems like fun, but a bit expensive.
I'd like to go but I think it's out of my price range.

mimihops

I would love this but it's so expensive, can't believe it's 25e just to get in, with having to buy the food on top of that. I thought for the 25e some corkers/tokens would be included, I'd say I'll have to give it a miss although it sounds great besides the cost.

Kazbah

Are there definitely no corkers included for entry fee? That seems like a rip off.

sok2005

Agreed. Kids under 12 are free but then we'll still have to pay for meals. If they are sample sized im assuming my kid will eat at least 1 or 2, my husband probably 3-4, we're probably talking about at least another €40-€50 after paying €30 for our tickets.

We'd get a nice meal in a sit down restaurant for that price!

Faith

Kazbah wrote: »

Are there definitely no corkers included for entry fee? That seems like a rip off.

I saw in the paper earlier that if you buy your ticket at the gate (so costing €25 as opposed to €15 if you buy it in advance), you get €5 worth of corkers.

Still shíte value though. I'd go happily if I got free tickets, but I wouldn't pay to get in.

Malari

AwayWithFaries wrote: »

Not too clear about how it works. You pay a ticket to get in but food is paid for in "corkers" which are equivalent to a euro. But it doesn't say how many you get, if any for the entry fee. Seems like a confusing system. Anyone got a clearer idea of this?

I couldn't make sense of the promo flyer either. I couldn't believe you would have to pay to just in and get nothing!? You can't even walk around the stands for free?

Turns out I won't be around all weekend anyway, but feeling better that I don't think I would have gone at this price.

Edit: Just read Faith's post. They don't put that in the flyer info though, as far as I can see!?

Kazbah

I don't think they've done their market research well so for what people would consider value for money.

They must think the entry fee is a fair price for the chef demonstrations so.

thehunter

Price seems very steep, There was murder on the Joe Duffy show a few weeks ago after the Dublin one after people only realised that if you wanted to eat your had to fork out more again inside. also i believe the cost of having a stall there was a crazy price as well so all the coffee's etc etc rocketed up in price.:eek:

kcb

I hope it's not like the one in Dublin but it sounds like it is. In Dublin, You have to pay to get in and then you have to buy tokens to buy from the stalls, and generally for €4-5 worth you get a tiny sample of food.

There would be lots of 'free' stuff too but not worth paying €15-20 for!

A remnant of the Celtic Tiger...

sok2005

I thought they would have reduced the price by now, they just couldnt be getting the numbers.

Their FB page is highly policed and anyone that has anything that is not 100% positive to say gets their comment deleted.
I noticed the day before last some girl commented that 2 contestants from come dine with me won free tickets, i checked again 5 minutes later to show my husband and the comment was deleted. Dodgy!

Milly33

Ok so you dont get free food, thats a bit ****e..We were going to get the special offer tickets for €10 or something but said ne...But just got a freebie one in work I shall go to suss out but I cant see why you would pay to go in then pay again to taste the food...twats

Kazbah

sok2005 wrote: »

I noticed the day before last some girl commented that 2 contestants from come dine with me won free tickets!

I spotted that too!

deRanged

sok2005 wrote: »

I noticed the day before last some girl commented that 2 contestants from come dine with me won free tickets,

oh was it 2? I only noticed the one name - I thought it was very coincidental as it was.

Kazbah

Jamie & Luisa!

deRanged

ah, I missed Louisa.

sok2005

Eagle Eyed! You don't get much passed the Corkonians let me tell you!

tommy21

A kindly city centre pub gave a group of us free tickets - going to go on that basis but balked at the €25 marked on top of ticket. Are people seriously going to pay that?! I feel like I've gotten a good deal obviously, but the free entry is the clincher.

grenache

I was going to travel down from Limerick for this as i always wanted to see what it's like, but at those prices i will most defintely be staying at home.

beer enigma

Judt back from the opening night & have to say I'm very happy

We booked early & got the early bird tickets - two for €20 - obviously its not the full day, but we found 3 1/2 hrs was plenty.

We had eight dishes, which spread over the evening left us both pretty full, as well as a bottle of red wine & two glasses of prosecco - came to a total of €60.

The wine was €12 & the prosecco also €12, so €36 for the food - I though that was pretty good value to be honest.

Only thing to be wary of is the restaurants that dont cook to order - a couple had dishes on the counter - supposedly to cope with demand, but in effect they were just getting cold.

Also, dont buy wine by the glass, a bottle is way cheaper & O'Donovans were the best option for that.

sok2005

Andip wrote: »

Judt back from the opening night & have to say I'm very happy

We booked early & got the early bird tickets - two for €20 - obviously its not the full day, but we found 3 1/2 hrs was plenty.

We had eight dishes, which spread over the evening left us both pretty full, as well as a bottle of red wine & two glasses of prosecco - came to a total of €60.

The wine was €12 & the prosecco also €12, so €36 for the food - I though that was pretty good value to be honest.

Only thing to be wary of is the restaurants that dont cook to order - a couple had dishes on the counter - supposedly to cope with demand, but in effect they were just getting cold.

Also, dont buy wine by the glass, a bottle is way cheaper & O'Donovans were the best option for that.

Must say this review sold it for me. Sounds right up my alley!

Bacchus

Was at it tonight with a few friends. Bit expensive but so much fun!

Cork Lass

Hi,

I've been given 2 free tickets (each marked €25) and am wondering if anyone know if these are single entry or can I reuse them. My young daughter wants to go so if i take her tomorrow afternoon could I then use mine again to get in tomorrow night with my OH.

Thanks:)

Faith

They're single entry.

gbee

Sounds like a trimmed down version of Taste Of Cork.

The same principal applies, you pay in. Then pay for wine tastings, cookery demos, sample meals, sample wines and enjoy the free shows and music ~ if you have the weather and the 'right' crowd it can be great.

You do need big pockets, individually the sample meals, whilst excellent could not be considered value for money, ~~~ I've not been to Fitzgerald's park, I was at the Taste Of Cork a few years ago.

Cork Lass

Faith wrote: »

They're single entry.

Thanks Faith

That's a shame really.

miss_shadow

i'm going today, will let you know how it goes...

gbee

The review above is fully supported by my own daughter who was there yesterday. Today should be a reasonable day to weather wise.