Demos, Workshops and Talks
Future of Food Breakfast with The Irish Examiner, sponsored by Musgrave
10.00am-12noon, Wednesday 13th August, Good Day Deli, Nano Nagle Place
The very first event of this year's Cork on a Fork Fest will focus on the business of food, in partnership with the Irish Examiner and Musgrave. Hear first-hand insights from businesses on challenges and opportunities, MC'd by the Irish Examiner senior food writer Joe McNamee. You’ll also enjoy a delicious breakfast filled with local produce and receive a goody bag to take home.
Open to businesses or individuals involved in Cork's food industry.
Tickets: FREE. Limited places. Please express interest to attend or take part in the panel by emailing corkonaforkfest@gmail.com
Taste the Goodness Community Garden Party
12.30pm – 4pm, Wednesday 13th August, Knocknaheeny Hollyhill Community Garden (Behind Apple Green garage)
Join NICHE Health Project at Knocknaheeny Community Garden for a special open garden party. Open to everyone, you'll enjoy freshly baked cob oven pizza and refreshing drinks. Plus, enjoy a guided tour of the beautiful garden and some music. A perfect family outing!
Tickets: FREE. No booking required. Donations welcome
Food and Mood Talk
11.00am, Thursday 14th August, Ballincollig LIbrary
An engaging talk on how we can support our mood through nutrition, focusing on how food affects mood, the gut-brain axis, nutrition tips for supporting our mood, and important nutrients for brain health.
FREE. No Booking required
Children's Pizza Party Demo at Marina Market
11.00am – 12.00pm, Thursday 14th August, The Marina Market
English Market Cooking Demo with Cork Chef Orla McAndrew
1.00pm - 2.00pm, Thursday 14th August, Outside the English Market on Grand Parade
FREE. No booking required.
Planning Nutritious Meals Talk
2.00pm, Thursday 14th August. Blarney GAA Hall
Get practical tips on how to create balanced and nutritious meals, with plenty of suggestions for delicious breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack ideas that you can make at home (a Blarney Library event). FREE. No booking required.
Food Phone Photography Workshop with Joleen Cronin
2.00pm - 4.00pm, Thursday 14th August, L'Atitude 51
Cork on a Fork Cocktail Class
7.00pm - 8.00pm, Thursday 14th, Friday 15th & Saturday 16th August, Bar Moxy at The Moxy
La Dolce Vita Cork Style - the Italiano Playlist
11.00am, Friday 15th August, Cork City Library, Rory Gallagher Music Library
Come and join us for a morning of Italian music presented by Denis McSweeney and learn about the performers and their lives beyond the stage. Prepare to enjoy some great classics such as Dean Martin, Pavarotti, Sinatra, Perry Como, Mario Lanza and enjoy some of the best tastes of Italy such as Pizza/ Bruschetta/Cannelloni and Biscotti. This will be a fun morning and guaranteed to be enjoyed by all, La Dolce Vita Cork style.
FREE. No Booking Required
Battle of the Smoothies Kids Sensory Cooking Class
11am - 12pm (3-12 years), Friday 15th August, St Peter's North Main St
Join Deirdre Doyle from the award winning The Cool Food School for a fun, interactive pop-up cooking class for children at St Peter's. Deirdre is a master at getting kids to have fun in the kitchen and promotes healthy eating in a fun and interactive way. From smelling to chopping to dancing and tasting, kids are sure to get lots out of these engaging cooking classes with simple, whole food recipes.
Tickets: €13.50 per child
Book here
Food and Mood Talk
11.30am, Friday 15th August, Mayfield Library
An engaging talk on how we can support our mood through nutrition, focusing on how food affects mood, the gut-brain axis, nutrition tips for supporting our mood, and important nutrients for brain health.
FREE. No booking required
Carrot Cake Power Balls - Kids Sensory Cooking Class
12.30pm-1.30pm, Friday 15th August, St Peter's North Main St
Join Deirdre Doyle from the award winning The Cool Food School for a fun, interactive pop-up cooking class for children at St Peter's. Deirdre is a master at getting kids to have fun in the kitchen and promotes healthy eating in a fun and interactive way. From smelling to chopping to dancing and tasting, kids are sure to get lots out of these engaging cooking classes with simple, whole food recipes.
Tickets: €13.50 per child. Book here
Nice to Mead You! Mead-Making Class and Talk
1-2.30pm, City Library, Thomas Davis Room
Join us for a practical demonstration on how to make your own mead at home, along with a discussion of the origins, history and ecological importance of mead-making. 18+ only.
FREE. No Booking required
Bone Health
2.00pm, Friday 15th August, Glanmire Library
Learn all you need to know about nutrition for bone health including essential nutrients, foods to include in your diet to support bones, and nutrition and lifestyle tips to promote optimal bone health.
FREE. No booking required
Bread, Beef, and Butter at The Butter Museum
2.30-4.30pm, Friday 15th August, The Butter Museum at Shandon
The Butter Museum at Shandon is the place to be on Friday afternoon with a number of demonstrations on the making of traditional soda bread and butter, and a talk from local butcher James Nolan on corned beef. Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult.
Tickets: Free
Book here
Apple Donut Kids Sensory Cooking Class
2.30-3.30pm (3-12 Years), Friday 15th August, St Peter's
Join Deirdre Doyle from the award winning The Cool Food School for a fun, interactive pop-up cooking class for children at St Peter's. Deirdre is a master at getting kids to have fun in the kitchen and promotes healthy eating in a fun and interactive way. From smelling to chopping to dancing and tasting, kids are sure to get lots out of these engaging cooking classes with simple, whole food recipes.
Tickets: €13.50 per child
Book here
Cork Sugarcraft Workshop
10.30am - 11.30am, Saturday 16th August, St. Peter's North Main Street
Cork Sugarcraft Association will host a fun interactive workshop suitable for children (age 6 & up) and adults. You will learn to make your very own 'Love Cork' bear complete with red love heart in sugarpaste and sign our 'Love Cork' cake at this hands on workshop.Tickets: Kids €8, Adults €10 Book here
Smokin’ Fish with Aishling Moore of Goldie and Sally Barnes of Woodcock Smokery
11.00am, Saturday 16th August, Cooking Demo Stage, Emmet Place
Cork’s Food Revolution: Innovators Shaping the Future
11.00am - 12 Noon, Saturday 16th August, Talks & Tastings Stage, Emmet Place
Join us for an exciting live podcast recording featuring three of Cork’s most innovative food entrepreneurs. Hosted by Sharon Noonan, presenter of The Best Possible Taste—Ireland’s longest-running food and drink podcast. FREE. All welcome. Limited seats. No need to book
Summer Alfresco With Clodagh McKenna
12 Noon, Saturday 16th August, Cooking Demo Stage, Emmet Place
Clodagh McKenna, one of Cork's most famous chefs, will host a cooking demo featuring Moroccan Spiced Chicken Couscous Salad and Lemon Possets, followed by a book signing. A renowned chef, TV presenter, and food columnist, Clodagh is the author of eight cookbooks, including the best-selling In Minutes and Clodagh’s Weeknight Kitchen. She is a resident chef on ITV’s This Morning and has hosted five TV series. Clodagh lives on her 100-acre sustainable farm in the UK.
FREE. All welcome. Limited seats. No need to book
Liquid Gold - A Celebration of Cork’s Blas na hÉireann Award-Winning Beverages
12.15pm - 1.15pm, Saturday 16th August, Talks & Tastings Stage, Emmet Place
A Harvest of Nations, One Garden, Many Kitchens
12.00pm - 2.00pm, Saturday 16th August, Togher Community Garden
English Market Cooking Demo with Cork Chef Orla McAndrew
1.00pm - 2.00pm, Saturday 16th August, Outside the English Market on Grand Parade
Tickets: FREE (No booking required)
Takashi Takes on Tripe
2.00pm, Saturday 16th August, Cooking Demo Stage, Emmet Place
International Tea Ceremony and Cooking Demos
2.00pm - 4.00pm, Saturday 16th August, Tea Room and Lecture Theatre, Nano Nagle Place/School of Architecture
Book here
Farm to Fork Cook-up and Guided Tour
2.00pm - 3.30pm, Saturday 16th August, Murphy's Farm Community Garden, Curaheen (behind Bishopstown Tennis Club) T12VY10
All are welcome to Murphy's Farm's Farm to Fork Cook-Up, featuring fresh vegetables straight from their garden! Guest chef JJ from MTU will be cooking up a delicious stir-fry and vegetarian burgers on-site. Plus, enjoy a guided tour of their beautiful vegetable and flower gardens.
Tickets: FREE (All welcome, No booking required)
Young Rebel Uprising
3.00pm, Saturday 16th August, Cooking Demo Stage, Emmet Place
A cooking demo showcasing Cork’s rising chefs . MC'd by Irish Examiner food writer Joe McNamee.
FREE. All welcome. Limited seats. No need to book
Rebel City Distillery X Fitzgerald's Bar Masterclass
3.00pm - 5.00pm, Saturday 16th August, Fitzgerald's Bar
An exclusive afternoon of cocktails, craft, and creativity at the newly refurbished Fitzgerald’s Bar with Rebel City Distillery. Enjoy a welcome cocktail on arrival, get behind-the-scenes insights and a tasting experience with Rebel City Distillery, then roll up your sleeves for a hands-on cocktail masterclass where you’ll make (and enjoy!) two signature drinks. Light bites made with the best local ingredients will keep you fuelled as you sip and shake your way through the session.
Tickets: €55
Book here
In Gut Health – Eat and Drink Your Way to a Happy and Healthy Gut
3.15pm - 4.00pm, Saturday 16th August, Talks & Tastings Stage, Emmet Place
Fibre and fermentation are two easy ways to increase the health of our gut microbiome which is key to ensure overall health in body and mind. Join Paul Cotter, a leading scientist from UCCs APC Microbiome (featured in the Netflix documentary “Hack Your Health – Secrets of your Gut”), and Cork-based makers of gut-friendly drinks Sauer, BKultured and Phyterberry to find out how easy it is to feed your gut for better health. MC'd by Kate Ryan,Flavour.ie
FREE. All welcome. Limited seats. No need to book
Heritage Harvest: Sourdough & Natural Wine Experience
4.00pm, Saturday 16th August, Callanan's Bar George's Quay
Tickets: €30 (or €50 for two)
Book here
Modern Vegan & Vegetarian Food
4.00pm, Saturday 16th August, Cooking Demo Stage, Emmet Place
Three of Cork’s leading vegan and vegetarian chefs from My Goodness, Paradiso and Meb’s Veg, discuss how they have pushed the dial of Vegan and Vegetarian food forward for modern times by going beyond meat and putting focus on ethical food sourcing and sustainability. Includes a cookery demonstration and tastings. MC'd by Kate Ryan, Flavour.ie
Raw Treats Demo and Stretches with The Yoga Tree
4.15pm - 5.00pm, Saturday 16th August, Talks & Tastings Stage, Emmet Place
Tastes of Home
5.00pm, Saturday 16th August, Cooking Demo Stage, Emmet Place
Join Saoirse Ethnic Hands for the launch of Tastes of Home, a multicultural cookbook created by migrant women living in Cork. This special event will feature live cooking demonstrations, food tastings, and storytelling from the women behind the recipes. The cookbook shares not only delicious dishes but also the memories, traditions, and personal stories that go with them. A celebration of culture, resilience, and the power of food to connect us all. Don't miss this unique culinary experience that showcases our city’s diversity in food.
FREE. All welcome. Limited seats. No need to book
Raise a Glass to Cork: A Talk & Tasting with Local Drinks Producers
5.00pm - 6.00pm, Saturday 16th August, St. Peter's North Main St
Join Joe McNamee, Senior Food Writer with The Irish Examiner, as he hosts an engaging conversation and tasting with Cork drinks producers. Hear the stories behind the bottles from the makers themselves—the award-winning Kinsale Mead Co., Stonewell Cider, and Rebel City Distillery—as they share insights into their craft, inspiration, and the future of Cork’s drink scene. Guests will enjoy guided tastings throughout.
FREE. All welcome. Limited seats. No need to book
Splitting the C – A Celebration of Cork’s Independent Stout Brewers
5.30pm - 6.30pm, Saturday 16th August, Talks & Tastings Stage, Emmet Place
Join Kate Ryan (Flavour.ie) for a cheeky take on Cork’s stout brewing traditions through the eyes – and tastebuds – of five of Cork’s independent stout brewers. Rising Sons, Original 7, Eight Degrees Brewing, 9 White Deer and Blacks of Kinsale state their claim for why Splitting the C is better than any other letter of the alphabet! Taste some fierce great stouts, too.
FREE. All welcome. Limited seats. No need to book
Preserving the Past: Traditional Food Methods in a Modern World
6.00pm - 7.00pm, Saturday, 16th August, St. Peter's North Main St
Rob Fitzpatrick, Market Lane
11.00am, Sunday 17th August, Cooking Demo Stage, Emmet Place
Join Rob Fitzpatrick, head chef at the iconic Market Lane Restaurant on Oliver Plunkett St, one of the busiest and most beloved restaurants in Cork city, for this fantastic demo. A graduate of GMIT and MTU, Rob spent many years working in kitchens around the world before joining the Market Lane Group, eventually taking over the kitchen there in 2023.
FREE. All welcome. Limited seats. No need to book
Summer Italian Supper with Clodagh McKenna
12.00pm, Sunday 17th August, Cooking Demo Stage, Emmet Place
Clodagh McKenna, one of Cork's most famous chefs, will host a cooking demo featuring Chilli Garlic Prawn Linguine and Roasted Peaches with honey, mascarpone and hazelnut crumb, followed by a book signing. A renowned chef, TV presenter, and food columnist, Clodagh is the author of eight cookbooks, including the best-selling In Minutes and Clodagh’s Weeknight Kitchen. She is a resident chef on ITV’s This Morning and has hosted five TV series. Clodagh lives on her 100-acre sustainable farm in the UK.
FREE. All welcome. Limited seats. No need to book
Cork on a… Stick! A Cork Cook-Off, with a Twist!
1.00pm, Sunday 17th August, Cooking Demo Stage, Emmet Place
Returning for 2025, three chefs compete to design, cook and present their take on a Cork Pinxtos. Who will be crowned the 2025 Cork on a Stick champion? Pamela Kelly (The Farmgate Café), David Deveraux (51 Cornmarket) and Rebeca Recary Sanchez (St Francis Provisions) will each put their best fork forward to present a single tasty bite using a Cork ingredient they love! MC'd by Kate Ryan (Flavour.ie)
FREE All welcome. Limited seats. No need to book
Street Food Showdown
2.00pm, Sunday 17th August, Cooking Demo Stage, Emmet Place
Get ready for a sizzling street food showdown as some of Cork’s most exciting culinary talents go head-to-head in a live cook-off. Darren O’Connell of Kay’s Kitchen and Jerome Williamson of EcoFish will bring their unique style to the table, transforming fresh, local ingredients into bold, street food-inspired bites. Expect fire and flair as these chefs battle it out. MC’d by Joe McNamee, Irish Examiner senior food writer.
FREE. All welcome. Limited seats. No need to book
Kids’ Pasta-Making Demo!
2.00pm, Sunday 17th August, Don Gregorio, Washington Street
Join the fun at Don Gregorio on Washington Street for a FREE pasta-making demonstration for kids! Under the guidance of their head chef from Italy, little chefs will get hands-on experience as they roll out fresh dough and use a handheld pasta machine to create authentic, homemade pasta. A perfect way to introduce kids to the joy of cooking.
Tickets: FREE. Book here
Herb Garden Workshop
2.00pm - 4.00pm, Sunday 17th August, Douglas Community Park, Church Road (Meet outside Douglas Community Centre or at the herb garden)
Douglas Tidy Towns invites you to an exploration of the herb garden in Douglas Community Park with a herb preparation making demonstration lead by botanist Jo Goodyear.
Tickets: FREE. No booking required
Sailing, Shucking and Shanties
2.00pm, Sunday 17th August, Pick up at Custom House Quay
Enjoy a cruise with Cork Harbour Cruises, on a 2.5-hour round-trip cruise from Custom House Quay to the lower Harbour. Take in all the stunning sights of the harbour, including Cobh, Spike Island, Haulbowline and Blackrock Castle. Pat O Connell from K O Connell Fish Stall in the English Market will be shucking oysters for your tasting, and there will be lots of entertainment on board with Sea Shanties by Cobh Molgoggers. All while you enjoy a guided tour of all the amazing history and sights of the most Fascinating Harbour.
Tickets: €50 per person. Book here
Talking recipes with Cork’s Blasta Book authors
2.30pm-3.30pm, Sunday 17th August, Talks & Tastings Stage, Emmet Place
Blasta Books burst onto the cookbook scene in 2022 and changed the face – and voice – of Ireland’s food story and becoming an instant cult classic. Join this enlightening chat with Cork’s Blasta Book authors Aishling Moore (Goldie x Whole Catch), Caitlin Ruth (Caitlin Ruth Food x Funky), Orla McAndrew (OM Catering x Larder) and Eman and Izz Alkarajeh (Izz Café x Jibrin) for how food and stories are changing how we eat. MC'd by Kate Ryan,Flavour.ie
FREE. All welcome. Limited seats. No need to book
The Journey of Five Farms with Tasting
4.00pm-5.00pm, Sunday 17th August, Talks & Tastings Stage, Emmet Place
Hear about the journey of Five Farms Irish Cream Liqueur, a local producer that embodies the true spirit of farm-to-table craftsmanship. Crafted from single batches of fresh cream blended with premium Irish whiskey within 48 hours of collection, this authentic liqueur captures the essence of West Cork. Sourced exclusively from five family-owned farms in the region, every step of the process—from mixing to bottling—takes place locally in Cork, making it a true rebel county creation. Tastings will be offered at this talk. Over 18s only.
Rescue The Plate
5.00pm, Sunday 17th August, Cooking Demo Stage, Emmet Place
In partnership with FoodCloud, join us for the final marquee event of the festival as we turn Food “Waste” into Food “Ace” with two of Cork’s leading Zero Waste chefs, Ali Honour and Orla McAndrew. Ready, Steady, Cook-style, our chefs will be tasked with making delicious dishes using a surprise bag of would-be food waste rescued from some of our festival restaurants with a winner chosen by a surprise Guest of Honour!
FREE. All welcome. Limited seats. No need to book